Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspective
Transformative social protection requires an understanding of how interventions affect women and men. Gender inequality remains pervasive in societies. However, mainstream social protection evaluations have seldom been informed by gender analysis beyond sex categorisation. This paper focuses on the...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Wellbeing, Space and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666558123000490 |
| _version_ | 1797385057808154624 |
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| author | John Oti Amoah Justice Mensah |
| author_facet | John Oti Amoah Justice Mensah |
| author_sort | John Oti Amoah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Transformative social protection requires an understanding of how interventions affect women and men. Gender inequality remains pervasive in societies. However, mainstream social protection evaluations have seldom been informed by gender analysis beyond sex categorisation. This paper focuses on the Labour Intensive Public Works Programme in Wa West District of Ghana to discuss the gender dynamics in participation outcomes. We analysed data from ten in-depth interviews with district assembly's social welfare and LIPW project staff and eight focus group discussions with programme participants and nonparticipants. In-depth interviews with the key informant clearly show that though the programme implementers acknowledge differential labour demands among participants, it is carried out in a manner that sustains gender inequalities through the endorsement of social stereotypes. The analysis revealed that an increase in women's income did not augment their ability to bargain in household decision-making. The study draws on Longwe's Women Empowerment Framework to discuss the results. This paper explains why and how this new knowledge can be used to inform theoretical and future policy debates on social protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:48:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fbf9687a9a62405980de6b109fd54c29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-5581 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:48:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wellbeing, Space and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-fbf9687a9a62405980de6b109fd54c292023-12-20T07:38:54ZengElsevierWellbeing, Space and Society2666-55812023-12-015100176Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspectiveJohn Oti Amoah0Justice Mensah1Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD), University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Centre for African and International Studies (CAIS), University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Corresponding author.Directorate of Academic Planning & Quality Assurance, University of Cape Coast, GhanaTransformative social protection requires an understanding of how interventions affect women and men. Gender inequality remains pervasive in societies. However, mainstream social protection evaluations have seldom been informed by gender analysis beyond sex categorisation. This paper focuses on the Labour Intensive Public Works Programme in Wa West District of Ghana to discuss the gender dynamics in participation outcomes. We analysed data from ten in-depth interviews with district assembly's social welfare and LIPW project staff and eight focus group discussions with programme participants and nonparticipants. In-depth interviews with the key informant clearly show that though the programme implementers acknowledge differential labour demands among participants, it is carried out in a manner that sustains gender inequalities through the endorsement of social stereotypes. The analysis revealed that an increase in women's income did not augment their ability to bargain in household decision-making. The study draws on Longwe's Women Empowerment Framework to discuss the results. This paper explains why and how this new knowledge can be used to inform theoretical and future policy debates on social protection.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666558123000490GenderSocial policySustainable developmentPublic works programmesCash transferEmpowerment |
| spellingShingle | John Oti Amoah Justice Mensah Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspective Wellbeing, Space and Society Gender Social policy Sustainable development Public works programmes Cash transfer Empowerment |
| title | Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspective |
| title_full | Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspective |
| title_fullStr | Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspective |
| title_short | Gender and public works intervention in rural Ghana: An empowerment framework perspective |
| title_sort | gender and public works intervention in rural ghana an empowerment framework perspective |
| topic | Gender Social policy Sustainable development Public works programmes Cash transfer Empowerment |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666558123000490 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnotiamoah genderandpublicworksinterventioninruralghanaanempowermentframeworkperspective AT justicemensah genderandpublicworksinterventioninruralghanaanempowermentframeworkperspective |