Evidence of Gender Imbalance

The evidence is reflected in both statistical terms and in the experience of violence perpetrated against women and girls.

a) Research and Statistical Evidence
In Africa generally, the status of women in terms of poverty, discrimination and literacy, is quite dismal. According to a UN human development report said to have been released in 1995, women in sub-Sahara Africa are at the tail end of development. According to the sections cited from the report, while in 1990, 35 % of their male were illiterate, 62% of the women were not even functionally literate and that even though more than 70% of the food production in sub-Sahara Africa is by women, less than 1% of these women own the land that they till.
Research findings further indicate that women accounted for only 1% of the engineering profession, 20% of the legal profession, 17% of the medical profession, 16% of pharmacists and 32% of dental surgeons in Ghana.

A two -year study carried out in 1995 by the institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana also reportedly "found among other things that women are excluded from certain jobs," and that "occupational segregation will continue as long as job allocation is based on gender.
The same report points out that "many women, especially this in rural communities, are discriminated against for bank loans and live in object poverty" in a situation where women constitute 70% of the world's poorest population.

Yet another newspaper report on a national study on "Violence Against Women and Children in Ghana" indicates that "about one-third of Ghanaian women suffer physical violence, which include beating, slapping and other forms of physical punishment. The report, according to the newspaper story, "said majority of the victims suffer bruises and bodily pains, with 14% injuries " including broken bones, swollen eyes and swollen face.

In terms of girl-child education, a study of education statistics in 1975 is reported to have shown that more girls than boys dropped out of school , and that the highest dropout rate for girls occured when they were between 9 and 12 years of age.Their parents, ignorant about the importance of girl-child education, simply used them as baby-sitters of their younger siblings or as a source of help in their farms etc.

b) Forms of Violence Perpetrated Against Women

In addition to the statistics, clear evidence of the pervasiveness of gender inequality is reflected in the various forms of violence perpetrated against women under the cover of traditional practices and customs. Listed below are some of them.

i) Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Commonly called Female Circumcision, this is the name given to several traditional practices, which involve the cutting and removal of female sexual organs.(more info).

ii) Rape: Having carnal knowledge of a female without her consent.

iii) Wife Beating: Legitimized largely by the husband's authority under the common law, to use violence against his wife as long as the extent of violence does not go beyond the scope of the law.

iv) Child - Marriage: Bethrotal of infant girls to men to the choice of the girl parents.

v) Widowhood Rites: Customary and mourning practices and rituals which society demands must be observed by a widow on the demise of her husband.

vi) General Traditional Rules: Involving the teaching at early ages of children to accept the man as the head of the household and to remain in complete subjugation to them even were such subjugation goes against the interest of their mothers and themselves.

vii) The Culture of Silence: A situation in which sex-related issues in Ghanaian society are considered a taboo and so kept under cover of custom and tradition away from discussions.

viii) Bride-Price: A system in which a prospective husband gives the parents of a prospective bride valuable property in exchange for the bride.

ix) Widow Inheritance: The custom of forced marriage between a man and the widow of his brother which restrains and widow from marrying any other person except the customary successor of her dead husband or a member of his family.

x) Female Religious Bondage (The 'Trokosi' System): A practice by which young female virgins are given away as "gifts" to oracles and shrines to pacify gods for offenses said to have been committed by other members of her family. (more info.)

xi) Serial Killings: A wave of secret murder of women, which has characterized the Ghanaian social scene for the past three years.

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