Intersectionality in gender inequality among women: Adopting policies to minimise unpaid care burden on rural women in north-western Ghana

Abstract

Though poverty appears feminised in sub-Saharan Africa, rural women are more susceptible to poverty and suppression compared to women in urban areas. State care policies are not sufficient to ameliorate the conditions vulnerable women are confronted with; occasioned by intersectionalities with gender. It is against this backdrop that this study examined intersectionalities with gender that exacerbate inequalities with unpaid care work and the accessibility of public policy initiatives that address unpaid care work burden. The study adopted a mixed research design using focus group discussions, in-depth and structured interviews as data collection methods and questionnaire and interview guide as instruments of data collection. The results show that disproportionate unpaid care burden on rural women was weightier as a result of intersectional variables of vulnerability and suppression including place of residence (Rural/Urban), marital status, family size, occupation and gender. The study further discovered that state led care policies have not been undertaken in tandem with gender transformational policies that are capable of increasing women's representation in governance processes and control over their time in order to balance paid and unpaid care roles. Also, a rural development policy framework that emphasized rural water supply, rural electrification etc. has not been pursued rigorously in rural areas ever since the policy was introduced in the 70s in Ghana. The resultant effect is poor access to gender responsive social services in rural areas. The study recommends the application of care policies in tandem with gender transformation polices to empower vulnerable women. The study further recommends the institution of an affirmative action policy at the local level in harmony with the affirmative action Act recently passed by the parliament of Ghana to provide employment guarantees and increase representation of rural women in local governance and rural development.