Men Play, Women Break the Town: Gender and Intergenerational Asymmetry in Sexual and Reproductive Worldview Among the Ga of Ghana

Atobrah, Deborah; Awedoba, Albert K.

doi:10.1007/s12119-017-9426-x

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 22 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Due to the flexibility afforded to both men and women to have several sexual partners, this living arrangement leads to a significantly greater frequency of promiscuity among the population. According to studies conducted among Ga, this residence style also contributes to the prevalence of teen pregnancy among Ga [ 71 – 73 ]. As a result, the people's duolocal residence pattern—a practice unique to the Gas of Ghana—as reported by this study provides a favorable environment for men to participate in multi-partner fertility and become serial fathers even when they are on the wrong side of their marital partners.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Baby mamas’ in Urban Ghana: an exploratory qualitative study on the factors influencing serial fathering among men in Accra, Ghana

2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Biological fathering, especially in patrilineal societies, was traditionally acceptable only in the context of marriage to the mother of the child. Many men were polygynous, often staying in one household with all their wives and children. However, this phenomenon has been on the decline in recent times, mainly due to Christianity, which encourages monogamy while frowning on polygyny. The Ghanaian family has for the past few years been undergoing changes due to migration, urbanization, and industrialization. With an increase in non-marital births and the dissolution of marital unions, multi-partner fertility is likely to increase. Contemporary Ghanaian perspectives on the circumstances that lead men to engage in paternal multi-partner fertility, otherwise referred to in this study as serial fathering, are scanty, hence this study examines the factors that lead to serial fathering among Ghanaian men. Methods The study employed the qualitative method, using in-depth interviews with twenty (20) serial fathers and a focus group discussion with seven (7) women. Results It was found that factors such as the attitude of women in relationships, the duolocal post-marital residential pattern, and the age at first birth are some of the reasons why some men father children with multiple partners. Conclusion The study concludes that both situational and personal factors account for the phenomenon of serial fathering amongst men in Prampram, Ghana, and these factors bring about distinctions in serial fathering as occurring either within or outside of marriage.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Baby mamas’ in Urban Ghana: an exploratory qualitative study on the factors influencing serial fathering among men in Accra, Ghana

2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Scholarly discussion on CCU in urban Accra is complex, particularly in the context of Accra where Ga women are the dominant ethnic group and also because it is the capital. Accra women, over the years, have received a lot of scholarly attention especially from anthropologists as a result of the unique residential arrangement of the Ga marriage [ 23 – 25 ]. Traditionally, Ga wives and husbands did not share the same marital home; wives continued to live in their father’s house while the man also lived in his own house.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Covert Contraceptive Use amongst the urban poor in Accra, Ghana: experiences of health providers

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background An estimated one-third of women in Ghana use contraceptives without the knowledge of their partners, a phenomenon known as Covert Contraceptive Use (CCU). Most research on CCU to date has focused on individual women to the neglect of the role of health system. This study explores CCU in urban poor communities of Accra, Ghana, from the experiences and perspectives of health providers. Methods Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with health care providers in both the public and private sectors at multiple levels, from the community clinic to the tertiary hospital, to gain insights into the strategies women use and the ways in which the health system supports the practice of CCU. Results Five major thematic areas emerged: use of easily concealed-methods, discrete-access-and-information-keeping, time-of-day, non-verbal-communication and use of relationships. The study further revealed that fear, mistrust, shyness, myths, and misperceptions regarding contraceptives explain CCU among women in the communities that the providers serve. Conclusion Importantly, disclosure of methods used by providers without women’s consent could potentially lead to violent outcomes for both women and the providers. Our results highlight the pivotal role that providers play in confidentially supporting women’s choices regarding the use of contraceptives.

show abstract

“…While relations between genders afford women certain autonomies, pregnancy and childbirth remain important and are linked to men’s performance of masculinities. 57 The changing dynamics of the area, for example, from economic internal migration from elsewhere in Ghana, 64 allows for explorations of how constructions of masculinities might vary within and between groups of men.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The decision was made to stratify the seeds based on age, ethnicity (Ga/non-Ga) and location (James Town North and James Town South) within the community in response to existing evidence, 57 and observations and reflections from the research team of the most common factors affecting relationship networks.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Constructions of masculinities are not static, and new forms emerge and become intertwined in social structures—such as health and legal systems—and used to justify social control and dominance over other forms of masculinities and femininities. 57 58 Understanding masculinities is a mechanism through which to explore power and the potential ways in which these constructions operationalise power over reproductive decision-making. Investigating the characteristics of hegemonic and relational masculinities allows a better understanding of men’s roles in postcoital pregnancy avoidance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Exploring the roles of men and masculinities in abortion and emergency contraception pathways, Ghana: a mobile phone-based mixed-methods study protocol

Strong

2021

BMJ Open

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionGlobal commitments have established goals of achieving universal sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) access, but critical obstacles remain. Emergency contraception and induced abortion are overlooked in policy and research. Men’s roles in the SRHR of others are significant, particularly as obstacles to universal SRHR. Evidence on gender, masculinities and SRHR is essential to understand and reduce the barriers faced by individuals seeking to avoid the conception or continuation of a pregnancy.Methods and analysisThis study aims to understand men’s masculinities and their relationships with emergency contraception and abortion. The protocol presents a multimethod study of men aged over 18 years in James Town, Accra, Ghana. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the research will use two mobile-based methods: a survey and in-depth interviews. Using respondent-driven sampling, an estimated 789 men will be recruited to participate in the survey, asking questions on their knowledge, attitude, behaviours and roles in emergency contraception and abortion. In-depth interviews focused on constructions of masculinity will be conducted with a purposive sample of men who participated in the survey. Data will be analysed concurrently using multiple regression analyses of quantitative data and abductive analysis of qualitative data.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been granted by the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Ghana Health Service. The findings in this study will: engage with emerging research on masculinities and SRHR in Ghana and elsewhere; offer methodological insight for future research; and provide evidence to inform interventions to reduce obstacles for emergency contraception and abortion care seekers. Dissemination will occur at all levels—policy, academic, community—including multiple academic articles, policy briefs, workshops and presentations, conference papers, and theatre/radio-based performances of key messages.

show abstract

Men Play, Women Break the Town: Gender and Intergenerational Asymmetry in Sexual and Reproductive Worldview Among the Ga of Ghana

Cited by 8 publications

References 22 publications

‘Baby mamas’ in Urban Ghana: an exploratory qualitative study on the factors influencing serial fathering among men in Accra, Ghana

‘Baby mamas’ in Urban Ghana: an exploratory qualitative study on the factors influencing serial fathering among men in Accra, Ghana

Covert Contraceptive Use amongst the urban poor in Accra, Ghana: experiences of health providers

Exploring the roles of men and masculinities in abortion and emergency contraception pathways, Ghana: a mobile phone-based mixed-methods study protocol

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About