Abstract
Introduction
Socioeconomic factors contribute to the high rate of gender-based violence (GBV) against women in Ghana. The LINkINg Up project is an on-going nutrition-sensitive agriculture intervention (NSA) to improve the livelihoods and well-being of rural Ghanaian women and their families. To promote gender equity participants received gender training from the intervention.
Objective
This analysis examined women’s and men’s perceptions of factors contributing to changes in attitudes about intra-household GBV following their participation in the LinkINg Up project.
Methods
The study collected data from two focus group discussions conducted in one community, one with six women and one with their six male partners/spouses. The translated transcripts were transcribed and coded inductively and deductively, using MAXQDA.
Results
Three themes were linked with a change in GBV: gender roles, knowledge, and financial status. The project’s gender training on gender roles provided new knowledge on approaches for spousal dispute resolution which improved intrahousehold relations, thereby potentially reducing GBV. Women reported that reduced GBV occurrences were a result of the loan package which reduced their economic dependency on men. Also, interactions between women and local institutions (e.g., bank, health services) fostered paradigm shifts amongst the men. Although more men believed that hitting women was wrong, negative GBV perceptions persisted, especially among women, who still believed that physical violence under given circumstances was warranted.
Conclusion
NSAs with integrated gender training have the potential to promote shifts in attitudes about GBV.
