The Role of Women in Reducing Household Poverty in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region, Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Women in society perform several vital roles which can be categorized into three (3). These are reproductive, productive or economic, and community management. Although this study does appreciate all these forms of important roles played by women in society, it seeks specifically to find out the economic roles they play in order to help reduce poverty at the household level. The study used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods with survey strategy. The study focused on primary data through interview and observation. The study identified that farming and trading were the major occupations among women in the Bongo district. The necessity to cater for the needs of children, the aged, and support husbands constituted the major reasons for women to engage in petty economic activities even though returns from such activities were not so much rewarding in monetary terms.  It was established that even though most of the efforts women put in maintaining the household are not economically valued because it is traditionally considered a duty and responsibility for them as women, it was indicated that their activities and efforts have wide reaching impact in household sustenance and reducing household economic burdens. It is recommended that improvement in the educational levels of women in the country would ensure that they find themselves in more financially rewarding jobs of employment which would increase their income contributions to reducing poverty in the household