Ghana: Information on whether marriage partners are chosen for Akan women, and if so, the consequences if the woman refuses, and on inter-religious marriages in general
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 April 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GHA20288.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ghana: Information on whether marriage partners are chosen for Akan women, and if so, the consequences if the woman refuses, and on inter-religious marriages in general, 1 April 1995, GHA20288.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abad8c.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Please find attached documents that pertain to the general situation of women in Ghana with respect to the workplace, the household, marriage and their general social status.
The information in this response was provided by a professor of African history at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Vermont, during a 20 April 1995 telephone interview. The professor stated that arranged marriages for Akan women can still happen, but that they have grown increasingly rare since the 1960s.
Traditionally, arranged marriages have taken place among people living in the countryside more so than in urban areas, and are mainly motivated by the desire of the bride's family for the prestige of being associated with a wealthy man and his family. Often, the man will be much older than the Akan woman he wishes to marry (ibid.). The most common situation involves a rich man paying bride-price for the woman, sometimes as early as when she is 12 years old, to guarantee that she will become his wife (ibid.).
An arranged marriage might also be driven by economics, if the family of the Akan woman is too poor to sustain itself. In that case, the marriage would be arranged to insure an increased income for the bride's family from the union between the Akan woman and her would-be husband (ibid.).
The main consequence of a refusal on the part of an Akan woman would be isolation from her own family, which can be considered quite meaningful, depending on her family's economic and social status and the amount of the bride-price her family will have to reimburse the man (ibid.). Another consequence might be the family's anger, who would feel that the woman's refusal would dishonour the family's name and reputation. The woman could be subjected to physical violence, but this would be an extreme and rare case, stated the professor.
Inter-religious marriages are not very common in Ghana, and are especially uncommon and problematic between Christians and Muslims, according to the professor. The great majority of Ghanaian Christians live in the central and southern part of the country, in comparison to the Muslims, who are concentrated in the north. The most educated and wealthy people of the country are located in the central and southern part of Ghana as opposed to the north, where education is less widespread. Muslims are perceived as culturally inferior by Christians. Such a perception is likely to be considered a strong reason to oppose an inter-religious marriage between two persons belonging to these religions in Ghana, stated the professor.
Christians, such as Methodists or Presbyterian churches, also want their congregations to grow and might perceive an inter-religious marriage between a Christian and a Muslim as undermining that growth, reported the professor. Nonetheless, in most cases, pressure is seldom exerted to stop an inter-religious marriage from taking place.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Professor of African history, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. 20 April 1995. Telephone interview.
Attachments
Ardayfio-Schandorf, Elizabeth. 1993. "Household Energy Supply and Rural Women's Work in Ghana." Different Places, Different Voices Gender and Development in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Edited by Janet Henshall Momsen and Vivian Kinnaird. London: Routledge, pp. 15-29.
Kuenyehia, Akua. 1990. "In Ghana: Legal Aid Services for Women." Women, Law and Development - Action for Change. Edited by Margaret A. Schuler. Washington, DC: OEF International, pp. 53-59.
O'Kelly, Charlotte G. and Larry S. Carney. 1986. Women and Men in Society: Cross-Cultural Perspectivon Gender Stratification. Second Edition. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Co., pp. 225-233.
Sisterhood is Global: The International Women's Movement Anthology. 1984. Edited by Robin Morgan. New York: Anchor Books, pp. 255-265.