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CHANGING ACTORS, UNCHANGING POLICIES: A CASE STUDY OF GHANAIAN WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS AND THE STATE Adolphine Y. Aggor, M.Phil., M.A., B.A. (Hon), Dip. Ed. A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology and Anthropology Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario Canada © 2009 Adolphine Y. Aggor Library and Archives Bibliotheque et 1*1 Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-60096-2 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-60096-2 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lntemet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privee, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont ete enleves de thesis. cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. •+• Canada ABSTRACT Recurring debates on enhancing efforts to improve women's status focus on women's coalition building, women's engagement with the state and multilateral organizations, institutional and organizational transformation, and, most importantly, interactive relationships among various development actors. The ultimate goal of these debates is to offer suggestions that will help promote women's status within the development process and its impact on women. Using a qualitative case study approach, this study examines the relationships among the state, multilateral organizations and three categories of women's organizations in Ghana, and explores the intra- and inter relationships among these women's organizations. The main argument of the study is that governing technologies of the state and multilateral organizations control women, and this control is noticeable through the theories and development policies they prescribe to women. Instead of being critical of these theories and policy prescriptions, often women's reactions either directly or indirectly support these technologies and reproduce or perpetuate women's marginal status. Therefore, neither new approaches to women nor institutional and organizational changes, aimed at improving women's status, serve the intended purpose. Data were collected through primary and secondary sources. The analytical framework of this study are two models on women's engagement and disengagement with the state, while the rationale behind the establishment of multilateral organizations, four theoretical approaches to women and development, notion of governmentality and analytics of government themes serve as the study's theoretical strands. Ghana serves as a useful case study in efforts to improve women's status, because it is a model country for the multilateral organizations in terms of its ii political governance and economic performance and response to women's development concerns. Above all, the state, multilateral organizations and women's organizations continue to pledge their commitment to improving women's status. What this study reveals, however, is that an immense gap exists between the rhetoric of commitments and the reality of the efforts to improve 'women's status'. KEYWORDS: Ghana, women's organizations, the state, multilateral organizations, donor funding, feminism, governmentality, analytics of government, development, gender, triangle of empowerment, policy-making processes, development actors, advocacy, coalitions building, representation, participation, case study method, qualitative research. iii DEDICATION To my late parents, Mr. Sebastian Kwami Aggor and Mrs. Esther Afua Aggor who, I believe, did not fully understand the benefits of formal education, but invested all they could into educating us, and reminded us that we could attain any heights when we work hard enough; and, to my daughter Edinam for the difference she has made in my life. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have made it to the end of the Ph.D. program, where we can all share in our long awaited hearty and hilarious laugh. This accomplishment, however, was possible through tremendous intellectual, emotional and financial support from many people, only some of whom I can list here. My heartfelt praises go to God, who gave me the strength and also brought into my life the right people when I needed them most. I am heavily indebted to you, Dr. Louise de la Gorgendiere, my co-supervisor, for your financial and emotional support and your motivational statements, for example, "Adolphine, you are a Ghanaian scholar, don't disappoint Ghanaians. Prove to everyone that you can do it." and "Don't tell me you want to quit!" exemplified your commitment to my successful completion. Above all, your useful intellectual comments often challenged my perspectives on aspects of this Ph.D. thesis, and helped me in completing the research and the thesis. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Neil Gerlach, my co-supervisor, for joining my committee during a crucial period in my final year, and for helping to bring into the thesis valuable theoretical and organizational insights related particularly to governmentality. Your willingness to join the committee and your suggestions were highly instrumental in helping me to complete the thesis. To Dr. Jared Keil, my committee member, I value your keen interest in my work, your thought provoking comments and other forms of support throughout this process. Thank you for your patience, concern and intellectual contributions. I sincerely thank my research participants. Without your participation, this thesis would not have been possible. Hopefully, the findings will facilitate a better understanding of the relationships among the state, multilateral organizations and v women's organizations, not only in Ghana, but in other countries in attempts to improve women's conditions. I am also grateful to the authors of the several sources cited in my work, which enhanced my understanding of my research focus. My deepest appreciation goes to my colleagues and many friends who constantly encouraged me to persevere. Your words of encouragement inspired me to complete this program. I am heavily indebted to Dr. Godwin A. Djietror, my friend and colleague, for his patience, selfless guidance and emotional support towards the completion of this thesis. Finally, I am immeasurably indebted to my caring family for their words of encouragement, financial support, and for shouldering my family responsibilities. To Edinam, I cannot thank you enough for all that you had to live with to put forward my education. When you were in elementary school you did not understand my area of study, but in the past two years of your university education, you constantly questioned me about my research focus, thesis argument and the originality of the contribution of my research to sociology. Your intellectual engagement with my education made me realize how long I have been in school, and the enormous progress you have made in your own educational attainment. Finally to Jacob, thank you for your understanding and support in various ways. Adolphine Y. Aggor Ottawa, Ontario August 28,2009 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page i Abstract ii Dedication iv Acknowledgement V Table of contents vii List of Tables, Map, and Figures xii List of Appendices xiii Acronyms xiv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 THE PROBLEM 1.2 RESEARCH FOCUS 4 Women and Neoliberal Development Approach 7 The Gap between the 'Ought to be' and the 'Reality' 9 1. 3 THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN'S ACCESS TO THE STATE 11 1.4 DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN'S STATUS 14 1. 5 WOMEN AND GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES 16 1.6 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON GHANA 18 1.7 STUDY AREA .. 20 1.8 GHANAIAN WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS 22 1. 9 SOURCES OF PERSONAL INTEREST IN THE STUDY 24 1.10 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY ... 26 CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY 29 2.1 INTRODUCTION 29 2.2 BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH 29 vii 2.3 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 32 34 Women and Qualitative Research 36 2.4 CASE STUDY 41 2.5 SOURCES OF DATA 43 Documentary Sources 2.6 DATA COLLECTION 44 Selection of Cases 45 Research Sample 47 Categorizing Participants 51 2.7 FIELD RESEARCH 53 Time of Research 53 Sampling