Open Journal of Women's Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, 2020, PP 26-31 Bridging the Gap between Rural Women and Urban Women in Ghana Patricia Ghann* Computer Science Department, Koforidua Technical University, Ghana *Corresponding Author:Patricia Ghann, Computer Science Department, Koforidua Technical University, Ghana ABSTRACT According to a poem by the renowned Charlotte Bronte “I am no bird and no net ensnares me, I am a free human being with an independent will.” (2016): The poem speaks against the early days where women were exploited through various possible means by the society: suffered a lot of criticism, lacked freedom and stood nowhere next to men. According to a scholar Dr. James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, “if you educate a man you educate an individual but if you educate a woman you educate a nation”. This quote stresses the significance and need to educate woman in the society for sustainable development. Paper identifies the gap between women in the rural and urban areas of Ghana despite demand and declaration for gender equality among men and women by international organizations. The paper tries to bridge gap by taking education and ICT training to the door steps of women. Keywords: Education, Women Empowerment, Development, Gender Equality, Human rights, Sustainable Development RELATED WORK Appiah, Sekidde, Adjuik, Akazili, Almeida, Nyonator, et al., 2014). In Ghana, PHCs and In Ghana, a settlement of at least 5,000 of the Community Health Improvement Service (CHIPS) population is considered an urban area, while a located at the lowest level of the health care community with a population of less than 5,000 system are fashioned to meet the basic needs of is classified as a rural area. There exist some the population specifically in rural areas. appreciable differences between women in the Therefore, improving the quality of services at rural and the urban areas in terms of education, the foundation is paramount to achieving PHC job opportunities, infrastructure, health-care and objectives in Ghana. Sadly, ineffectiveness at marriage (Boakye-Yiadom, 2004). this level which can be measured through In Ghana, health care is largely provided by the patients‟ satisfaction of health care received government and most times administered by the have not been sufficiently researched, despite Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Services. that these should serve as the entry point of The healthcare system is divided into 5 levels of treatment in the health care system. providers, which include the health posts, which Although rural areas can provide family-oriented are foremost level, the primary care for rural areas, settings, lower crime rates, fresh air, and an health centers and clinics, district hospitals, enhanced quality of life, many teachers refuse regional hospitals and tertiary hospitals. Primary rural postings due to concerns about the quality of health care (PHC) is regarded as a vital tool in housing, classroom facilities, healthcare, school achieving universal health coverage (UHC). From resources, and opportunities for professional the Alma Ata declaration in 1978, many countries development (Mulkeen, 2005; Armah, 2013; have adopted the method of improving PHC to Hedges, 2000) and language barriers (Coultas& increase effective health service delivery Lewin, 2002). (Diesfeld, 1996). In developing regions such as sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), primary health care Ghana‟s efforts at raising the living standards of helps to fill the inequity and inequality in health Ghanaians and ensuring economic growth have, care services among the vulnerable and most-at- however, left a legacy of extreme disparities in risk populations. Evidence reveals that lack of development in terms of the demographic and efficiency across health facilities is common in settlement patterns, distribution of social developing countries such as Ghana (Jehu- infrastructure and levels of economic activity. Open Journal of Women's Studies V2 ● I1 ● 2020 26 Bridging the Gap between Rural Women and Urban Women in Ghana This has resulted in substantial differences access to these resources, by means of between urban and rural settings with regard to international cooperation. the distribution and quality of educational The declaration is based on the popular proverb facilities and manpower, just as levels of by one African scholar Dr. James Emman utilization of resources and access to tertiary Kwegyir Aggrey, “if you educate a man you education also differ slightly between urban and educate an individual but if you educate a woman rural schools (Siaw, 2009). you educate a nation”. This proverb stresses the Increased rural–urban migration has also significance and the need to educate the woman in brought millions of people living in rural areas to the society for sustainable development. It also the urban centers. Variations in teacher–student fits into the „Women in Development‟ (WID) ratios, human resource capacity, provision of paradigm by affirming women as development educational infrastructure, and other facilities have agents not to be wasted (Heward, 1999). Further also led to rural, urban, and regional differences in it bears the postulation that women must assume educational opportunities in different parts of their household roles as mothers and wives so as Ghana (Atuahene&Owusu-Ansah, 2013; Banson, to ensure that their education lead to 2010; Osei-Mensah, 2012; Owusu-Afriyie, 2009; development in the wider context. This is Siaw, 2009). because when the woman is educated, she is Rural schools in Ghana lack good infrastructure able to pass down or impact the lives of her and facilities, they have low enrollment, less offspring positively in her community. In addition educating the girl or a woman leads to a number of qualified teachers, and fewer textbooks, and social benefits, including many related to women's other teaching and learning materials, whereas empowerment and transformation. urban schools are generally overstaffed with qualified teachers, are overenrolled, better funded, Research conducted in human development has and monitored, have better infrastructure and also established a strong link between women's adequate resources to work with (Anamuah- education and international development: an Mensah, 2002; Siaw, 2009). The achievement increase in the number of women in education gap between urban and rural schools is a in regions tends to connect with high levels of pressing problem today because past approaches development, some of the effects are related to at closing this gap have been largely urban economic development. In other words women biased in character (Siaw, 2009). or girls‟ education increases the income of women and leads to growth in GDP which INTRODUCTION consequently has tremendous and positive According to a poem by the renowned Charlotte effects on the socio –economic development of Bronte “I am no bird and no net ensnares me, I a nation. Despite education and ICT playing a am a free human being with an independent fundamental role in determining an individuals‟ will.” (2016), this poem inspires and encourages ability to access better labor opportunities, and women to live their lives to the maximum also to escape poverty, educational attainment in potential without limitations. Thus the poem the rural areas of Ghana is extremely low, speaks out against the early days where women coupled with large gender and rural-urban were exploited through various possible means inequalities. For instance in rural areas, only 29 by the society: suffered a lot of criticism, lacked percent of women are literate compared to 52 freedom and stood nowhere next to men. percent of men. In addition, an exceptionally Although this seem to be the situation in the high percentage of rural women in the country past, it is overwhelming to find out that in have no primary education: 71 compared to somewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa, women still men. On the other hand access to secondary faced criticism, abuse and are relegated to the education for women and men remains as low as background in decision making despite the 3 percent to 13 percent respectively. This Beijing declaration in September 1995; committed consequently leads to women who are unable to to ensuring women's equal access to economic live their lives to the maximum potential and are resources, including land, credit, science and unequipped with the basic skills and potentials technology, vocational training, information, to sustain themselves as well as their families or communication and markets, as a means to further the societies where they live: resulting in poor the advancement and empowerment of women communities: increases in social vices such as and girls, including through the enhancement of stealing or arm robbery, prostitution, teenage their capacities to enjoy the benefits of equal pregnancies and other crimes. Notwithstanding 27 Open Journal of Women's Studies V2 ● I1 ● 2020 Bridging the Gap between Rural Women and Urban Women in Ghana substantial progress is been achieved in these empower all women and girls.‟ The Education rural areas by the contribution of women 2030 agenda recognizes that gender equality requires an approach that „ensures that girls and The question this paper tries to address is: if boys, women and men not only gain access to educating the woman is critical to nation and complete education cycles, but are development then why are some women empowered equally in and through education.‟ neglected? This paper explores the gap between women in the rural and urban regions of Ghana Large gender gaps exist in access, learning and then propose a solution to the problem by achievement and continuation in education in taking Education and ICT to these women in the many settings, most often at the expense of girls rural or remote areas of Ghana. The rest of the and women, although in some regions boys are paper is organized as follows: sections I and II is at a disadvantage. Despite progress, more girls on related work and introduction respectively. than boys still remain out of school - 16 million Section III is on stand of International girls will never set foot in a classroom (UNESCO organization while section IV is on Framework.