Rural Men’s Views on Women’s Roles in Traditional Leadership and Community Development in Ghana’s Talensi Area

Abstract

Until recent times, the traditional authority structure of the Talensi traditional area in Ghana had no formal role for the queen mother, unlike some other parts of the country. Through adjustments and modifications, the position of queen mother has been incorporated into the traditional authority framework of the area, creating space for women in traditional leadership. This research explored men’s perspectives on women in traditional leadership and community development within the area. The study adopted a qualitative research paradigm with a descriptive design, involving 12 purposively selected men from the traditional area. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and analysed thematically. The findings revealed that men highly recognised women’s significant contributions to traditional leadership, cultural preservation, and socio-economic development. Additionally, the study found that men believed women possess certain attributes that enable them to lead more successfully than men. It was concluded that, although there are no prescriptive roles for queen mothers in the Talensi traditional area, they are largely involved in duties related to the welfare and interests of women and children, as well as supporting their male counterparts in promoting cultural development. It was recommended that women with influence and stature capable of promoting development should always be a key consideration by the Talensi traditional authorities when selecting individuals to be enskinned as queen mothers.