GENDER ROLES AMONG THE KROBO AND GURENE ETHNIC GROUPS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR HIV AND AIDS INFECTION

ABSTRACT There are striking statistics and issues about women, their sexual rights and HIV/AIDS around the globe, in Africa and Ghana. Women’s exposure to the danger of contracting HIV/AIDS is reinforced by their lack of the right to negotiate for safe sex. The study focused on the Krobo and Gurene ethnic groups in Ghana. It sought to assess the gender roles among the Krobo and Gurene people and their implications for HIV/AIDS infection. Also, it identified some of the sociocultural practices of the two ethnic groups which inform their sexual roles and decision making as well as assess the relationships between these roles and HIV/AIDS infection. In all questionnaires were answered by 290 respondents. In addition, focus group discussions were held for respondents aged between 14 – 35 years and 36 and above years. Assemblymen were also interviewed. The chi square statistic and cross tabulation were used to analyze the data gathered. From the study, it is clear that there are striking ethnic differences in gender roles in Ghana. This has gone a long way to affect sex and sexuality among the two ethnic groups under study. Also, an explicit gender analyze must be incorporated into issues of economic and social change. There is the need for tapping the good aspects of our cultural heritage for the common good of curbing the HIV pandemic in the society. It is the necessity for one to understand the cultural, social, economic and political as well as biological and demographic factors shaping gender roles and sexual behaviour. Likewise, education and advertisement on HIV/AIDS must be culture - centred and gender based to help address the menace.