It’s a woman’s thing: Gender roles sustaining the practice of female genital mutilation among the Kassena-Nankana of northern Ghana
Outcomes: Gender‑Based Violence
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways This study highlights that the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in northern Ghana is largely sustained by women themselves through social roles, peer pressure, and cultural expectations. While patriarchy provides the broader context, women—particularly mothers, co-wives, and female elders—enforce FGM/C as a condition for respect, marriageability, and community acceptance. Efforts to eliminate FGM/C must focus on transforming …
Objectives To understand the social and gender norms that sustain FGM/C in the Kassena-Nankana district of northern Ghana, with a focus on the roles women and men play in its continuation or abandonment.
Methods The study used 22 focus group discussions in 11 communities, engaging adolescent girls and boys (20–24), reproductive-age adults (26–49), and elders (50+), from both monogamous and polygamous households. Discussions were analyzed using grounded theory to uncover recurring themes and power dynamics.
Intervention Details This research served as a baseline component of a broader initiative by the Navrongo Health Research Centre aimed at reducing FGM/C. The larger program included social mobilization and community education, especially among adolescent girls.
Results Women are the primary decision-makers in perpetuating FGM/C. Mothers typically arrange the procedure to secure their daughters’ social standing and marriage prospects. In polygamous households, co-wives and mothers-in-law apply pressure on young brides to conform. Ceremonies surrounding FGM/C reinforce its cultural value. Men, while often passive, are becoming more open to ending the practice, especially younger men who reject FGM/C due to health concerns or changing partner preferences. Some y…
Conclusions FGM/C in this region is maintained less by male dominance than by women’s roles in reinforcing tradition and social acceptance. Effective interventions should target female networks and reshape community values around respect, identity, and adulthood without FGM/C. Engaging men can help, but women must be at the center of efforts to shift norms and eliminate the practice.
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