ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Sexual harassment and sexual harassment policies in organisations in Ghana: Confessions of duty bearers

This study investigates the nature and level of implementation of sexual harassment policies in formal organizations in Ghana. That the phenomenon of sexual harassment is widespread albeit under- reported has been repeatedly stressed in the literature as well as in many friendship and intimate interaction contexts. Its incidence is high particularly among young women and therefore constitutes sexual violence against them. The repercussions of sexual harassment do not only undermine occupational well-being, health, and safety of victims but also their marriages, families, workplace productivity and thus society at large. In this paper, we interrogate the interface between sexual harassment cases and the implementation of sexual harassment policies at workplaces. More specifically, we explore the nature of sexual harassment in work organisations, the perceptions, and understandings of those who implement sexual harassment policies in workplaces as well as the level of implementation of these policies. The data come mainly from in-depth interviews with stakeholders or duty bearers. On the basis of the findings, the need to develop and implement a comprehensive sexual harassment policy at organisational levels is identified as a crucial variable in combating sexual harassment at workplaces in Ghana.

Source: UG
Sexual Harassment Guide For Media In Ghana And Gender Sensitive Code For Media Organisations

This is a guide to help educate various stakeholders (employees, employers, contractors, clients etc.) in the Ghanaian media industry about sexual harassment in the hope of preventing it and proposing strategies for addressing sexual harassment incidents. Both men and women can be victims of sexual harassment but studies suggest women are more likely than men to be harassed in the workplace (Jackson & Newman, 2004). The media in Ghana is rich and diverse in scope with more women now than ever before in media practice in the country. This Guide addresses sexual harassment in the media workplace. Its goal is to educate owners, managers, employees, contractors and clients of media organisations in Ghana about sexual harassment and create a system for addressing it. The specifc objectives of the Guide are to: • sensitize media organisations and personnel on sexual harassment, and • Support media organisations to proactively address sexual harassment.

Source: UG
Sexual harassment in public medical schools in Ghana

This study investigated the prevalence and incidence of Traditional (where a person in a position of power harasses a subordinate) and contra power sexual harassment, (where a subordinate is the harasser of authority figure) in medical schools in Ghana. among. Cross-sectional study. Four hundred and nine medical students from four medical schools in Ghana were interviewed. We also considered if academic and financial dependence would predict either traditional or contra power sexual harassment. We further investigated, whether women were more bothered by sexual harassment than men and the correlation between sexual harassment and health. Women were 61% more likely to be sexually harassed than men 39%. Sexual harassment negatively affects the victims' health outcome. We found that the traditional form of sexual harassment was prevalent in medical schools in Ghana and that academic dependence predicted attacks. In the first and second years, women at these institutions are more likely to be sexually harassed than men. Sexual harassment policies of medical school need to be widely circulated. The various medical schools should provide reporting procedures and counseling for victims. This paper would inform policy and research.

Source: UG
Sexual Harassment in Public Medical Schools in Ghana

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence and incidence of Traditional (where a person in a position of power harasses a subordinate) and contra power sexual harassment, (where a subordinate is the harasser of authority figure) in medical schools in Ghana. among Design: Cross-sectional study Method: Four hundred and nine medical students from four medical schools in Ghana were interviewed. We also considered if academic and financial dependence would predict either traditional or contra power sexual harassment. We further investigated, whether women were more bothered by sexual harassment than men and the correlation between sexual harassment and health. Results: Women were 61% more likely to be sexually harassed than men 39%. Sexual harassment negatively affects the victims’ health outcome. We found that the traditional form of sexual harassment was prevalent in medical schools in Ghana and that academic dependence predicted attacks. In the first and second years, women at these institutions are more likely to be sexually harassed than men. Conclusion: Sexual harassment policies of medical school need to be widely circulated. The various medical schools should provide reporting procedures and counseling for victims. This paper would inform policy and research.

Source: UG
Sexual identity and risk behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Accra, Ghana and Lomẻ, Togo

Objectives: We examined sexual identity and its relationship with risky sexual behavior among 60 men who have sex with men in Accra, Ghana and Lomé, Togo. Methods: We used mixed-methods to investigate this relationship. Results: Quantitative results show that negative sexual identity leads to risky sexual behavior. For example, exchanging sex for valued resources is, positively associated with identity confusion. But as revealed by the qualitative findings, the relationship between sexual identity and risky sexual behavior may stem from homophobic perception. Conclusions: More research is needed to disentangle the complex issues of sexual identity and sexual risk behavior.

Source: UG
Sexual Risk Behavior: a Multi-System Model of Risk and Protective Factors in South African Adolescents

Adolescent sexual risk behavior has typically been studied within singular, isolated systems. Using a multi-system approach, this study examined a combination of individual, proximal, and distal factors in relation to sexual risk behavior among adolescents. A large cross-sectional sample of 2561 adolescent (Mage = 14.92, SDage = 1.70) males (n = 1282) and females in Grades 8 (n = 1225) and 10 completed a range of self-report measures. Hierarchical ordinal logistic regression results supported a multi-system perspective of adolescent sexual risk behavior. Although individual and peer levels were identified as the primary contributors to the final model, a range of factors at varying levels of proximity to the individual were associated with sexual risk behavior. Specifically, being male, black, attaining increased age, greater alcohol use (individual level), parent risk behavior (family/home level), and peer risk behavior, feeling more pressure from peers to have sex (peer level), and lower social cohesion (community level) were associated with increased sexual risk behavior. These findings suggest multiple individual, proximal, and distal factors are salient to understanding sexual risk behavior among adolescents. Implications of the findings for interventions targeting the prevention of adolescent sexual risk behavior are discussed.

Source: UG
The sexuality of women with cervical cancer undergoing definitive radiotherapy in Ghana

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the sexuality of cervical cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at a major cancer treatment center in Ghana. This is an area of interest as globally; cervical cancer kills approximately 342,000 people per annum with an estimated number of 604,000 new cases in 2020. Acknowledging the World Health Organization's definition of sexual health as a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality, this paper sheds light on how these dimensions affect the quality of life of cervical cancer patients. Methods: This was a longitudinal study, which assessed the impact of radiotherapy on the sexuality of both premenopausal and postmenopausal cervical cancer patients presenting for primary treatment with chemoradiation from April to July, 2021 at a major cancer treatment centre in Ghana. The Female Sexual Function Index and Body Image Scale questionnaires were respectively used to evaluate the sexual functions scores among the cervical cancer patients, and to assess the impact of the treatment on their body image. MATLAB software was used for data analysis. Results: Most of the cervical cancer patients sampled were postmenopausal (57 %). About 79 % pre menopausal and 96 % postmenopausal cervical cancer patients were sexually inactive during radio therapy (day 15). Also, 48 % premenopausal and 24 % postmenopausal patients were very dissatisfied with their bodies at the onset of treatment. The frequency of orgasm in cervical cancer patients declined after treatment causing a deterioration in their sexual function. The patients' sexuality was influenced by age and menopausal status. The decreased sexual desire of the patients resulted in emotional distancing from their partners, which invariably induced changes in their partners’ level of sexual interest. This study established significant differences between premenopausal and postmenopausal cervical cancer patients who were generally very dissatisfied with their sexual relationships with their partners on day 1 (p ¼ 0.02) and on day 15 (p ¼ 0.00) of treatment. Conclusion: The majority of patients who presented for treatment for cervical cancer in this study were postmenopausal. Their interest in sexual activity was more influenced by their menopausal status than their antineoplastic treatment. This study indicates that cervical cancer patients are more likely to develop sexual health problems which could substantially worsen over the course of their treatment and beyond. Implication for practice: The study will contribute within the oncology team by assisting personnel in putting in place measures that will guide the treatment of cervical cancer patients and improve quality of care.

Source: UG
The ‘shadow pandemic’ in online learning: perspectives of visually impaired students from Ghana and Egypt

The emergence of COVID-19 accelerated the integration of digital technologies in teaching and learning to expand access to education. However, one cannot ascertain if someone is visually impaired Students learning online benefited from this innovation, a phenomenon this netnographic study explored. Social media tools were used to interview 12 visually impaired students from a Ghanaian and an Egyptian higher education institution. Analysis of the data revealed multiple ‘shadows’ in the students’ experiences. The findings further revealed that the studied institutions prioritized physical access and also used lopsided crippling discourse. Lastly, the support systems that enhanced The studies of visually impaired students came to light. The study findings have consequences for this cohort of students. so this study recommends agile and futuristic policies to reverse the trend. Finally, it is recommended that the capabilities of faculty and staff be enhanced to effectively accommodate visually impaired students in virtual spaces.

Source: UG
A Shadowy ‘City Of Light’ Private Urbanism, Large-Scale Land Acquisition and Dispossession in Ghana

The rapid expansion of African cities has created both housing deficits and a pluralization of urban orders, including the growth of slum settlements. With an ever-increasing middle class, urban sub-Saharan Africa is now also characterized by large-scale land acquisition processes linked to the construction of wholly private and increasingly enclaved cities. This article maps the impacts of the Appolonia City of Light project—a privately built enclaved city catering to the housing needs of a rapidly growing middle class in Ghana. Building on field research and exploring various dimensions of the development marketed as ‘The City of Light’, we highlight how the project has dramatically altered social relations and resulted in dispossession rippling through nearby local communities. We therefore argue that, instead of merely focusing on the actual physical spaces of private developments or turning attention to often phantasmagoric and utopic visions of the future, research should be directed at changes in the immediate surroundings of urban developments. We highlight the problematic land acquisition inherent to such enclaved developments and demonstrate how these intrinsically constitute assemblages of livelihoods and exemplify dynamics of appropriation, dispossession and commodification.

Source: UG
Shaping Geographies of Informal Education: A Global South Perspective

This article aims to shape understandings of the geographies of informal education by exploring an aspect of education that has been broadly overlooked by geographers to date—apprenticeships—within a Global South context. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in Accra, Ghana, where young male and female apprentices learn a trade alongside master craftspeople, the nature of the apprenticeship system and how it is evolving are explored. The article develops an analytical framework for examining the dynamics of informal education with three core elements: the people and everyday praxes; the materialities, technologies, and spatialities of the learning process; and the regulatory apparatus. The apprenticeship system in Ghana is shown to be constantly evolving, with some aspects of the learning process remaining informal, some being formalized, and still others informalized; the extent and nature of these processes vary between trades and over time. The article thus demonstrates how the boundary between informal and formal education is far from clear-cut, with processes of informalization and formalization occurring concomitantly. Calls are made to expand the agenda of geographies of informal education in both the Global North and South to incorporate livelihood-related issues, including apprenticeships, and geographers are challenged to rethink the informal–formal divide within education. This timely research thus forms part of broader trends to consider how addressing the Global South forces a rethinking and revisioning of theoretical frameworks.

Source: UG
Shaping legal abortion provision in Ghana: using policy theory to understand provider-related obstacles to policy implementation

Abstract Background Unsafe abortion is a major public health problem in Ghana; despite its liberal abortion law, access to safe, legal abortion in public health facilities is limited. Theory is often neglected as a tool for providing evidence to inform better practice; in this study we investigated the reasons for poor implementation of the policy in Ghana using Lipsky&#8217;s theory of street-level bureaucracy to better understand how providers shape and implement policy and how provider-level barriers might be overcome. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with 43 health professionals of different levels (managers, obstetricians, midwives) at three hospitals in Accra, as well as staff from smaller and private sector facilities. Relevant policy and related documents were also analysed. Results Findings confirm that health providers&#8217; views shape provision of safe-abortion services. Most prominently, providers experience conflicts between their religious and moral beliefs about the sanctity of (foetal) life and their duty to provide safe-abortion care. Obstetricians were more exposed to international debates, treaties, and safe-abortion practices and had better awareness of national research on the public health implications of unsafe abortions; these factors tempered their religious views. Midwives were more driven by fundamental religious values condemning abortion as sinful. In addition to personal views and dilemmas, &#8216;social pressures&#8217; (perceived views of others concerning abortion) and the actions of facility managers affected providers&#8217; decision to (openly) provide abortion services.In order to achieve a workable balance between these pressures and duties, providers use their &#8216;discretion&#8217; in deciding if and when to provide abortion services, and develop &#8216;coping mechanisms&#8217; which impede implementation of abortion policy. Conclusions The application of theory confirmed its utility in a lower-middle income setting and expanded its scope by showing that provider values and attitudes (not just resource constraints) modify providers&#8217; implementation of policy; moreover their power of modification is constrained by organisational hierarchies and mid-level managers. We also revealed differing responses of &#8216;front line workers&#8217; regarding the pressures they face; whilst midwives are seen globally as providers of safe-abortion services, in Ghana the midwife cadre displays more negative attitudes towards them than doctors. These findings allow the identification of recommendations for evidence-based practice.

Source: UG
Shaping the entrepreneurial university: Two experiments and a proposal for innovation in higher education

The paper delineates three elements of an entrepreneurial university in practice through innovations demonstrating the academic entrepreneurial transition: the Novum Trivium, Professors of Practice (PoPs) and Link initiatives. The Novum Trivium provides a model for the integration of entrepreneurship into a liberal arts curriculum, so that students learn how to put their knowledge to use and acquire a new language and new cultural understanding to interact globally. The PoPs initiative interlinks firm and university through shared dual roles in each setting, attracting back to the university on half time basis scientific entrepreneurs from industry to serve as entrepreneurial role models. The Link projects build on ties between a leading entrepreneurial university (Stanford) and an aspiring one (Edinburgh), taking advantage of the fact that each university is already embedded in its region and could be linked to the other’s entrepreneurial culture. The paper demonstrates how industry and higher education are integrated by these initiatives, with the elements of each embedded in the other through shared resources, people and practices.

Source: UG
“Shaping the family”: Individual’s capabilities to exercise reproductive rights seen through a qualitative survey [“Dessiner sa famille”. Capabilités individuelles à exercer ses droits reproductifs à la lumière d’une enquête qualitative]

We analyze here the outcome of focus group discussions and individual interviews conducted in Mali and Ghana. The aim is to identify collective images about family norms and emergence of alternative values, and to examine people’s degree of ambivalence towards norms and their ability to conceive and realize their own family plans. Discourses show that family life plans should not be seen as pre-established. Ability to shape the family appears conjectural both as regards current resources and the position in the family trajectory. In both countries, two types of resources play a key role: schooling and influence/support from the family and network. Results highlight that the least individual freedom is to be found at the start of family life and in gender power relationships; some freedom appears in the timing of fertility; while more room for individual agency characterizes youth and individuals with more personal resources and supportive surroundings. © 2014, Union for African Population Studies. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
A shared Asian origin of the triple-mutant dhfr allele in Plasmodium falciparum from sites across Africa

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
A shared Asian origin of the triple-mutant DHFR allele in plasmodium falciparum from sites across Africa.

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Sharing local knowledge

Researchers now use information & communications technology (ICT) to gather information more effectively from the field. Smartphones and tablets are now used frequently in agricultural and rural research. IITA did a baseline survey on occupational health and safety in 2012 among 420 adult cocoa farmers in Ghana without using paper. All phones were equipped with a special data SIM card, normally used in USB sticks for mobile broadband. This kind of SIM card only allows outgoing data connections, thereby effectively preventing misuse of credit by enumerators for calls or SMS messages. An alternative approach is Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing, a similar methodology that uses laptops, netbooks or tablets as an interface during the interview process. With relatively highly trained enumerators this allows for even the most complicated and in-depth (multi-hour) household surveys to be administered with a maximum amount of support for the enumerator.

Source: UG
She is a female-rooster’: The conceptualisation of GENDER as SEX in Ghanaian discourses.

Gender, from social constructionist perspective, is socially constructed – i.e. fluid and context-specific so that the same individual can behave in ways that are considered either masculine or feminine in various contexts. This may be interpreted from a binary, essentialist or traditional perspective as that individual metaphorically having two sexes. Speakers of Akan (in Ghana) tend to talk about people who behave in ways considered as contradictory to socio-cultural norms and expectations about gendered behaviour for their sex as metaphorically having two-sex bodies: Kojo besia (a male born on Monday who is a female), ɔbaa barima (a man-woman) and ɔbaa akokɔnini (a female-rooster). In this paper, I discuss how the analysis of such metaphoric expressions contributes to theoretical perspectives on gender and language and to our understanding of metaphor. Although the interpretation of these metaphors appears quite essentialist, I argue that it also can be read as lending support to the understanding of gender as a social construction.

Source: UG