Dominated Myths Are Almost Broken: Evaluating Assembly Members’ Lived Experiences in Ghanaian Local Politics

Abstract

Ghanaian cultural norms, verbal and non-verbal expressions, gender stereotypes, and male dominance are real propaganda that discourages women from engaging in local politics. This paper draws from the dominant ideology, development approach and gender power relations to reveal efforts to motivate aspiring women politicians to engage local government administration. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used in collating the data. The study findings showed that male and female assembly members resisted derogatory pronouncements. The actions were to encourage more women to contest district assembly elections and win. The male assembly members suggested ways to encourage women in their electoral areas to participate in local politics influenced the near deconstruction of the myths. These myths included male dominance surrounding discriminatory predispositions against aspiring women politicians in Ghana.