Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen Ghana

The study examined the contemporary relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation as a framework, as well as how organized non-formal education (NFE) programmes have increased women’s participation in local-level governance as assembly members in Ghana’s Northern sector. The study investigated w...

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Main Authors: Moses Yinkorah Namoog, Boadi Agyekum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Cogent Arts & Humanities
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2313338
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author Moses Yinkorah Namoog
Boadi Agyekum
author_facet Moses Yinkorah Namoog
Boadi Agyekum
author_sort Moses Yinkorah Namoog
collection DOAJ
description The study examined the contemporary relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation as a framework, as well as how organized non-formal education (NFE) programmes have increased women’s participation in local-level governance as assembly members in Ghana’s Northern sector. The study investigated women’s abilities to contest assembly elections, effectively campaign for election, lobby for an appointment, raise funds for assembly election activities, and actively participate in assembly business. Using the simple random sampling technique, data was collected from all 276 assemblywomen (2015 cohort) in three randomly selected regions (Upper East, Upper West, and Brong Ahafo) of Northern Ghana using a cross-sectional survey. Percentages, frequency counts, and correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data. The study findings revealed that a significant correlation exists between NFE skills and knowledge acquired and the assemblywomen’s participation. The NFE, based on Freire’s ideas of conscientisation, was significant and necessary, but it was insufficient as a geo-socio-cultural setting for women’s participation as assembly members. Recommendations include organizing similar education programmes for the custodians of socio-cultural and religious beliefs and practices alongside those for women to increase women’s participation in assembly work, community development, and governance.
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spelling doaj-art-2071cbee7bc04ff193974dc0dd1ac9022025-08-20T02:39:32ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Arts & Humanities2331-19832024-12-0111110.1080/23311983.2024.2313338Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen GhanaMoses Yinkorah Namoog0Boadi Agyekum1School of Continuing and Distance Education, University of Ghana, LegonUniversity of Ghana Learning Centres, University of Ghana, GhanaThe study examined the contemporary relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation as a framework, as well as how organized non-formal education (NFE) programmes have increased women’s participation in local-level governance as assembly members in Ghana’s Northern sector. The study investigated women’s abilities to contest assembly elections, effectively campaign for election, lobby for an appointment, raise funds for assembly election activities, and actively participate in assembly business. Using the simple random sampling technique, data was collected from all 276 assemblywomen (2015 cohort) in three randomly selected regions (Upper East, Upper West, and Brong Ahafo) of Northern Ghana using a cross-sectional survey. Percentages, frequency counts, and correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data. The study findings revealed that a significant correlation exists between NFE skills and knowledge acquired and the assemblywomen’s participation. The NFE, based on Freire’s ideas of conscientisation, was significant and necessary, but it was insufficient as a geo-socio-cultural setting for women’s participation as assembly members. Recommendations include organizing similar education programmes for the custodians of socio-cultural and religious beliefs and practices alongside those for women to increase women’s participation in assembly work, community development, and governance.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2313338Non-formal educationconscientisationwomen’s empowermenthuman developmentlocal-level governanceLincoln Geraghty, School of Media and Performing Arts, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom
spellingShingle Moses Yinkorah Namoog
Boadi Agyekum
Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen Ghana
Cogent Arts & Humanities
Non-formal education
conscientisation
women’s empowerment
human development
local-level governance
Lincoln Geraghty, School of Media and Performing Arts, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom
title Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen Ghana
title_full Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen Ghana
title_fullStr Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen Ghana
title_short Non-formal education and women’s empowerment: an assessment of the contemporal relevance of Freire’s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen’s participation in community development and governance in Northen Ghana
title_sort non formal education and women s empowerment an assessment of the contemporal relevance of freire s concept of conscientisation in increasing district assemblywomen s participation in community development and governance in northen ghana
topic Non-formal education
conscientisation
women’s empowerment
human development
local-level governance
Lincoln Geraghty, School of Media and Performing Arts, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2313338
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