The Intersection of Feminism, Religion and Development in the Discourses of ‘Gender Workers’ in Ghana

Abstract

This chapter examines the intersection of feminism, religion and development in Ghana, focusing on women who work professionally on gender equality and women’s rights while also identifying as practising Christians.

Drawing on interviews with three female “gender workers” who identify as both feminist and Christian and who lead organisations promoting women’s wellbeing and rights, the study explores how religious convictions interact with feminist ideas and development practice.

The chapter situates these experiences within a Ghanaian context in which religion is highly influential in both private and public life and where development remains an important part of policy and social discourse. It challenges the assumption that feminism and religious commitment must necessarily exist in opposition to one another.

Through the experiences of the women interviewed, the chapter illustrates the ways feminism, Christianity and development can coexist, overlap and sometimes create tensions in gender-focused work in Ghana.