Young women in Ghana’s industry are dealing with a lot of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Even with all these problems many of them are not giving up on their careers. A recent study found this out.
The study is called Behind the Scenes. It talks about the obstacles women face when they try to make a life in the arts.
The study also shows that the women who stay in the industry are very determined. They keep going after their dreams even when things get tough.
Prof. Joshua Amo-Adjei from the University of Cape Coast presented the findings in Accra. He said that people should not forget how strong these young women are when they try to solve the problems they face. He thinks, just talking about the problems people should start making real changes so that women can really succeed.
For women in Ghana’s arts community this is not news. Some women have already talked about the problems they face in the industry. Comedian Jacinta Ocansey has talked about how the industry’s not fair and how women get paid less. Singer Efe Keyz has talked about how women are pressured to use their bodies to get ahead in music.
When these women talk about their experiences it makes the problems more personal. It also adds to the conversation about making the industry safer and fairer for women. Juliana Amoateng is the National Creative Ambassador for the project. She said that when she talked to women during the study they were not surprised by the findings. Instead the study gave them the courage to talk about what they had been going. She said, “Women did not respond with surprise but with recognition. Once they had the words to describe what they had been feeling they started sharing their stories.”
The University of Cape Coasts Department of Sociology and Anthropology is in charge of the project in Ghana. Prof. Georgina Yaa Oduro and Prof. Amo-Adjei are leading it. The International Centre for Research on Women and the Mastercard Foundation are supporting the project. It started in 2024. Aims to document the experiences of young women in the creative sector. It also wants to help young people do research.
This project is part of an effort, in seven countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda and Ghana. The study shows that Ghana’s creative industry needs to make some changes. It needs to create fairer spaces where young women can build their careers without facing harassment or discrimination.
