Female Travelers in Ghana

Marriage Proposals

Ghana is a very physical culture, which can be off-putting if you are not accustomed to physical contact as part of a conversation. There is a lot of physical contact with people and people will hold you to get your attention. And not just you. This happens to men as well as women.

However, as a single woman traveler, you will get talked to/hassled/proposed to relentlessly. It is generally harmless. Just learn how to say "no" and say it firmly!

If you say you are not married you will receive regular proposals for marriage. In Ghana, being available means that you do not have a husband (husband is also used to mean boyfriend). Not having a husband means that you must be looking for one. Since it is not polite to be silent or rude, the easiest thing is just to say you have a husband.

Here are a couple techniques that you can use if the attention is too much:

• Tell your unwanted suitors about your Nigerian boyfriend/husband.
• Tell people that you are married and that you have MORE than one child. If you are married and only have one child, men seem to think it is okay to hit on you.
• Tell troublesome men, "in confidence", that you are being treated for a sexually-transmitted infection and are not able to enjoy their company.
• Do not try saying you are a lesbian. This may invite additional unwanted attention.

Your Dress

It is important to understand that Ghanaian women dress conservatively and do not show much skin. If you dress in like you are in a music video, you will be perceived as being easily available, or even a sex-worker! You will attract a lot of unwanted attention if you are showing too much leg, shoulder or chest. In the north of Ghana, these attitudes are even more strongly pronounced and you could possibly be spoken to by those that feel your dress is inappropriate.

Sexist Attitudes

This is the more bothersome issue. Ghanaian culture is one in which women are generally expected to serve. They do all the cooking, cleaning, fetching water and basically perform most all the work to keep a household moving. It is heavy work, and women have normally put in a half-day of work, or more, before men even rise from bed.

You may thusly encounter typical reactions from Ghanaian men in that
1) it is off-putting to some men when a woman is in charge and giving orders or
2) men will be less than helpful because they expect that you are accustomed to doing all the work yourself.

You may also find it disturbing when you speak with some Ghanaian women and hear their acceptance of such second-class status.

However, you should also realize that attitudes are changing. More and more women are entering the workforce and holding important positions in Ghana business and politics. There are many women who are ministers of states currently in Ghana.

Personal Health

Apart from other issues for women travelers in Ghana, please consider your personal health:

• Bring your own feminine hygiene products with you. Most major towns will have supplies but you probably won't have a lot of choice and they will be expensive.
• Other medical supplies you should pack include a couple of treatments for UTI's and yeast infections. If you are taking an oral contraceptive, bring enough to last your whole trip. Remember that a bout of diarrhea or vomiting will render this and any medication ineffective, so be careful.
• If you are pregnant and traveling, or find out you are pregnant while traveling, head to the hospital in Accra or a private clinic for regular checkups.
• Be aware that inviting a man into your room is a sign that you have consented to sex.