Journal of Gender and Millennium Development Studies
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): Journal of Gender and Millennium Development Studies, 3(1), 2026

Gender-Based Family Approach: Causes and Factors of Gender Inequality in Family Life

Alice Ayawine (Catholic University of Ghana, Fiapre)
Mtebi Nkrabia Gmaligan (Legon Boundary, Accra)
Joseph Ayamga Awimboora (Christian Aid Program Officer)



Article Info

Publish Date
25 May 2026

Abstract

Background: Gender role inequality within the family is shaped by gender discourse that is legitimised through cultural norms and everyday practices, where domestic responsibilities are often perceived as “natural” obligations of women, placing them in subordinate roles. Objective: This study aims to analyse the factors that construct women’s role inequality in families and to explore the processes of negotiation and transformation in gender relations through the Gender Model Family approach. Method: A qualitative design grounded in Gender Discourse Analysis was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to examine narrative patterns, social legitimacy, and power dynamics within family life. Result: Findings show that gender inequality is maintained through traditional discourse and social pressures that normalise male dominance in family roles. However, emerging negotiations between family members foster more cooperative domestic practices and participatory decision-making, indicating a gradual transformation in gender relations. Conclusion: The family operates as a dynamic arena in which gender norms are both reproduced and reconstructed through continuous interaction and meaning negotiation, leading to more equitable and adaptive relationships. Contribution: This study advances the Gender Model Family framework by providing a discourse-based understanding of how gender inequalities are constructed and transformed, offering implications for promoting more egalitarian family relationships

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jgmds

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Social Sciences

Description

Journal of Gender and Millennium Development Studies (JGMDS) (Online ISSN 3063-3850 - Print ISSSN 3063-3842) is a peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal dedicated to advancing and disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of gender and millennium development. The journal aims to ...