Trokosi, woryokwe, cultural and individual rights : a case study of women's empowerment and community rights in Ghana

Abstract

This thesis is a product of work surrounding the abolition of a form of ritual slavery in Ghana known as the trokosi or woryokwe . Its contents reflect my years of work on feminist legal research and law reform. Inspired by the need to make the results of my work reflect in the daily lives of women, my participation in legal literacy and legal aid programmes in communities gave me a further insight into effective ways of using legal methods for empowerment. Part of my research goal was to identify and to develop in detail, the effects of various practices, which constitute violence against women in the society.

The case study of the trokosis or woryokwes formed part of a study I undertook on various customary practices that infringe on the rights of women. This thesis examines the various ways in which the trokosi custom infringes on the rights of women, legal remedies available and how the can be used to empower women. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)