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Ghana Fast Facts Header

The practice of giving girls, usually under the age of 10, to village fetish shrine priests as sexual/domestic slaves to compensate for family member's offenses continues despite a 1998 ban. Women's and human rights groups strive to end the practice (Trokosi) and have won the release of 2,190 Trokosi slaves.

Maternal mortality ranges from 210 to 800 depending on the region. Ghana's Minister of Health attributes high maternal mortality to delays in accessing safe motherhood services, e.g., poor roads, long distances, and ignorance of pregnancy problems. Others cite early marriage and female genital cutting as additional causes.

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Country Snapshot: Fast Facts on Ghana

 

ADULT LITERACY

2003: Female 55%; Male 72.9%
2000: Female 49.79%; Male 66.35%
1980: Female 30%; Male 59%
Ratio of young literate females to males (% ages 15-24): 86.23% in 2003

PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT (gross)

1998-2002: 78% of girls
1998-2002: 85% of boys

PRIMARY COMPLETION RATE (% OF RELEVANT AGE GROUP)

2003: Female 66.95%; Male 65.29%
2005: Female 68.75%; Male 75.22%

PRIMARY GROSS ENROLLMENT RATIO (GPI)

2000: 0.93
2003: 0.98
2004: 0.94
2005: 0.96

SECONDARY GROSS ENROLLMENT RATIO (GPI)

2000: 0.81
2003: 0.85
2004: 0.83
2005: 0.85

TERTIARY GROSS ENROLLMENT RATIO (GPI)

2000: 0.34
2003: 0.46
2004: 0.48
2005: 0.55

RATIO OF GIRLS TO BOYS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

2000: 89.41%
2003: 93.65%
2004: 90.57%
2005: 92.56%

POPULATION

Total population in thousands
1985: 13,399
1990: 15,470
1995: 17,775
2000: 19,867
2003: 21,212
2004: 21,664
2005: 22,113

Population, female % of total
1985: 49.6%
1990: 49.57%
1995: 49.54%
2000: 49.47%
2003: 49.42%
2004: 49.41%
2005: 49.39%

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH

2005: Female 58, Male 57
2002: Female 59.3; Male 56.4
2000: Female 57, Male 56
1995: Female 58, Male 56
1992: Female 57.8; Male 54.2
1990: Female 58, Male 55
1985: Female 56, Male 53

TOTAL FERTILITY RATE (per woman)

2005: 4.1
2003: 4.4
2000: 4.6
1993: 5.2
1990: 5.1
1988: 6.4
1985: 6.3

BIRTHS ATTENDED BY SKILLED HEALTH STAFF (% of total)

2003: 47.1

MATERNAL MORTALITY RATIO: Reported per 100,000 live births

2003: 210

CONTRACEPTIVE PREVALENCE (% of women ages 15-49)

2003: 25.2

WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS, 15-49 (estimate)

2003: 180,000

FEMALE SHARE OF LABOR FORCE

2005: 48%
2004: 48.1%
2003: 48.2%
2001: 50.4%
2000: 48.57%
1995: 48.7 %
1990: 48.86%
1985: 48.62%
1980: 51.0%

Employees, industry, female (% of female employment): 2000 - 15%
Employees, services, female (% of female employment): 2000 - 36%
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force): 2000 - 8.7%

ESTIMATED PURCHASING POWER (2001 in US$)

Female $1,924; Male $2,579

HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS

2003: Male 66.2%; Female 33.8%

YEAR WOMEN RECEIVED RIGHT TO VOTE

1954

TO STAND FOR ELECTION

1954

YEAR FIRST WOMAN APPOINTED TO PARLIAMENT

1960

PARLIAMENTARY SEATS HELD BY WOMEN

2003-2004: 10.9%

RATINGS & RANKINGS

UNDP, Human Development Report: Gender-related Development Index (GDI) Rank
2003: 104
2004: 101

UNDP, Human Development Report: Gender-related Development Index (GDI) Value
2003: 1
2004: 1


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Global Snapshots: Ghana Homepage

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:09:20 -0500
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