Gendered Dimensions and Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Human-Wildlife Conflict: Insights from the Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana

This study adopts a gendered lens to examine the impacts of human wildlife conflict (HWC) at Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana. Drawing upon feminist political ecology and using ethnographic techniques, we explore the unique ways in which men and women are differentially affected by HWC. Our results show that HWC compels men to migrate while women experience an intensified workload due to the absence of their spouses. Also, poaching has become a profitable and more appealing alternative due to crop-raiding. The prosecution of locals for unlawful park access and poaching has exacerbated social strife, disharmony, and hostility between residents and park authorities. Additionally, HWC incurs opportunity costs and undermines community cohesion by disrupting the livelihoods of farmers. Ultimately, the findings of this research are relevant in highlighting the need to prioritize gender issues in HWC; this is a crucial step in the development of measures and interventions that are socially inclusive.