A comparative study of gender construction and its impact on healthy relationships within English and Ghanaian schools

We aim to explore the construction of gender within schools and its implications for forming healthy relationships and gender-based violence (GBV) among young people (YP) aged 13-19 in England and Ghana.
By using collaborative techniques between academics, artists and young people themselves, the research will co-produce data to address the research aims listed below. The dialogue and exchange between YP in England and Ghana will also help raise global consciousness among YP as well the academics.
The approach adopted is based on the premise that knowledge generation about ideal masculinities and femininities must arise from the experiences and knowledges of YP and that the most appropriate methodologies to explore these involve processes of co-production that place equal value on academic and community knowledge and expertise.
The findings will feed into and strengthen a larger grant that we are in the process of preparing for submission to the ESRC, looking at gender conceptualisation within the education system and its implication for mental health and GBV in the Global North (England, Sweden) and Global South (Iran and Ghana).