Communication within a Gender Equality Organization: The Case of the Ark Foundation, Ghana

Abstract

The study examined the internal and external communication machinery of genderequality organizations in Ghana. The Ark Foundation, Ghana, a women's rights organization in Ghana was used a case study for this research. The study was a qUalitative research design. Subsequently, a description of events about the relationship between gender equality work and communication issues. The descriptive research method was used for the purposes of this study. The study sought to explore and explain into detail the communication system of the chosen organization, in terms of its internal and external communication. A detail description of the organization's communication was done. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and document review both qualitative methods were the main methods used for data collection. The study revealed that the organization had a laid down communication strategy that guides all its internal and external communications. However, the organization had not fully committed itself to implementing the content of the manual. The communication strategy document was also almost dysfunctional and only remained a document sitting on the shelf of the organization. It was also realized that the organization did not have a staff who was solely responsible for issues of communication and for the implementation of the Public Relations component of the organization's corporate identity strategy manual. The study recommended that gender equality organizations, as a matter of importance should have one staff deal with communication issues of the organization; or preferably hire the services of a Communications Expert or Public Relations expert to handle communications and publicity issues. It was further recommended that in order to enhance and sustain a positive image of its self, the organization should consciously and constantly adhere to the content of the strategy Inanual.