Poverty and the Dynamics of Women's Participation in Household Decision Making in Nigeria

Oyediran, Kola; Odusola, Ayodele

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Title:	Poverty and the Dynamics of Women's Participation in Household Decision Making in Nigeria
Authors:	Oyediran, Kola Odusola, Ayodele
Year:	2004
Periodical:	African Population Studies
Volume:	19 Supplement A
Pages:	115-139
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	poverty households gender relations patriarchy Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Women's Issues Economics and Trade Cultural Roles Marital Relations and Nuptiality economics Sex Roles
External link:	http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?ep04023
Abstract:	Since the introduction of structural adjustment policies (SAP) in Nigeria in 1986, the socioeconomic environment of the country has witnessed some structural transformations. Poverty levels rose from 28,1 percent of the population in 1980 to 46,3 in 1985 and 65,6 percent in 1996. Men's resources are becoming increasingly inadequate to meet the needs of their households, while women's contributions to family resources have increased remarkably. This paper investigates to what extent poverty has affected women's participation in household decisionmaking, notably reproductive decisionmaking. It is based on a study which examined the relationships between adjustment policies, gender dynamics and family size reduction in Lagos, Kaduan and Akwa-Ibom States. The study focused on women between the ages of 25 and 49 years who got married before SAPs were introduced. The results do not support the view that structural adjustment would enhance women's participation in decisionmaking: women participated more in household matters in the pre-SAP than the post-SAP era. In the post-SAP era, poor women participated less in household decisionmaking than non-poor women. Other determinants of women's participation include women's education, women's employment status, religion, and husband's education. Bibliogr., note, sum. [ASC Leiden abstract]

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