The Impact of Gender Relations on Rural Livelihoods: The Case of Two Communities, East Shoa Zone Oromia Regional State

Abstract

Many literatures indicate that, women in general and rural women in particular, are at a disadvantaged position due to a multitude of problems working against them. Furthermore their case is not made explicit with the age-old assumption that they could benefit through their male counterparts. However, the reality shows something contrary to the assumption held by many people. Cognizant of this fact, this particular study has attempted to unravel the situation of rural women, with special emphasis to the female headed household by examining how their gender relation is operating in making a living. Pursuit of a livelihood is dependent on so many factors among which livelihood contexts (trends and shocks), access to and control over resources, and mediating factors of which gender relations is the chief concern are some of them. Hence, this study is typically concerned with exploring the effects of gender relations on making a living in the rural contexts. In realizing this study both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were employed, and the Sustainable Livelihood Framework is used as a model. A sample size of 116 heads of households (both female and male) were selected and interviewed from two communities through systematic sampling technique. Besides, to complement and triangulate the survey results, other research instruments like focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal observations were undertaken. Hence, results from the study showed that there is still unbalanced power relation between the two sexes that can be manifested in so many ways, and implying that livelihoods’ of rural women in general is highly constrained. For instance, in the study it is found that among the total FHHs interviewed 51.4% of them are illiterate, where as it only 18.5% of the MHHs