Assessment of Gender Influence in Household and Resources Allocation: A Case Study Utengule - Usongwe Ward in Mbeya Rural District, Tanzania

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess gender influence in household resource allocation in Mbeya Rural District. The process of resources allocation at household level involves two different genders whereby male dominates female in all spheres of life. It was discovered through literature that women were discriminated, oppressed and do not access to, control and inheriting land by customary law. This study was carried out in Mbeya Rural District, which involved 196 households comprised (of ) married, widow/widower, cohabiting and divorced in Utengule-Usongwe ward. The data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, Focus Group Discussions and documentary reviews. The data were edited, coded, and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 16.0 computer program. The qualitative data were analyzed and integrated in the report according to the objectives of the study. Th e fi ndings of the study revealed that, the majority of the respondents had knowledge about the cultural infl uence in the households which discriminate and oppress women’s rights and favour men as superior over women. The respondents were also aware about the tendency of the societies to allocate the available resources at household level more to boys than girls. The study further revealed that the majority of decision makers and heads of the households were men. However, the study confirmed that culture plays a great role in discriminating and oppressing women at household level. The findings show clearly that gender inequality is mainly based in relation to access and control over domestic resources in the household, whereby men are still dominating all sphere in the households. Basing on the findings, the study recommends that there is a need to filter and alleviate the harmful elements in culture which lead to ill-treatment of women and hinder women’s rights at household level. Also there is a need to teach statutory laws in primary and secondary schools in order to raise awareness about gender equality.