Economic Reforms, Living Conditions and Urban Violence: A Situation Analysis of Metropolitan Lagos

Abstract

Urban poor have suffered significantly from structural adjustment through reduction in employment creation and downward pressure on real wages. The precarious effects of fluctuation in the formal and informal sectors on urban men and women are seldom noticed in the upsurge of urban violence and conflicts. The study specifically examined the impact of privatization and commercialisation on social conditions and livelihood of urban people as the cause of gender differentials in urban violence. Metropolitan Lagos, the study area has been chosen for her level of urbanization and diverse characteristics. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for data gathering. For quantitative data 252 questionnaires were administered and for qualitative, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and In-depth interview were respectively used to enrich the study. The study revealed that more than two thirds of the respondents were affected by the economic reforms which have negative impact on their living conditions. It was also discovered that, there is strong relationship between incomes, education and ever participated in any forms of violence in the study area. The copping strategies adopted in the study area include; involving children in street hawking, reduction in domestic consumptions, living in low-cost houses, entering big buses popularly know as “Molue” to reduce transportation cost within the metropolitan Lagos, sending children to public school or low-paying schools, and having sizable family size.