INFLUENCE OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE ON ABSOLUTE POVERTY AMONG WOMEN IN MADOGO WARD, TANA RIVER COUNTY, KENYA

Kevin Nderitu Kaguthi,Kennedy Mutundu

doi:10.46827/ejes.v8i8.3862

Kevin Nderitu Kaguthi, Kennedy Mutundu

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v8i8.3862

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Abstract

Gender inequality oppresses development among women and girls and is worsened by absolute poverty among women in Kenya. Poverty denies people choices and opportunities to participate in economic, political, and social activities while gender inequality denies women and girls equal opportunities as men and boys. Despite numerous interventions by the government through policies and laws gender inequality is on the rise and a great hindrance to development. Many women-headed households are not able to meet their basic needs due to inadequate income, lack of education, gender-based violence, and inaccessibility of primary health care. The objectives of this research were to analyze the influence of gender-based violence on absolute poverty among women in Madogo Ward, Tana River County. A descriptive research design and a quantitative research approach were used for the investigation to assemble the necessary quantitative information in Madogo Ward. The units of observation for this study were women who live in the Madogo Ward. The research has found out that there is a high level of absolute poverty among women with 86% of respondents living below the absolute poverty line. The results also indicated that there is a high likelihood of women to face gender-based violence in the village and at home. The research found out that many women access medical facilities but lack of medication and being unable to afford private health care leaves women without primary health care when needed. This research recommends that the government works towards addressing the high levels of gender-based violence by developing community-based protection mechanism for women and girls and provision of primary healthcare for women in Madogo Ward which would reduce the high levels of absolute poverty. Article visualizations:<img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0870/a.php" alt="Hit counter" />

Highlights

Poverty and gender inequality have become a big obstacle to development in Africa mostly endured by women
3.1 Objectives of The Study The specific objective of this study was to analyse the influence of gender-based violence on absolute poverty among women in Madogo Ward, Tana River County
3.2 Research Questions The following questions will be answered in the research; Does access to gender-based violence have any influence on absolute poverty in Madogo Ward, Tana River County?

Summary

Introduction

Poverty and gender inequality have become a big obstacle to development in Africa mostly endured by women. Gender inequality is a violation of human rights against women while poverty denies women a choice and opportunity to participate in economic, social, and political development (UNDP, 2018). Kenya is not an exception as women bear the biggest burden of poverty. 4.1 million women in Kenya live below the $1.90 absolute poverty line (World Data Lab, 2020). According to the World Bank (2015), 10 percent of the humans lived in absolute poverty with women taking a larger portion. Kenya has imposed partial lockdown and curfew that has led to massive job losses for Kenyans working in blue-collar and semi-skilled jobs living in urban informal settlements and rural areas and as such predisposed them to poverty. Even if the whole population has not been infected with COVID19 the impacts are felt by every citizen (Austrian et al, 2020)

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