Female operated home-based enterprises and gender relations in male-headed households: A case of Wakiso Sub County

Abstract

This presentation is about Female Operated Home-Based Enterprises and gender relations in male-headed household: A case of Wakiso Sub- County. The general objective of the study was to find out the effects of female incomes from home based enterprises on gender relations in a male-headed households. The specific objectives of the study were; to find out factors that determine women‘s participation in HBEs, to identify benefits derived from HBEs and physical assets acquired from HBEs, to determine how women’s decision making in the household is influenced by incomes from HBEs, to find out the major sources of general information used by the women engaged in HBEs, and to find out men´s attitudes and perceptions of women´s contribution to household income and expenditures. The methods of data collection were both qualitative and quantitative. The study covered 95 respondents of whom 60 were female.

The following were some of the findings. The majority of the female respondents (24%) were aged between 26-41 years compared to 6.6% of the male respondents in the same age group. Most female respondents (28.5%) were peasant farmers compared to 12.6% of the male respondents. The majority (30.7%) of the female respondents had between (6 – 10) household members compared to (31.4%) of the male respondents

The HBEs engaged in by women included retail fresh food 23%, animal and poultry rearing 18%, retail shop (12%), and retail cooked food (10%). A large proportion of the female respondents (32%) chose a HBE because of low cost. Other respondents engaged in HBEs because of convenience, profitability and domestic responsibilities.

The study revealed that income from HBEs enabled women to access and control resources such plots of land and information. Other benefits derived from HBEs included financial independence, household maintenance and purchase of business facilitating equipments. The majority of female respondents revealed increased level of participation in household decision making.

However, there was mixed reactions towards women's contribution to household budget. Some male respondents lamented about the problems that develop when a woman has an independent income such as disrespect for the husband and lack of openness about income and expenditures of the proceeds from HBEs. On the other hand, the female respondents revealed that men shun their domestic responsibilities and increased workload for the women.

From the findings of the study several recommendations were made. First, the government should invest seriously in measures that reduce the workload of female entrepreneurs. Second, there must be legal reforms or enforcement of the existing legal frameworks to protect women from domestic violence which crops up as result of their refusal to hand over incomes obtained from HBEs to their male counterparts.