6 - The Constraints of Rural Women in Informal Economic Activities in Imo State, Nigeria
Corresponding Author(s) : Emmanuella Chinenye Onyenechere
Africa Development,
Vol. 34 No. 1 (2009): Africa Development: Special Issue on Legacies of Biafra: Violence, Identity and Citizenship in Nigeria
Abstract
The paper analyzes the constraints on rural women in the informal sector of Imo State, Nigeria. Lack of access roads, irregular means of transportation, inad- equate credit facilities, inaccessibility to socio-economic facilities and land ten- ure are identified as among the factors that have adverse effects on the partici- pation/activities of rural women engaged in informal economic activities in the rural areas of Imo State. The paper further reveals that a majority of rural women in Imo State, engaged in informal economic activities, do not have significant access to institutional finance, neither do they for socio-economic services that could enhance women’s informal economic activities. The paper eventually makes policy recommendations to help alleviate women’s difficulties in the informal sector.
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- Abumere, S. I., 1995, ‘The Informal Sector: Methodological and Policy Challenges’, paper presented at a Departmental Seminar, Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, 8 December .
- Aluko, S. A., 1980, ‘The Management of Rural Economy’, Management in Nigeria (Nigerian Institute of Management, Lagos), pp. 6–11.
- Anozie, U. C. and Onwumere, J. O. J., 1988, ‘Public Utilities and the Rural Areas in Imo State’, in U.M. Igbozurike, ed., Critical Issues in Rural Development, Owerri: Kartopress.
- Arnfred, S., 2004, Re-thinking Sexualities in Africa, Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet.
- Barlowe, R., 1978, Land Resource Economics, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Inc.
- Brand, V., Mupedziswa, R. and Gumbo, P., 1995, ‘Structural Adjustment, Women and Informal Sector Trade in Harare’, in P. Gibbon, ed., Structural Adjustment and the Working Poor in Zimbabwe, Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet.
- Crowley, E., 1995, ‘Rural Institutions and Choice: Alternative Approaches to Resource Access and Allocation for Technology Adoption in African Agriculture’, paper presented to the Rockefeller Foundation CGIAR Meetings, Addis Ababa, November.
- Damson, J. and Oyeyinka, B., 1993, ‘Structural Adjustment and the Urban Informal Sector in Nigeria’, WEP 2–19, WP65, Geneva: International Labour Organization.
- Dietrich, G., 1995, ‘Women’s Struggle for Production of Life: Public Hearings of Women Workers in Informal Sector’, Economic and Political Weekly XXX(26): 1551–4.
- Eboh, E. C. and Ocheoha, K. N., 2002, ‘Determinants of Rural Non-Farm Sector Potential in Reducing Income-Poverty: Evidence from Enugu State, Nigeria’, Proceedings of 36th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria, FUT, Owerri, 20–24 October, pp. 160–4.
- Eze, D. N. and Okoli, E. C., 1995, ‘Female Farmers’Access to Technological Imputs in Nsukka’, in M.O. Osita, B. O. Oreyinka and E. Miawa, eds, Technology, Policy and Practice in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya: IDRC.
- Eze, S. O., 2002, ‘Post-Harvest Plantain Technology Dissemination and Agricultural Extension Implications for Poverty Eradication among Rural Women in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State’, Proceedings of 36th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria, FUT, Owerri, 20–24 October, pp. 201–4.
- FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) (1999) Highland Level Consultation on Rural Women and Information, Land Tenure Service, Rome: FAO.
- Federal Government of Nigeria, 1993, Final Report on a Study of the Informal Sector of the Nigerian Economy Submitted to the National Planning Commission by Resman Associates Limited, Lagos.
- Feldman, S., 1991, ‘Still Invisible: Women in the Informal Sector’, in R.S Gallin and A.Ferguson, eds, The Women and International Development Annual, Volume 2, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
- Gerry, C., 1978, ‘Petty Production and Capitalist Production in Dakar: The Crisis of the Self Employed’, World Development Journal 6(9–10).
- Goodale, G., 1989, ‘Training for Women in the Informal Sector: The Experience of the Pathfinder Fund in Latin America and the Carribbean’, in F. Fluitman, ed., Training for Work in the Informal Sector, Geneva: International Labour Office. Hemmer, H. and Manuel, C., 1989, ‘On the Economic Analysis of the Urban Informal Sector’, World Development Journal 17(10).
- Igbozurike, U. M., 1985, ‘Rural Water Supply problems in Parts of Imo State, Nigeria’, paper presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Geographical Association, University of Lagos, Lagos, 31 March–4 April.
- Igbozurike, U. M., 1986, ‘Cooperative Farming Practices’, in O. Okereke, ed., Cooperatives and the Nigerian Economy, Nsukka: University of Nigeria Press Ijere, M. O., 1992, Leading Issues in Rural Development, Enugu, Lagos, and Los
- Angeles: Acena Publishers.
- International Labour Organization, 1985, Informal Sector in Africa: Job and Skills Programme for Africa, Addis Ababa: ILO.
- Malunga, J. S., 1998, ‘Women Employees in the Informal Sector, Kampala, Uganda’, Gender Issues Research Series 8, Addis Ababa: OSSREA.
- Mate, R., 2005, Making Ends Meet at the Margins?: Grappling with Economic Crisis and Belonging in Beitbridge Town, Zimbabwe, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- McNeil, M., 1993, ‘Urban Entrepreneurs and the Real Economy’, The Urban Age1(2).
- Nwebo, O. E. and Eze, O., 1989, ‘Widowhood Practices: Laws and Customs’, paper presented at a workshop on Widowhood Practices, Owerri, Imo State.
- Nyamnjoh, F. B., 2005a, Insiders and Outsiders: Citizenship and Xenophobia in Contemporary Southern Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA/London: Zed Books.
- Nyamnjoh, F. B., 2005b, ‘Fishing in Troubled Waters: Disquettes and Thiofs in Dakar’, Africa 75(3): 295–324.
- Obadan, I., Odusola, A. P. and Akerele, W. O., 1996, ‘Strategies for Revitalizing the Nigerian Economy: The Role of the Informal Sector, paper presented at Revitalizing the Nigerian Economy workshop held by Nigerian Institute for Social and Policy Research (NISER), Ibadan.
- Odurukwe, S. N. and Okorji, E. C., 2002, ‘Analysis of Determinants of Savings and Capital Formation Levels of Rural Women in Abia State’, Proceedings of 30th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria, FUT. Owerri, 20–24 October, pp. 308–10.
- Ogbonna, J. U., 1988, ‘Transport Constraints on Rural Development’, in U.M. Igbozurike, ed., Critical Issues in Rural Development, Owerri: Kartopress.
- Ogundana, B., 1970, ‘Forms and Functions of Transport in the Ife Region’, in S.A. Agboola, ed., The Ife Region, Occasional Publication No. 1, Department of Geography, University of Ife, Ile-Ife, pp. 96–100.
- Olayide, S. O., Ogunfowora, O., Essang, S. M. and Idachaba, F. S., 1975, Elements of Rural Economics, Ibadan: University Press
- Saitao, K. A. and Spurling, D., 1992, Developing Agricultural Extension for Women Farmers, Washinton D.C.: World Bank.
- Schaffer, R., Mendenhall, W. and Ott, L., 1979, Elementary Survey Sampling, North Scituate, MA: Duxbury Press.
- Soetan, R. O, 1993, Technology and Women’s Ventures in Nigeria’s Urban Informal Sector, New York: Carnegie Corporation.
- United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and AAPAM, 1992, Mobilizing the Informal Sector and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) for African Economic Recovery and Development: Policy and Management Issues, Report of the 12th AAPAM Round Table Conference, Abuja.
References
Abumere, S. I., 1995, ‘The Informal Sector: Methodological and Policy Challenges’, paper presented at a Departmental Seminar, Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, 8 December .
Aluko, S. A., 1980, ‘The Management of Rural Economy’, Management in Nigeria (Nigerian Institute of Management, Lagos), pp. 6–11.
Anozie, U. C. and Onwumere, J. O. J., 1988, ‘Public Utilities and the Rural Areas in Imo State’, in U.M. Igbozurike, ed., Critical Issues in Rural Development, Owerri: Kartopress.
Arnfred, S., 2004, Re-thinking Sexualities in Africa, Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet.
Barlowe, R., 1978, Land Resource Economics, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Inc.
Brand, V., Mupedziswa, R. and Gumbo, P., 1995, ‘Structural Adjustment, Women and Informal Sector Trade in Harare’, in P. Gibbon, ed., Structural Adjustment and the Working Poor in Zimbabwe, Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet.
Crowley, E., 1995, ‘Rural Institutions and Choice: Alternative Approaches to Resource Access and Allocation for Technology Adoption in African Agriculture’, paper presented to the Rockefeller Foundation CGIAR Meetings, Addis Ababa, November.
Damson, J. and Oyeyinka, B., 1993, ‘Structural Adjustment and the Urban Informal Sector in Nigeria’, WEP 2–19, WP65, Geneva: International Labour Organization.
Dietrich, G., 1995, ‘Women’s Struggle for Production of Life: Public Hearings of Women Workers in Informal Sector’, Economic and Political Weekly XXX(26): 1551–4.
Eboh, E. C. and Ocheoha, K. N., 2002, ‘Determinants of Rural Non-Farm Sector Potential in Reducing Income-Poverty: Evidence from Enugu State, Nigeria’, Proceedings of 36th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria, FUT, Owerri, 20–24 October, pp. 160–4.
Eze, D. N. and Okoli, E. C., 1995, ‘Female Farmers’Access to Technological Imputs in Nsukka’, in M.O. Osita, B. O. Oreyinka and E. Miawa, eds, Technology, Policy and Practice in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya: IDRC.
Eze, S. O., 2002, ‘Post-Harvest Plantain Technology Dissemination and Agricultural Extension Implications for Poverty Eradication among Rural Women in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State’, Proceedings of 36th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria, FUT, Owerri, 20–24 October, pp. 201–4.
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) (1999) Highland Level Consultation on Rural Women and Information, Land Tenure Service, Rome: FAO.
Federal Government of Nigeria, 1993, Final Report on a Study of the Informal Sector of the Nigerian Economy Submitted to the National Planning Commission by Resman Associates Limited, Lagos.
Feldman, S., 1991, ‘Still Invisible: Women in the Informal Sector’, in R.S Gallin and A.Ferguson, eds, The Women and International Development Annual, Volume 2, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Gerry, C., 1978, ‘Petty Production and Capitalist Production in Dakar: The Crisis of the Self Employed’, World Development Journal 6(9–10).
Goodale, G., 1989, ‘Training for Women in the Informal Sector: The Experience of the Pathfinder Fund in Latin America and the Carribbean’, in F. Fluitman, ed., Training for Work in the Informal Sector, Geneva: International Labour Office. Hemmer, H. and Manuel, C., 1989, ‘On the Economic Analysis of the Urban Informal Sector’, World Development Journal 17(10).
Igbozurike, U. M., 1985, ‘Rural Water Supply problems in Parts of Imo State, Nigeria’, paper presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Geographical Association, University of Lagos, Lagos, 31 March–4 April.
Igbozurike, U. M., 1986, ‘Cooperative Farming Practices’, in O. Okereke, ed., Cooperatives and the Nigerian Economy, Nsukka: University of Nigeria Press Ijere, M. O., 1992, Leading Issues in Rural Development, Enugu, Lagos, and Los
Angeles: Acena Publishers.
International Labour Organization, 1985, Informal Sector in Africa: Job and Skills Programme for Africa, Addis Ababa: ILO.
Malunga, J. S., 1998, ‘Women Employees in the Informal Sector, Kampala, Uganda’, Gender Issues Research Series 8, Addis Ababa: OSSREA.
Mate, R., 2005, Making Ends Meet at the Margins?: Grappling with Economic Crisis and Belonging in Beitbridge Town, Zimbabwe, Dakar: CODESRIA.
McNeil, M., 1993, ‘Urban Entrepreneurs and the Real Economy’, The Urban Age1(2).
Nwebo, O. E. and Eze, O., 1989, ‘Widowhood Practices: Laws and Customs’, paper presented at a workshop on Widowhood Practices, Owerri, Imo State.
Nyamnjoh, F. B., 2005a, Insiders and Outsiders: Citizenship and Xenophobia in Contemporary Southern Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA/London: Zed Books.
Nyamnjoh, F. B., 2005b, ‘Fishing in Troubled Waters: Disquettes and Thiofs in Dakar’, Africa 75(3): 295–324.
Obadan, I., Odusola, A. P. and Akerele, W. O., 1996, ‘Strategies for Revitalizing the Nigerian Economy: The Role of the Informal Sector, paper presented at Revitalizing the Nigerian Economy workshop held by Nigerian Institute for Social and Policy Research (NISER), Ibadan.
Odurukwe, S. N. and Okorji, E. C., 2002, ‘Analysis of Determinants of Savings and Capital Formation Levels of Rural Women in Abia State’, Proceedings of 30th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria, FUT. Owerri, 20–24 October, pp. 308–10.
Ogbonna, J. U., 1988, ‘Transport Constraints on Rural Development’, in U.M. Igbozurike, ed., Critical Issues in Rural Development, Owerri: Kartopress.
Ogundana, B., 1970, ‘Forms and Functions of Transport in the Ife Region’, in S.A. Agboola, ed., The Ife Region, Occasional Publication No. 1, Department of Geography, University of Ife, Ile-Ife, pp. 96–100.
Olayide, S. O., Ogunfowora, O., Essang, S. M. and Idachaba, F. S., 1975, Elements of Rural Economics, Ibadan: University Press
Saitao, K. A. and Spurling, D., 1992, Developing Agricultural Extension for Women Farmers, Washinton D.C.: World Bank.
Schaffer, R., Mendenhall, W. and Ott, L., 1979, Elementary Survey Sampling, North Scituate, MA: Duxbury Press.
Soetan, R. O, 1993, Technology and Women’s Ventures in Nigeria’s Urban Informal Sector, New York: Carnegie Corporation.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and AAPAM, 1992, Mobilizing the Informal Sector and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) for African Economic Recovery and Development: Policy and Management Issues, Report of the 12th AAPAM Round Table Conference, Abuja.