Habtamu Wondimu, Wubit Delelegn and Kassahun Dejene (2022) ‘What do female-headed households’ livelihood strategies in Jimma city, Southwest Ethiopia look like from the perspective of the sustainable livelihood approach?’ Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1)
The increasing number of females headed households (FHH) and its vulnerability is discussed at the introductory part of the paper. Accordingly, female headed households are increasing worldwide and steadily increasing in developed countries including Ethiopia. In Ethiopia also the number of Female headed households is increasing whereby 33% of the household in urban areas and 17% of rural households are headed by females. However, the FHH are hit hard by poverty when compared with male headed households due to engagement in less remunerative livelihood activities, low educational status and multiplicity of tasks shouldered by women, including childcare, difficulties of income generation, and vulnerability to economic, political, and social crisis. To maintain the life of their family women in the FHH, mostly engaged in the informal sector and undertake income generating activities like, selling vegetables, fruits, injera, charcoal, traditional drinks, secondhand clothes, shoes, handicrafts, sugar, salt and similar products. Studies also indicated in some exceptional scenarios such women engage in selling drugs, stolen goods, and sex to supplement their income.
The study was conducted in the Southwestern part of the country, Jima city. It used the Qualitative Research approach and employed a phenomenological study design to look at female-headed families’ vulnerability and livelihood assets in Jima’s two kebeles. Purposive sampling is used to select study participants and accordingly, 30 FHH were selected. Focus group discussion, in-depth interview and Key informant interview were used to collect the data.
The study found that the educational level of the household head determines the livelihood of the family members. In the study area most of FHH has low educational status which hindered their access to formal employment that could lead to betterment in their livelihoods. household poverty in return resulted in inability of sending children to school that leads to intergenerational poverty trap. Regarding access to finance, the finding indicated that very few of the study participants borrowed money from microfinance institutions. Most of the community fear risks of paying the debt due to their low economic capacity to pay back. Moreover, there is a lack of trust from credit providing institutions that FHH will not be able to repay the debt without the help of man. Moreover, rigidity of repayment deadline, frequency of repayment schedule and the high interest rates are the major factors that inhibit women from accessing the credit services. Idir and Ekub, are the informal financial services in Ethiopia. However, in the study area only 5% of the study participants have access to this informal financial service. This is due to financial constraints, as one needs to have regular income to be a member of this social group. Poverty, and lack of regular income inhibited women from the membership.
The other challenge faced by women in the study area is stigma and social discrimination from their community. They were discriminated against based on their gender and marital status. FHH are belittled when compared with women who live with their husband. They are usually blamed for the death of their husband and bringing bad fortune to their family.
Therefore the authors recommended that concerned government offices should facilitate training in income-generating activities and access to credit services for FHH. Moreover, FHH shall be recognized as a vulnerable and disadvantaged group and therefore, policies shall be designed and implemented with a view to addressing this group.