Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

This paper explores gender relations in access to and control over resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The study employed primary and secondary data sources. The primary data were gathered through semistructured interviews with selected community members and key informants,...

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Main Authors: Guday Emirie, Eskinder Teferi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Addis Ababa University 2013-12-01
Series:Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:http://10.90.104.77/index.php/EJSSH/article/view/6254
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author Guday Emirie
Eskinder Teferi
author_facet Guday Emirie
Eskinder Teferi
author_sort Guday Emirie
collection DOAJ
description This paper explores gender relations in access to and control over resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The study employed primary and secondary data sources. The primary data were gathered through semistructured interviews with selected community members and key informants, focus group discussions with selected community and committee members and nonparticipant observation of gender roles and relations in the study community. Secondary data were obtained through a critical review of related literature and documents. Both primary and secondary data were organized thematically and analyzed through systematic interpretation and triangulation of various sources. The study found that locally available resources are collectively owned and administered by the ‘Development Committee’ and income is equally distributed to all household heads at the end of each fiscal year. Gender relations in the study community are guided by the principle of mutual understanding among all the members of the community. Women, like their men counterparts, make important decisions through their membership and leadership in different administrative committees. Women members of the community fulfill their basic needs as selfreliant workers, but not as being dependent upon their husbands. In general, the local economic and administrative structures, cultural values and principles promote equitable gender relations in division of labor and in access to educational opportunities, economic resources, leadership and decision-making at the household and community levels. This finding reveals that the existing gender relations in Awra Amba community are contrary to gender relations in other communities of Amhara Region, where the patriarchal gender ideology is most prevalent.
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spelling doaj.art-54bcd4cfc90f4d09a67eb797e2e841862023-06-12T07:38:43ZengAddis Ababa UniversityEthiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities1810-44872520-582X2013-12-0192136doi:10.4314/ejossah.v9i2.1Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, EthiopiaGuday Emirie0Eskinder Teferi1College of Social Sciences, Addis Ababa UniversityFaculty of Social Sciences, Bahir Dar UniversityThis paper explores gender relations in access to and control over resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The study employed primary and secondary data sources. The primary data were gathered through semistructured interviews with selected community members and key informants, focus group discussions with selected community and committee members and nonparticipant observation of gender roles and relations in the study community. Secondary data were obtained through a critical review of related literature and documents. Both primary and secondary data were organized thematically and analyzed through systematic interpretation and triangulation of various sources. The study found that locally available resources are collectively owned and administered by the ‘Development Committee’ and income is equally distributed to all household heads at the end of each fiscal year. Gender relations in the study community are guided by the principle of mutual understanding among all the members of the community. Women, like their men counterparts, make important decisions through their membership and leadership in different administrative committees. Women members of the community fulfill their basic needs as selfreliant workers, but not as being dependent upon their husbands. In general, the local economic and administrative structures, cultural values and principles promote equitable gender relations in division of labor and in access to educational opportunities, economic resources, leadership and decision-making at the household and community levels. This finding reveals that the existing gender relations in Awra Amba community are contrary to gender relations in other communities of Amhara Region, where the patriarchal gender ideology is most prevalent.http://10.90.104.77/index.php/EJSSH/article/view/6254awra amba communityaccess to and control over resourcesgendergender relations
spellingShingle Guday Emirie
Eskinder Teferi
Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities
awra amba community
access to and control over resources
gender
gender relations
title Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
title_full Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
title_fullStr Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
title_short Gender Relations in Access to and Control over Resources in Awra Amba Community of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
title_sort gender relations in access to and control over resources in awra amba community of amhara region ethiopia
topic awra amba community
access to and control over resources
gender
gender relations
url http://10.90.104.77/index.php/EJSSH/article/view/6254
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