Socio-Demographic Predictors of Domestic Outsourcing among Working Women in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Paid labour, for women, affects the traditional roles typical in a patriarchal society like Nigeria. This study examined the socio-demographic factors predisposing working women to outsource domestic tasks. The paper engages the factors highlighted by 140 of the 528 sampled working women who engaged domestic servants in two recipients Local Government Areas of Oyo state. Findings indicated that employers’ age, income, marital status, type of marriage and length of marriage are positively associated with demand for domestic servants. Regression analysis revealed that women who started work after marriage were 1.008 times more likely to engage domestic servants than women who started work before marriage, while demand for domestic servants are 2.668 times more likely in households where husbands supported their wife’s decision to work than otherwise. Domestic servants serve as safety valve for household stability and security for working mothers. Consequently, policies should be formulated to regulate the domestic service sector in Nigeria

Key words: Trafficking, Domestic servants, Demand, Policy, Strains.