The Feminisation of Poverty and it's Alleviation in Nigeria: An Appraisal of some Government Programmes

Abstract

The problem of poverty remains one of the major challenges, which have continued to confront the developed, and developing countries, even at the dawn of the 21st century. Although the extent of severity and characteristics vary across countries, even with this diversity, gender remains a dividing line, a key determinant of women's vulnerability to poverty almost everywhere. Consequently, this paper, within the context of gender examines the feminisation of poverty in developing countries, with particular emphasis on Nigeria. It attributes the sustenance and accentuation of feminised poverty to structures and processes created by culture, colonialism, capitalism and micro economic strategies of the state. The paper therefore advocates an institutional framework, which will enhance the bargaining power of women.


Humanities Review Journal Vol.3(2) 2003: 58-72