The Influence Of Women’s Formal Employment On Changing Gender Roles In Kenya Reinsurance (Kenya Re) Estate Kisumu County

ABSTRACT

The present lifestyle calls for both gender in a household to work in order to lessen the burden of high cost of living. In Africa, massive increase of women in labour force has led to the neglect of unpaid household chores to full time employment. Traditionally, house work usually falls to the women who struggle to fend for the family. It was however not known how their commitment to work had impacted on their multiple household roles. This study’s objectives assessed the influence of women’s formal employment on their household responsibilities; identified the influence of women’s type of employment to their responsibility to the family and determined the influence of women’s income on their family responsibility. This study was guided by Social role theory by Alice Eagly (1987) which recognizes the historical division in labor. As a consequence of the concomitant sex differences in social behavior, the expectancies of men and women began to diverge. These expectancies are transmitted to future generations and, in turn, impinge on the social behavior of each gender. To sample respondents, the employment sectors were stratified. Simple random sampling technique was used to select females in different households. The study used Israel’s formula (1992) to sample 75 respondents from 299 households. Questionnaires were the main tool for collection of primary data. The reliability and validity of data was ensured through securing expert opinion. Quantitative data was coded and entered to an excel spreadsheet. From the quantitative data, the study found that: 82.5% of the respondents on formal employment still had to carry out their multiple household responsibilities. 62% were found returning home in later hours and thereby were not able to carry out some of their household tasks on daily basis. The research discovered that women employed in junior positions took more time at work yet did not have enough money to pay house helps. For those employed in senior positions, most household roles were done by house helps or the dependents. Additionally, results showed that most women contribute to the household expenses in all dimensions ranging from house rents to water bills, school fees payment for both their own children and other siblings. 28.6% of the respondent who did not pay rent owned the houses in partnership with their spouses or siblings. All the participants whose employment influenced what roles they did confirmed that they did not get enough time to carry out their roles effectively at home, hence they ended up choosing what to do and left some work unattended. The study therefore, recommends that future studies on formal employment and gender roles should focus on how gender roles are distributed in relation to family size. It appears that the redistribution of roles within the family to match increased role responsibilities outside the home has not yet occurred.