Gendered Division of Labour in the Household: A Kikuyu & Luhya Home
Co-authored: Karen Nabwire & John Ng'ang'a In feminist economics , the societal conventions and acceptable norms that guide what men and women do contribute to the gendered division of labor . These tasks seemed static in the old days, but after urbanization , neoliberalism , and colonization (among other factors) emerged in African spaces , there has been a paradigm shift in how current generations interact with culture and tradition. With this shift, it is not unusual to see forums challenging formally accepted traditional practices. One could almost sense an antagonistic relationship between men and women, as there is a constant negotiation of what should be carried forward and what should be declared outrightly oppressive. As this push and pull continues, societies continue to grapple with inequalities in opportunities, power & wages. Will we ever strike the right balance? In the Kenyan context, household gender norms are experienced differently across cultures a...