COVID-19 Pandemic, Economic Livelihoods, and the Division of Labor in Rural Communities of Delta and Edo States in Nigeria

Francisca I. Omorodion (), Andrew G. Onokerhoraye, Job I. Eronmhonsele, Osagie J. Aitokhuehi, Jones O. Abriku, Kuukua C. Hanson, Mercy O. Edejeghwro and Ernest O. Imongan
Additional contact information
Francisca I. Omorodion: Department of Sociology & Criminology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
Andrew G. Onokerhoraye: Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED), Benin City 300102, Nigeria
Job I. Eronmhonsele: Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED), Benin City 300102, Nigeria
Osagie J. Aitokhuehi: Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED), Benin City 300102, Nigeria
Jones O. Abriku: Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED), Benin City 300102, Nigeria
Kuukua C. Hanson: Department of Sociology & Criminology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
Mercy O. Edejeghwro: Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED), Benin City 300102, Nigeria
Ernest O. Imongan: Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED), Benin City 300102, Nigeria

Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic affected economic, social, health, and political aspects of most global, national, and local populations, including urban and rural communities. Government measures like lockdowns resulted in the closure of schools and businesses, while social distancing preventing group gatherings impacted public and private spaces. Based on key informants’ interviews with 36 participants drawn equally from three senatorial districts of Edo and Delta states of Nigeria, we analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the type of work men and women do and division of household activities, such as cooking, child, and family care. The findings show that traditional gender role ideology (GRI) defines and shapes rural men’s and women’s work, with women more engaged in farming, rearing livestock, and trading while men are engaged in farming, rearing livestock, and carrying out skilled jobs like carpentry, plumbing, and blacksmithing. The lockdown of schools and workplaces resulted in women disproportionately bearing the burden of cooking and caring for children, the elderly, and the sick. A few rural men shared childcare, while women spent more time on housework and childcare activities than in the pre-pandemic period when children were in school for 6–7 h daily. During the pandemic, rural men and women spent more time with the children, such that rural women stayed at home or took children to the farms and marketplaces where possible. Older siblings and the elderly also provided support for women. In conclusion, work and family activities during COVID were, to an extent, difficult to manage as parents had to cope with increasing food insecurity, economic and transportation costs, and social deprivation fostered by social norms, values, and practices that perpetuate gender inequality and marginalization of women.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; rural communities; Delta and Edo states; gender; work and division of labor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/6/320/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/6/320/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:6:p:320-:d:1417150

Access Statistics for this article

Social Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Yvonne Chu

More articles in Social Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().