Effect of The Socio-Economic Characteristics of Rural Women on Their Poverty Status in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

This study examined the effect of the socio-economic characteristics of rural women on their poverty status in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The specific objectives of the study were to: identify the manifestations of poverty among the rural women, determine the level of economic poverty among the rural women and examine the effect of the socio-economic characteristics of the rural women on their poverty status. Respondents were chosen from four different wards, namely; Yakawada, kakangi, Galadimawa and Kidandan. Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire and analysed by the use of descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis and Foster-Green and Thorbecke model of poverty measures. The study revealed that majority of the respondents were within the active age group of 31-40 years, majorly household heads with average household size of 15. Most women lacked formal education, owned an average of five (5) different economic assets and had an average of two(2) income sources. Physiological manifestation of poverty among the women included lack of income source, lack of asset and low level of educational attainment. A poverty line of N1,406.20 per month per adult equivalent was gotten. The head count ratio was 0.34 which implied that 34% of the sampled population live with a consumption per capita below the poverty line, while the severity of poverty ratio was 0.13 which implied that 13% of the population were the core poor. Age, marital status, literacy level, diversification of income and average annual income were statistically significant in their effect on the poverty level among the women while household size, ownership of asset and average annual income were not significant in their effect on the poverty level. The study recommended that policies should be fine-tuned to give special preferences to rural women especially on matters of empowerment.

本研究探讨了卡杜纳州（Kaduna State）吉瓦地方政府区域（Giwa Local Government Area）农村妇女的社会经济特征对其贫困状况（poverty status）的影响。研究的具体目标为：识别农村妇女的贫困表现（manifestations of poverty），确定其经济贫困（economic poverty）水平，以及检验农村妇女社会经济特征对其贫困状况的影响。受访者选自四个行政区（wards），即Yakawada、Kakangi、Galadimawa和Kidandan。研究通过结构化问卷（structured questionnaire）收集数据，并采用描述性统计（descriptive statistics）、多元回归分析（multiple regression analysis）及Foster-Green和Thorbecke贫困测量模型（Foster-Green and Thorbecke model of poverty measures）进行分析。

研究结果显示，大部分受访者处于31-40岁的活跃年龄组（active age group），且多为户主，平均家庭规模为15人。多数妇女缺乏正规教育，平均拥有5种不同的经济资产（economic assets），且平均有2个收入来源（income sources）。这些妇女的贫困生理表现（physiological manifestation of poverty）包括缺乏收入来源、资产匮乏及教育程度低下。研究确定的贫困线（poverty line）为每月每人1406.20尼日利亚奈拉（Naira）。贫困发生率（head count ratio）为0.34，即34%的样本人口人均消费低于贫困线；而贫困严重度（severity of poverty）为0.13，意味着13%的人口为核心贫困人口（core poor）。

年龄、婚姻状况、识字水平、收入多样化及年均收入对妇女贫困水平的影响具有统计显著性（statistically significant），而家庭规模、资产所有权及年均收入对贫困水平的影响无统计显著性。研究建议应优化政策，给予农村妇女特殊扶持，尤其在赋能（empowerment）方面。