Journal of Gender Related Studies

Adolescent Pregnancy and Education Attainment of Female Learners in Iceme Sub County, Oyam District, Northern Uganda

Joseph Alyai — 2023-10-20

Purpose: This study aimed at determining the factors associated with adolescent pregnancy, motivating factors for girls to stay in school and the effects of adolescent pregnancy on education attainment and livelihoods in Iceme Sub County, Oyam District.

Methodology: The study adopted exploratory study using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Using the principle of data saturation, the study engaged thirty-five participants that included adolescent mothers, school head teachers and other education stakeholders in two selected parishes in Iceme Sub County.

Findings: Analysis of the responses about the causes of adolescent pregnancy generated five major themes, economic status, peer influence, substance use and abuse, inadequate sex education and domestic violence. Factors motivating girls to stay in school included becoming national leaders, better living condition and independence. It was revealed that the effects of adolescent pregnancy include dropping out of school, being chased away from home, developing complications during and after delivery, poverty and producing so many children.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study suggests adoption of remedial policy measures that include; provision of income generating opportunities to families, strengthening the implementation of policy on domestic violence and violence against children, strengthen peer to peer education/ learning, policy that does not allow sale of drugs and other substance in shops that are not licensed as drug shops and regulated by the National drug authority, provision of counselling and guidance, identification of role models who can offer guidance to girls for them to have a bright future and become national leaders and affirmative action towards girls who return to school after delivery such that they are able to complete their education. This study contributes to the understanding of the plight of adolescent girls face in a post-war region situated in a less-developing nation.

Emerging Dimensions in the Conceptualization of Gender, Sex and Sexuality: A Theoretical Review

Hussayn U Idris — 2023-06-05

Purpose: This report considers gender diversity across a range of spaces and places, the core purpose of the study was to stretch as far as possible the emerging dynamics in the conception of the term gender.

Methodology: The researchers adopted a desk review of related literature to interrogate theories, discussions and results to enable it reach its conclusions.

Findings: The researcher notes that while the notion of gender has been troubled, there exist opportunities to trouble it further. The highlight is on the scholarship that has sought to deconstruct genders, and the binary framing of man/woman and male/female roles and relationships, through a detailed desk review, this research has sought to draw attention to the emergence of geographical bodies that force the academic world to recognize the need to pay more attention to its distinctiveness. The queering of sexuality has meant that geographers are now tracing the ways in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer (LGBTIQ) bodies experience and live their gender beyond normative binaries. Research concerned with relational gendered subjectivities within LGBTIQ communities is discussed, and the study found that the trend of this research may conflate gendered experiences while privileging sexual subjectivities.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study has succeeded in drawing attention to how body geographers are tracing the ways in which the LGBTIQ experience and live their gendered lives beyond normative binaries

Women Group Garden Activities and Household Food Security in Kwania District, Mid-North Uganda

Anna Angom Odongo — 2023-09-19

Purpose: This study examined the contribution of Women Group Gardens to household food security in Kwania District; specifically, the study determined the effect of women group gardens on food availability, food accessibility, food stability and food utilisation.

Methodology: The study adopted a cross-sectional study design, which employed a mixed methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study population consisted of 122 respondents, which included District Commercial Officer, District Agricultural Officer, Sub county Development Officer, Executive and members of the women group gardens in Inomo Sub-county. Both the Simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were used to select a sample of 122 participants. The researcher adopted Self-Administered Questionnaires to collect quantitative data and an interview guide to collect qualitative data. Both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse numerical data. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data.

Findings: The findings revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between women group garden activities and household food security. Further, it was revealed that women group garden activities had a significant effect on food availability, food accessibility, food stability and food utilisation.

Unique Contributions to Theory, Policy and Practice: It was concluded that women group garden activities significantly affects household food security in Inomo sub-county. The study recommended that, for improved food security in households in Inomo Sub-county, the Sub-county authorities should sensitise the local community to strengthen garden groups so that they can gain support from the government as well as enhance food security. The results of this study are valuable to local leaders given that the government of Uganda is currently implementing a number of poverty reduction interventions.

Democracy, Gender Issues and Women Empowerment in Nigeria: Reflections on Selected Nigerian Feminist Drama

Augustine Obiajulu Eziechine — 2023-06-05

Purpose: Gender inequality has thrived in Nigeria for too long. Feminist scholars therefore feel that there is urgent need to change the status quo through feminist inputs and this led to the present persistent advocacy for women empowerment. Drama has been mostly deployed as a means of expressing this new trend of discourse. Thus, Nigerian writers, especially feminist dramatists, consciously reflect in their works the frightening realities of the prevailing socio- political and economic situations in the country, drawing the attention of the masses, especially the female gender to the inequality inherent in their exploitation, mobilizing the society to rise up against their oppressors. This paper therefore, is set to examine the issues of gender and women empowerment in Nigeria as reflected in selected Nigerian plays. The plays include Tess Onwueme’s The Reign of Wazobia, J.P. Clark’s The Wives’ Revolt and Fred Agbeyegbe’s The King Must Dance Naked.

Methodology: Textual analysis of the selected plays is carried out.

Findings: The analysis reveals that drama can be employed as a weapon to break the walls of cultural barriers that impede the struggle of women for social, political and economic empowerment.

Unique Contribution to Theory Policy and Practice: Thus, premised on the Womanist theory, this paper concludes that drama can be deployed as a means of promoting justice, gender equity and fair play in Nigeria’s drive towards the possibilities of true democracy. This is the playwrights’ contribution to the theory and practice of feminist drama in Nigeria.