ABSTRACT

The study examined the impact of widowhood on the livelihood activities and wellbeing of rural women in Rivers State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: examine the socioeconomic characteristics of rural women in Rivers State; determine the livelihood activities of rural women in Rivers State, determine the adequacy of the livelihood activities for the satisfaction and well-being of rural women, identify factors associated with widowhood that impact on the livelihood activities of rural women and ascertain the effectiveness of socio-economic support systems for widows in the study area. The study used primary data from the respondents, gathered with a structured questionnaire and responses recorded during Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with rural women in the study area. The respondents were made up of two categories (widows and non-widows) selected using multiple sampling techniques. A total of 300 respondents comprising 155 widows and 145 non-widows, were chosen. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics-frequency counts, percentages and mean. Z-test statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to test the postulated hypotheses. The findings revealed that the majority of the respondents were between the age range of 50 and 64 years, had formal education up to 12 years and belonged to various organizations. Also, 65.8% widows and 48.3% non-widows contracted marriage traditionally. It was also revealed that 63.9% and 58.6% of widows and no widows had agriculture as their primary occupation, with 85.2% and 82.7% of them, respectively involved in crop farming as their main livelihood activities. About 51.6% and 24.1 % of widows and non-widows respectively earned less than ten thousand (l0,000.00) naira monthly. On satisfaction with life, the widows adjudged it no satisfactory, while non-widows were fairly satisfied. Also widows and non-widows agreed that widowhood impacted negatively on the livelihood activities of rural women. While support systems for widows in the rural areas of Rivers State, were not effective. The multiple regression estimate of relationship between socio-economic characteristics of respondents and their livelihood activities showed that marital status, level of education, membership of organization, income and household size were positively and significantly related to the livelihood activities of rural women. Using the four functional regression models, income was found to be significantly and positively correlated to the well-being of respondents with coefficient (r) of 0.753, 0.832, 0.723 and 0.829 respectively. The z-test analysis of hypotheses of no significant differences showed a significant difference in income between widows and non-widows as calculated -z of 14.511 was greater than z-critical of 1.960 at 5% probability. There was also a significant difference in the well- being of widows and non-widows with zcalculated of 12.932 as against zenithal of 1.960. The study therefore, recommended that Governments (Federal States and Local) should establish social welfare services for widows and implement all international obligations aimed at eliminating all widowhood factors that impinge on the well being of women. Also women should be empowered in all ramifications, through education and acquisition of skills which should be free and compulsory.