Poverty in Deep Sea Informal Settlements; a Gender Inequality Perspective

Abstract

The feminization of poverty has sparked a widespread debate in analyzing poverty trends globally. The key aim of this study was to study poverty in Deep Sea Informal Settlements with a gender inequality perspective. A cross-sectional descriptive study was applied to examine the gender inequality factors contributing to a higher poverty incidence among women living in Deep Sea Informal Settlements. Through questionnaires and face-to-face interviews, the study concluded that the larger group of the women were either unemployed or working in the informal sector as casuals or owned businesses. Poor housing and sanitation, malnutrition among children, and increased drug abuse were found to be some of the impacts of poverty among women. To mitigate themselves against the social impact of poverty, the women engaged in Savings Groups, borrowed loans through mobile money, credit purchases of goods, and in-kind barter trade of goods and services. Policies focused on improving the Informal Sector should be prioritized if poverty reduction is to be actualized.