Women Discrimination in Gender Division of Labour in Nairobi Industrial Area: "an Analys of Santowels Company Limited."

Abstract

This study investigates the women discrimination in industrial labour. It is an analysis of Santowels Company Limited. The overall objective of the study was to analyse the industrial gender division of labour in Kenya establishing the constraint that have caused women to be the unprivileged class, thus causing economic marginalization. The study used questionnaires that were formulated to assist the key informants who included the management and employers of Santowels Company Limited. The assumptions made were that social-cultural factors that favour patriarchy have the greatest influence on women participation in gainful employment and that the participation of women in formal employment is complicated by the women triple roles that make them ineffective. Amongst the hypothesis that the study set to operationalize were that women are marginalized in labour markets with majority of them hired as casual labourers, since most employers prefer to hire men as opposed to women. The company under study was selected based, on the nature of its activities that were considered light enough to be undertaken by both genders satisfactorily in the industrial area of Nairobi. The key informants were selected purposively from the employees. The findings of the study show that gender inequalities are experienced in industrial labour and women are mostly discriminated and marginalized. Most women interviewed were engaged as casual labourers. Women production in industrial labour was found to be very low as compared to men. The study makes a case that there is a correlation between education levels that appear to influence the employment categories of women. The factors influencing the marginalization of women in employment as established by the study are cultural stereotypes in the sexual division of labour; low levels of education and training amongst women; lack of opportunities suitable for women and overall lack of representation of women in decision-making levels. The study concludes that there is need for the government to create an enabling environment to enable more women to seek industrial employment. Among the specific recommendations are that there is need to review and amend the existing laws and policies to allow women the right to participate equally in economic activities. Policies that are gender sensitive need to be formulated to ensure that women are not marginalized. Above all women should be sensitized to be more aggressive in pursuing employment and to learn how to balance their triple roles.