Women's contributions versus Men's patriarchal status among Afar pastoralists in the Lower Awash Valley.

ABSTRACT

This study examined women's unrecognized roles in facilitating socio-economic interactions and clan networks in a patriarchal society. A qualitative research methodology was chosen. Situational observations, key interviews, and group discussions were applied as data-gathering tools. A thematic descriptive analysis method was used to examine the data that had been gathered. Accordingly, the study found that women are not participating in leading customary institutions and publicly due to the traditional patriarchal domination. However, the customary law shields women from various presumptions. It has been noted women's participation in maintaining social order, economic reciprocity, and resource sharing. Most importantly, women's continual control of household responsibilities and income-generating activities is essential to Afar society's survival. The study recommends that multifaceted interventions should be made to maintain women's role in supporting their traditional methods of engaging in maintaining clan networks. An intervention should mostly be better focused on women's activities as it will help to explore additional mechanisms that uplift either women by themselves or by the initial intervention system. Therefore, the study recommends incorporating pastoral women's roles into more extensive women's enclave empowerment policies and removing the existing sociocultural limitations to allow them to contribute more to pastoral livelihoods.