Female Access to, and Control Over, Resources in Tanzania: The Case of Migrants Maasai Women in Dar es Salaam City and Bagamoyo District

Authors

Elizabeth Lulu Genda, nstitute of Development Studies Mzumbe University, TanzaniaFollow

Abstract

This paper examines female access to, and control over, resources in Tanzania. Specifically, the objectives were to identify resources owned by Maasai at family level; examine women access to, and control over, resources after migration; and assess women’s ability to sell resources in their families. The paper emanated from a mixed method of cross-sectional study conducted in Dar es Salaam city and Bagamoyo District to a sample of 230 obtained through systematic and purposive sampling, respectively. The sample was drawn from six (6) wards in Dar es Salaam and two (2) wards in Bagamoyo. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaire and key informants’ interview, respectively, whereas respondents were selected using the snowball technique. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The findings showed that the major resources owned by Maasai families are livestock and land. Ownership of livestock is private, while land is owned communally. Women are the managers over livestock, but have less or no control over them. Climate change impacts such as unreliable rainfall that result into prolonged drought, animal diseases and deaths, and other difficulties push Maasai men to migrate with animals to other rural areas, and women to nearby cities and towns. Findings show that income generated through migration has enabled Maasai women to have access to, and control over, resources; and increased their ability to have a say over family resources. Thus, local government authorities should ensure security in the informal sectors, particularly in the cities and urban centres, as they are central for women income-generation and ultimately, empowerment.

Recommended Citation

Genda, Elizabeth Lulu (2021) "Female Access to, and Control Over, Resources in Tanzania: The Case of Migrants Maasai Women in Dar es Salaam City and Bagamoyo District," Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences: Vol. 10 : No. 2 , Article 10.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10.i2.6