Development Studies
Intersectionality and an Intra-household Analysis of the Freedom to make Decisions on the Use of Household Products: Evidence from Rural Tanzania
This study uses intra-household and intersectionality theories to analyze the relative benefit that household member’s gain from the use of goods produced by households living along the Simiyu River in Tanzania’s Meatu District. The ability to benefit from the use of goods produced by a household is defined as the freedom that a person has concerning decision-making about the goods that are produced within the household. Data were collected from different household members, including household heads, spouses and children who were 18 years and older and who were involved in the production of goods. The study findings highlight that the ability to benefit from the use of goods produced by a household differs between men and women, the old and young, and between members who have a different relationship to the household head, which suggests that differences in social identities associated with age, gender and marital status are important. Furthermore, some people are positioned at the intersection of different social identities, associated with age, gender and marital status, and thus they experience multiple effects. For example, due to their gender, marital status and age, older unmarried women are less likely to benefit from the use of goods produced by a household. The study concludes that the impact of social identities is not homogeneous across all household members.
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