european journal of social sciences issn: 1450-2267 - EuroJournals

European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 5, Number 3 (2007)
Table 2: A table showing gender power relation among Nigerian women (NDHS 2003)
Gender Power Relation Percent (Frequency)
Portion of household expenditures respondents’ earnings pay
None, income is saved 10.88 (391)
Almost none 14.25 (512)
Less than half 33.36 (1,199)
About half 22.68 (815)
More than half 10.35 (372)
All 8.49 (305)
Total 100.00 (3,594)
Who had the final say on own health care
Respondent alone 16.31 (1,242)
Respondent and husband/partner 8.39 (639)
Respondent and other person 1.47 (112)
Husband/partner alone 48.63 (3,702)
Someone else 22.49 (1,712)
Decision not made/Not applicable 2.71 (206)
Total 100.00 (7,613)
Who had the final say on making large household purchases
Respondent alone 9.90 (754)
Respondent and husband/partner 9.90 (754)
Respondent and other person 1.88 (143)
Husband/partner alone 51.64 (3,932)
Someone else 21.58 (1,643)
Decision not made/Not applicable 5.10 (388)
Total 100.00 (7,614)
Who had the final say on making household purchases for daily needs
Respondent alone 19.08 (1,452)
Respondent and husband/partner 10.79 (821)
Respondent and other person 1.79 (136)
Husband/partner alone 42.59 (3,241)
Someone else 21.12 (1,607)
Decision not made/Not applicable 4.64 (353)
Total 100.00 (7,610)
Who had the final say on visits to family or relatives
Respondent alone 19.54 (1,487)
Respondent and husband/partner 15.61 (1,188)
Respondent and other person 1.93 (147)
Husband/partner alone 38.90 (2,960)
Someone else 20.23 (1,539)
Decision not made/Not applicable 3.78 (288)
Total 100.00 (7,609)
Who had the final say on food to be cooked each day
Respondent alone 30.73 (2,337)
Respondent and husband/partner 8.99 (684)
Respondent and other person 2.27 (173)
Husband/partner alone 32.45 (2,468)
Someone else 20.96 (1,594)
Decision not made/Not applicable 4.60 (350)
Total 100.00 (7,606)
The figures in parentheses are frequencies
Table 2 above reveals the pattern of gender power relation among men and women and it is
basically patriarchal in nature. The results show that for a third of the respondents, their earnings pay
less than half of the portion of household expenditures (33.36%) and less than one tenth pay all
portions of household expenditures. Husband/partner alone has the final say on the health of about half
of them (48.63%); on more than half of decisions regarding large household purchases (51.64%);
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