Although it is acknowledged in the Southern African literature that children living in conditions of poverty have always assumed more household responsibilities, the AIDS epidemic has exacerbated this and significantly changed the nature of childhood as an increasing number of children face life without parents. The study sought to gain insight into the experiential lives of six “child” heads of households and their siblings and to explore, in particular, how they construct their sense of self and family. For the purposes of the study a child-headed household was deemed a household in which a child of 18 or under or still in school was the household head in the absence of any other dependable, permanent adult figure. The study used a narrative approach and thematic analysis and the results emerging from the children's accounts of themselves were focused around the core themes of adult responsibility in the absence of adult status and relationships with adults in the extended family and wider community. The idea of children or adolescents competently running households, taking responsibility for themselves and their futures and adopting a more democratic and shared means of decision making, further challenges conventional conceptions of the „borders‟ between childhood and adulthood and family structure that have been contested and shifting through history. However, being on the front line of social change comes at a cost. Challenging society's popular understanding of children as passive, dependent and innocent positions these young people outside of the norm and what they report is that they feel alone, unheard and victimised. The findings are discussed within the context of Burman's critique of psychology's traditional theoretical notions of universal and innately driven development and a re-conceptualisation of children‟s experiences in terms of the context in which they live, and Crossley's perspective on narrative which emphasises agency grounded within cultural forms of sense-making. A new way of discussing these unconventionally structured families is also presented through the reconfiguration of relationships between family members, recognising connections that span generations and across different household spaces. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Housing typologies based on the traditional family no longer satisfy the needs of the majority of households. Woman-led families are impeded in their search for appropriate housing by their low wages and family responsibilities, compounded by the blindness of housing-policy makers to their existence. Historical models of collective dwellings are steeped in the ideology of the period and yield few direct practical solutions to the current dilemma. The richness of this housing, however, which evolved during a time of dramatic social change underscores the blandness of current housing solutions. Feminists insist that housing and urban design solutions should challenge the gender defined roles of "homemaker" and "childcare giver" and the restricted mobility of women in cities and suburbs. The endorsement of new housing typologies must be translated into their realisation and subsequent analysis.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 175 p.; also includes graphics. Includes bibliographical references (p. 165-175). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Magister Artium - MA / This thesis explored the resources available for care-giving in chronically poor female-headed households. It investigated the relationship between resources as enabling in the practice of care and the choices that women can consequently make in light of the multiple roles that they play as workers, as mothers and as significant people in female-headed households. / South Africa

This research study explored livelihood strategies that female headed households adopt in Magaso village of Mutoko district in Zimbabwe. The study intended to achieve the following objectives: (i) examine the existing livelihood strategies of female headed households (ii) explore the various challenges faced by female headed households and (iii) establish the support mechanisms in place for female headed households to cope with life challenges .The literature reviewed in the study was drawn from several researchers, and the study was shaped by the strengths perspectives and the liberal feminism perspective. The study was qualitative in nature and used interviews to collect data from fifteen (15) female headed households. The data collection process used an interview guide. The research employed a qualitative research design in the form of a case study cum a phenomenological study design. Data was analysed qualitatively using the content thematic data analysis which used interpretive approaches and presentation is textual rather than statistical. The study findings were the following: engaging in subsistence farming was found to be the main livelihood activity of the female heads; engaging in home gardens; exchanging labour for food; involvement in business; reliance on temporary employment from different agencies; reliance on handouts from government and other bodies; and household heads sanctioning child labour that compromises school attendance. Moreover, these female heads faced numerous difficulties ranging from emotional, social to financial problems that resulted in worsening the condition of women, and hence validating feminization of poverty among them. Several support mechanisms were discovered to be available for the female heads but they fail to produce to fruitful results to the lives of the female heads. The study made the following recommendations: mainstreaming gender education from childhood stage; efforts aimed at job creation; financial empowerment through setting up of micro schemes for rural women amongst; seeking the services of agricultural extension services to the female head farmers; improving the social services delivery in Zimbabwe equitably across genders and strengthening informal strategies to improve women‘s social capital. Lastly, the study concluded that little is being done in terms of policy formulation to make the support structures responsive to the female headed households especially in rural areas, hence the need for sustainable development through empowerment.

No description available.

The purpose of the study was to determine selected economic behaviors of female heads of households. The objectives were to determine (1) selected economic behaviors of single female heads of households, (2) selected economic behaviors of divorced female heads of households, (3) selected economic behaviors of separated female heads of households, (4) selected economic behaviors of widowed female heads of households, and (5) to compare selected economic behaviors of female heads of households by marital status. The sample was obtained from the 1984 data collection of the 1968-1984 Panel Study of Income Dynamics by the Institute of Social Research at The University of Michigan. Those studied were all in households with a female head, children under age 18, no other adults living In the household and had been In this status one year or more. The sample consisted of 50.5% divorced heads of households, 35.3% single heads of households, 10.7% separated heads of households, and 3.6% widowed heads of households. Because of their low representation, widowed female heads of households were excluded from data analysis. Economic behavior was further defined as financial and non-financial behavior. Financial behavior would Include savings, assets, spending and debt decisions. Non Financial behavior would include occupation, work and labor force attachment decisions. Economic behaviors were determined for each female head of household and comparisons were made among female headed households. The statistical analysis used were chi square and analysis of variance. Chi square was used on nominal data and analysis of variance was used on interval data to ascertain If a difference existed between female heads of households. The findings Indicate that female heads of households have different economic behaviors. Divorced heads of households had more savings, assets, debts, expenditures, and hours worked, than single and separated female heads of families. Separated heads of households had less savings, assets, debts, expenditures, and worked less hours compared to divorced and single female heads of households. In 1984, female heads of households represented 48% of alI familIes in poverty. Female headed families, a diverse group, do not perceive their income in the same way. The findings indicate that female heads of households engage in different financial practices regardless of their income level. / M.S.

This thesis explored the resources available for care-giving in chronically poor female-headed households. It investigated the relationship between resources as enabling in the practice of care and the choices that women can consequently make in light of the multiple roles that they play as workers, as mothers and as significant people in female-headed households.

This thesis explored the resources available for care-giving in chronically poor female-headed households. It investigated the relationship between resources as enabling in the practice of care and the choices that women can consequently make in light of the multiple roles that they play as workers, as mothers and as significant people in female-headed households.

MGS / Institute of Gender and Youth Studies / In most developing countries, poverty is concentrated in female headed households especially in rural areas. Notably, these rural areas are fast becoming female spaces, as most men migrate to urban areas and neighbouring countries. The critical role of rural women in eradicating poverty through agricultural labour force, subsistence farming and rural development in sub-Saharan Africa, has been recognised by scholars yet they are the poorest and their contribution has not been fully acknowledged by the community or governments. To understand this phenomenon this study investigated the socio-economic challenges faced by female headed households, causes of high vulnerability and their coping strategies in Manama village, Matabeleland South province, Zimbabwe. This study was informed by feminist theoretical approaches of conducting research as it employed several qualitative research methods, namely key participant individual in-depth interviews; Focus group discussions; field participatory observation and documentary reviews to collect data. The findings of the study were that, due to the country’s economic situation, constrained mobility and lack of collateral security to secure credit, women have a double burden of responsibility with numerous challenges such as unequal wages in hired labourer work, inadequate food for the family, financial burdens. However they have their own coping strategies such as voluntary community networks. This study concludes by making recommendations, for gender mainstreaming in policy, agricultural extension services for Female headed households, creation of markets, counselling and psychosocial support. This research contends that although these women find themselves in a patriarchal frame they have decided to outgrow it and be autonomous as they fight the socio-economic challenges they face. They have numerous socio-economic challenges but the participants themselves are self-asserted. They are not stopped by patriarchy and are exemplary as they work hard and venture outside the domestic space to engage in honest work to take care of their households. / NRF