Abstract

In the household and agricultural production, men and women are involved in different activities to ensure the availability of goods and services for family consumption and well-being. The main objective of this study is to address gender division of labour in Delanta district, South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia. It addressed the different assortment of activities that are carried out by women, and identified some drawbacks faced women. The study was conducted in six rural districts, and 300 households by taking 225 women and 75 men in their residents. The interviewees were selected using stratified random sampling technique picking up 50 households from each rural district. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The results showed that women have primary role in gender division of labour in the study area. Women predominantly performed storage preparation (84%) and post harvest processing (81%), milk processing (82%), barn cleaning (61%) and care of new born animals (52%), cooking (86%), fetching (78%) and collecting fuel-wood (62%). They are also performed equally with men weeding (53%), harvesting and collecting crops to threshing field (52%), threshing ground preparation (80%) and keeping crops from wild life (37%). Despite their crucial roles in agricultural sectors, women have been marginalized for so long. They have limited access and control of agricultural products, extension services and information. This is due to social, cultural and work discrimination. This discrimination, in turn, has caused some women to lose self-confidence in decision-making power. Thus, to strengthen and develop women with economic, social and political affairs, federal and regional governments, and other concerned bodies should take all appropriate measures to ensure women equality with men, without any discrimination. Women should also participate at all stages of project planning, implementation and assessment.

Key words: Agriculture, Delanta district, gender, labour, rural women, women.