Effects of women decision making power on rural children nutritional status in Ogun State of Nigeria

• Published in: Croatian review of economic, business and social statistics Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 123 - 135
• Main Authors: Obalola, Tohib Oyeyode, Afolayan, Samson Oluwaseyi, Akingba, Olajumoke, Aboaba, Kazeem Oriyomi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatian Statistical Association 01.01.2023
• Subjects: bargaining power; body mass index; nutritional status; women's decision making index
• ISSN: 2459-5616; 1849-8531; 2459-5616
• DOI: 10.62366/crebss.2023.2.004

Women's authority over specific family decisions tends to increase their financial security and power, which has an impact on their children's general health and well-being. A multistage sampling process was employed to choose 120 households. Primary data on the children's nutritional status, the household's socioeconomic characteristics, and women decision making were gathered using a well-structured questionnaire. The children's mean body mass index was 9.62 kg/m2, indicating underweight. It was also demonstrated that women had little influence over the quantity of farm produce consumed or sold, nor the number and spacing of their children. On the other hand, rural women make decisions about the daily diet of the home, the education of the children, the kind of medical assistance the child receives while ill, and the amount of parental guidance the youngster receives. However, the women decision making index (WDMI) which measures the negotiating power of women was 0.537. With the age of the mother, gender of child, women decision making index, farm size, farmers association, and farming experience influencing the children nutritional status. Therefore, as it tends to improve the nutritional outcomes for children, it is advised that women be given more control. Autoritet žene nad određenim obiteljskim odlukama povećava njihovu financijsku sigurnost i moć, što utječe na opće zdravlje i dobrobit njihove djece. U odabiru 120 kućanstava korišten je višefazni proces uzorkovanja. Primarni podaci o statusu uhranjenosti djece, socioekonomskim karakteristikama kućanstva i odlučivanju žena prikupljeni su pomoću dobro strukturiranog upitnika. Prosječni indeks tjelesne mase djece bio je 9,62 kg/m2, što ukazuje na pothranjenost. Također, pokazano je da su žene imale nizak utjecaj na količinu konzumiranih ili prodanih poljoprivrednih proizvoda, niti na broj djece. S druge strane, ruralne žene donose odluke o dnevnoj prehrani u kući, obrazovanju djece, vrsti medicinske pomoći koju će dijete dobiti dok je bolesno i o količini roditeljskog nadzora koje dijete dobiva. Međutim, indeks odlučivanja žena (WDMI) koji mjeri pregovaračku moć žena bio je 0,537. Uz dob majke, spol djeteta, indeks odlučivanja žena, veličinu farme, udrugu poljoprivrednika i iskustvo u poljoprivredi, utječu na prehrambeni status djece. Stoga, budući da se nastoji poboljšati prehrambeni status djece, savjetuje se da žene imaju veće kontrole.