Original Research Articles

Gender relations in utilisation micro finance resources among women in Kiharu Constituency, Murang’a County, Kenya

*Pauline W. Kamau, Elishiba Kimani and Grace Wamue-Ngare

Department of Gender and Development Studies, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: wangarikamau@yahoo.co.uk

Accepted September 16, 2014

Abstract

This paper explores gender relations in utilisation of microfinance resources. Focusing on women in Kiharu Constituency, Murang’a County in Kenya, the paper argues that micro finance resources play an important role in economic development and reduction of poverty globally. They target the poor, a majority of who are women, through provision of credit services. In Kenya, microfinance institutions contribute 80% Gross Domestic Product (GOK, 2010). This shows the sector has an important role to play in economic growth of the country with the capacity to address financial needs of the poor population. However, in spite of the high contribution of the sector to country’s economy, there is still a problem with women utilizing these resources. The reasons for these are varied, among them gender relations between men and women, in a complex household situation in Kenya. These include women’s marital status, the level of formal education; Gender based violence, poverty levels and lack of decision-making power of women at household levels among women who have accessed resources. Again, societies in Kenya are patriarchal, and as such, men are considered as power ‘brokers’ in households. This means that gender relations at household level impinge on economic outcomes in multiple ways. Using case study, this paper set the overall objective as to explore gender relations in utilization of micro finance resources among women in Kiharu Constituency, Murang’a County, Kenya.

Keywords: Gender, microfinance resources, micro finance institutions, patriarchy second in command.