Gender Roles On Household Hygiene and Sanitation: Experience from Mtakuja Ward in Geita District, Tanzania
Abstract
ABSTRACT: One of the most observable divides between women and men in developing countries like Tanzania is in household sanitation and hygiene. The provision of hygiene and sanitation are often considered women’s tasks in Tanzania. This study examined the gender roles in household sanitation and hygiene. Simple random sampling was used in selecting representative household. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaire whereby household interviews, focus group discussion, key informants and direct field observation techniques were employed. Data was analysed by using SPSS software version 16. Results of this study showed that women and girls are responsible for water collections in the households by 79.8%. Also in household sanitation and hygiene women and girls play great roles while men boys are responsible for constructions and maintenance by 76.7%.Washing hands after visiting toilets was not practiced in household level, and before embarking on food preparation or taking meals. Most of the toilets used in the study area were traditional pit latrines and of poor quality that does not support dignity and privacy of human being. The study recommended that
health and hygiene education should be carried out on the need for the household to adopt the behavior of regular hand washing. Gender roles education should be carried out by responsible authority so as involve both sex in issues of household sanitation and hygiene.