Dynamics of livelihood as affected by Gender Roles in Post Conflict dry areas of Southern Kordofan state; Al - Goz Locality– Sudan

Abstract

Poverty is a global problem that needs to be addressed in order to help women as well as men to get their basic needs and have better standard of living. There is some need; therefore, the national policies that support vulnerable community members and improve their livelihoods to be strengthened. The aims of this study are to outline, discuss and examine the impact of drought and conflicts, and adaptive strategies. Farmer and non-farmer communities, rich or poor, males and females all tested to examine the impact of drought and conflicts on many coping mechanisms employed in Al Goz Locality of South Kordofan State. This research addressed the structural problem of the inequalities between men and women boys and girls, power relations and access to opportunities and resources, which contributed to the prevalence and incidence of poverty. Also it addressed the dominance of the patriarchal ideology, which pervades the national advancement policy that marginalises women and girls and ascribed them a subordinate gender role. The objectives and hypotheses of this study were discussed in a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodology. Data were collected through: qualitative and quantitative means, i.e. qualitative data were collected through interviews, focal group discussion, and critical observations of respondents, and quantitative data were from the questionnaire and the secondary data were from documents, articles, reports and/or questionnaires. A thematic analysis is used in qualitative data, and Excel and SPSS for quantitative data. The study found that the main sources of income, i.e. the livelihood mechanisms of all respondents who represented key figure from the community of the locality were trading, farming, rearing of livestock, official work and casual labour. 84% of the respondents were farmers cultivating cereals, cash crops and a combination of cereals and cash crops. Crises; drought and conflicts have seriously affected assets and liabilities; financial, physical, human, social, and natural assent, processes, Institutions and Policies, and strategies that governed the livelihoods of Al Goz residents. The crises also changed the perceptions of both males and females on livelihood activities employed by either sex. The study revealed that there was very little extension work that focused on giving simple extension packages at the skirt of town of Dubeibat the capital of Al Goz locality. The study recommended that: - Internally displaced people (IDPs), ex-combatants, and crises affected people to be supported by construction materials, livelihood activity inputs, income generating activities (IGAs), and educational programmes at household (HH) and community level. - Government institutions need to review social and cultural acts/practices; women rights and legislations (land ownership), and maximize support for natural resources management to accommodate gender equitable programmes. - United Nation (UN) agencies and International/National Non-Governmental Organizations (I/NGOs) should provide support and mainstream gender in all livelihood activities/programmes, empower community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and maintain proper networking and funding to charitable and developmental entities to help improve the standard of living residents of Al Goz and South Kordofan State.