EFFECTS OF WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN SERVICES ON HOUSEHOLD POVERTY REDUCTION IN JOS METROPOLIS
Margaret Inori Otor , Walter Okwudili Ugwuoke and Obadiah Jonathan Gimba
Volume 14 Issue 2
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of women's participation in the service sector on household poverty reduction within the Jos Metropolis, Plateau State, Nigeria. Utilising a descriptive research design and a sample of 333 women (selected using the Taro Yamane formula), the researchers analysed primary data collected via structured questionnaires using a Generalised Linear Model (GLM). The findings reveal that income generation (IG) through services has a negative and statistically significant relationship with poverty; specifically, a unit change in income generation through service participation triggers a 49 per cent decrease in poverty. The analysis further indicates that Access to Credit (ACR), Market Access (MO), and Supportive Policies and Institutions (SPI) are significant factors that contribute to poverty reduction. Conversely, the study found that large family sizes (FMS) significantly increase poverty, while inadequate security and infrastructure (SIF) hinder effective participation. The study concludes that the service sector is a vital avenue for curbing household poverty, as it generates income that women use to settle essential family bills and improve living standards. It recommends that policymakers formulate and implement consistent supportive policies and institutions to dismantle socio-economic barriers, provide direct access to competitive markets, and empower women economically to build household resilience. Keywords: Women’s participation, Services, Income Generation, Poverty Reduction, Jos Metropolis
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