Women Gender-Specific Roles and Institutional Bottlenecks in Livelihood Activities in Rural Akwa Ibom State

This study examined women gender-specific roles and institutional bottlenecks in livelihood activities in rural Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by the persistent socio-cultural and institutional barriers that limit women's access to productive resources despite their significant contributions to rural livelihoods. A mixed-methods convergent parallel research design was adopted, while primary data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 377 respondents selected across the nine Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District. Descriptive statistics, the Relative Importance Index (RII), and Multiple Linear Regression were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that women play indispensable roles in childcare and domestic work, agricultural production, food processing, livestock rearing, and trading, making substantial contributions to household welfare and rural economic development. However, their participation is constrained by institutional bottlenecks, including insecure land tenure, limited access to credit, poor rural infrastructure, weak participation in community leadership, inadequate extension services, and male-dominated financial decision-making. The Relative Importance Index ranked heavy domestic workload, restricted access to land, limited financial autonomy, and poor infrastructure as the most significant constraints affecting women's livelihood activities. The study further established that these institutional barriers negatively influence women's productivity, income generation, livelihood diversification, and overall household welfare. The study concludes that sustainable rural development in Akwa Ibom State depends on addressing the institutional and socio-cultural barriers that hinder women's economic participation. It recommends strengthening gender-responsive land administration, expanding financial inclusion programmes, improving rural infrastructure, promoting labour-saving technologies, enhancing women's participation in governance and decision-making, and providing gender-inclusive agricultural extension and entrepreneurial training. These interventions will improve women's livelihood opportunities, reduce rural poverty, and promote inclusive and sustainable development in rural Akwa Ibom State.