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ABSTRACT
Gender inequality is the unequal treatment of people on the basis of their gender. The concept of gender equality suggests that women and men have different needs and power and therefore should be addressed in a manner that these differences in both sexes can be addressed. Despite being on the development agenda for many years, gender equality is nevertheless a persistent and difficult aim that calls for creative and contextualized solutions. In the Nigerian context, gender inequality still persists despite dominant literature that shows that women are active participants in the economic and agricultural development. The major aim of this research is to ascertain the effects of Gender Inequality on Economic Development in Edo State using Ovia North East LGA as a case study. The study sought to achieve the following objectives: examine the nature and dimension of gender inequality in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, understand how gender inequality has impacted the income level of women in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, investigate how gender inequality has impacted rural development in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, and proffer solutions to gender inequality so as to improve the economy of Ovia North East Local Government Area and Edo State. Theoretically, the study deployed liberal feminist theory that postulates that the decrease of women's and girls' access to civil rights and certain social resources like education and employment is the root cause of gender disparity. Methodologically, the study adopted a survey design that utilized questionnaire to elicit data from adult female participants. With simple random technique, the study selected 100 respondents made up of adult women from the chosen LGA. The study utilized simple percentages and charts to analyze the generated data from the participants. The study found that gender inequality manifested in varied forms in Ovia North East LGA such as women were not allowed town lands for agricultural or developmental purposes, denied access to loans to improve their farming system, denied empowerment by the government, denied employment opportunities in the civil service and often asked by their husbands to stay at home and cook even when the women wanted to work for pay. It also found that gender inequality has never allowed the income level of women to improve just as the inequality has diminished the size of their farm produce that would have accrued more income to them just as gender inequality has impacted economic development of Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State in the following ways: insufficient food in the market, raging poverty level, rising unemployment and dearth of infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, maternities and bore holes. The study therefore recommends that there is need for the government to take cognizance of the plight of women as regards inequality by prioritizing women welfare in all areas of development initiatives, here is need for purposeful sensitization of the public on the dangers of discrimination based on gender, and certain loan initiative for rural women should be established by the government that will give out loans to women for the sole purpose of improving their agricultural practices including buying and selling.
