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Abstract

This study uses intra-household and intersectionality theories to analyze the relative benefit that household member’s gain from the use of goods produced by households living along the Simiyu River in Tanzania’s Meatu District. The ability to benefit from the use of goods produced by a household is defined as the freedom that a person has concerning decision-making about the goods that are produced within the household. Data were collected from different household members, including household heads, spouses and children who were 18 years and older and who were involved in the production of goods. The study findings highlight that the ability to benefit from the use of goods produced by a household differs between men and women, the old and young, and between members who have a different relationship to the household head, which suggests that differences in social identities associated with age, gender and marital status are important. Furthermore, some people are positioned at the intersection of different social identities, associated with age, gender and marital status, and thus they experience multiple effects. For example, due to their gender, marital status and age, older unmarried women are less likely to benefit from the use of goods produced by a household. The study concludes that the impact of social identities is not homogeneous across all household members.

Author Biography

Christina Mwivei Shitima is currently a PhD student at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp in Belgium. She also works as a tutor in the Department of Economics of Mzumbe University, Tanzania. Her research interests are on the areas of livelihoods activities, access to natural resources, intra-households analysis and intersectionality. The author belongs to the Sukuma ethnic community, which is similar to the ethnic background of the people of the study areas.

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