CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF DIVORCE ON DIVORCED WOMEN: THE CASE OF SHENKOR WOREDA, HARAR TOWN. ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to investigate the causes and consequences of divorce on divorced women at Shenkor woreda, Harar town. The researcher used qualitative research approach by applying the phenomenology design and used purposive sampling method for the selection of study participants by using inclusion criteria such as being divorced women, who had living with children and being separated for one year and above. Data has been gathered through face-to-face in-depth interview from nine divorced women and analyzed by thematic analysis. The study identified the lack of communication, extra marital affairs, abusive relationship and financial disagreement as a main cause of divorce in the study area. Divorce is not only the loss of marital relationship and social isolation rather it has brought serious problems on divorced women’s life in terms of social and economic aspects. The most serious economic consequences of divorce on divorced women are feminization of poverty. Divorce exaggerates the already inequality between the obligation of a husband and wife. Upon divorce, women usually get physical custody of the children which cut short to their own job and financial autonomy and financial limitation that resulted from income decline. Because of divorce, divorced women share the consequences of social discrimination from their family, friends and other social life. In general, the study indicates that divorce has multi-facet causes that result to social and economic consequences which enforce divorced women to lead difficult life. Thus, Responsible bodies from government organization like the women, children and youth affairs office, women association, health office, disaster risk management office, micro and small enterprise and NGO need to reduce the negative consequences of divorce on divorced women in various mechanisms: (1) creating employment opportunity, (2) offering saving and credit services, (3) providing social security support like safety net program, (4) providing support for highly vulnerable children, and (5)giving training on how to generate income after divorce. The study underlined the need for effective campaigning to change the gender norm, gender-based division of labor, the gender inequality attitudes and the subordination position of women in the society.