ABSTRACT
Divorce is one of the serious problems of society, which retain the attention of world public opinion. divorce situations partners indicate psychological and psychosocial reasons such as mismatch of character, incompatibility of reporting to different values, unable to establish a common view in relation to a particular benchmark. This is the main problem the study wishes to address. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the Negative Impact of Divorce on Women and Children in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State using some selected women and children as a reference point. Primary and Secondary source of data was relied upon for the review, methodology and findings. The study makes of consensus sampling technique in coming up with a simple of 100 citizens. Based on primary and secondary sources of data, the finding reveals that divorces have negative impact on women and children in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The study recommends Community elders and religious leaders shall play a role in consulting couples. For increasing easiness of the mediation among elders and religious leaders short and long term training on marriage counseling need to be designed for these people. The study also contributes to knowledge to the understanding that divorces has negative impact on women and children in Nigeria.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE - - - - - - - - - i
APPROVAL PAGE - - - - - - - - ii
DECLARATION - - - - - - - - - iii
DEDICATION - - - - - - - - - iv
ACKNOLEDGEMENT - - - - - - - - v
TABLE OF CONTENTS - - - - - - - - vi
ABSTRACT - - - - - - - - - - x
CHAPTER ONE - - - - - - - - - 1
INTRODUCTION - - - - - - - - - 1
1.1 Background of the Study - - - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement of The Problem - - - - - - - 4
1.3 Aim and
Objectives of the Study - - - - - - 4
1.4
Research Questions - - - - - - - - 5
1.5 Significance of the Study - - - - - - - 5
1.6 Definitions of Terms - - - - - - - - 5
1.7
Scope and Limitations of the Study - - - - - - 6
CHAPTER TWO - - - - - - - - - 8
REVIEW OF RELATED
LITRATURE - - - - - - 8
2.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 8
2.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK - - - - - - 8
2.1.1 Concept of Divorce - - - - - - - - 8
2.1.2 Trends and Causes
of Divorce - - - - - - - 9
2.1.3 Consequences of
Divorce - - - - - - - 13
2.1.4 Economic Impact of
Divorce on Divorced Women - - - 16
2.1.5 Social Impact of
Divorce on Divorced women - - - - 20
2.2 THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK - - - - - - 23
2.2.1 The Impact of
Parental Divorce on Children - - - - - 23
CHAPTER THREE - - - - - - - - - 29
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY - - - - - - - 29
3.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 29
3.1 Research Design - - - - - - - - - 29
3.2 Population of the
Study - - - - - - - - 29
3.3 Sample Size and
Sampling Techniques - - - - - 30
3.4 Method of Data
Collection - - - - - - - 30
3.5 Method of Data Analysis - - - - - - - 30
3.6
Validity of the Test - - - - - - - - 31
3.7
Reliability of the Test - - - - - - - - 31
CHAPTER FOUR - - - - - - - - - 32
DATA ANALYSIS, RESULT AND
DISCUSSION - - - - 32
4.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 32
4.1 Data Presentation and
Analyses - - - - - - 32
4.1.1 Analysis of
Demographic Data - - - - - - 32
4.1.2 Presentation and
Analyses of Data According to Research Questions - 36
4.2 Summary of Findings - - - - - - - - 42
CHAPTER
FIVE - - - - - - - - - 45
SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS - - 45
5.0
Introduction - - - - - - - - - 45
5.1 Summary of the Study - - - - - - - - 45
5.2
Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 46
5.3 Contribution to
Knowledge - - - - - - - 46
5.4
Recommendations - - - - - - - - 46
REFERENCE - - - - - - - - - 48
APPENDIX I - - - - - - - - - - 51
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The history of human
being is being structured and shaped by the means of production used to sustain
life. The nature of means of production dictated the forms of social
organizations started from hunting gathering to the era of industrialization.
Of all systems and structures, family exists as the core element of all
societies past and present. Therefore, family is the basic structure that
serves the main function to meet the needs and necessities of its member and
society in general.
Family created based on
the societal demand, which differ according to the society needs. In general,
family has a reproduction, socializing and production function. These basic
functions strengthen or weaken due to the changes on means of production and
society organizations.
In many societies family,
which is the first social unit of organization, has given emphasis starting
from its formation. The road to enter family life is marriage. Depending on the
value and norms of the society there are different forms of arrangements to
start family life. Its continuation ensured by teaching children values and by
discouraging its dissolution according to societies beliefs and ideas. Marriage
is union of couples commit to one another with the expectation of stable and
lasting intimate relationship, and this is socially recognized and approved. A
marital relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or
specified by tradition, which defines the partners’ rights and obligations to
each other, their children, and relatives.
There are many different
practices in Ethiopia depending on customs and religions to be married and
start family life. In the Revised Family Code (RFC) of Ethiopia marriage can be
concluded before an officer of civil status, religious marriage, marriage
according to customs and marriage celebrated abroad (RFC, 2000). All forms of
marriage should fulfill the essential conditions stated on Article 6-16 of RFC,
which include the free and full consent of both couples, age above eighteen and
prohibition of consanguinity, affinity, bigamy and representation (RFC,
2000).
Family is core of
society’s structure undergoes many changes to meet its functions. Sometimes the
pressure creates stresses that lead to family breakdown. Depending on the
culture and tradition of society, family problems have been solved with
different means. Unfortunately, some of families could not escape the fate of
dissolution. Therefore, society has developed means of settling the dissolution
through cultural and legal means.
In modern societies, many
countries based on the nature of customs of the people encourage marriage and
protect its dissolution by law. Recently by considering the social, economic
and cultural change, taking place in the society and inline with the
constitution and international instruments the Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia (FDRE) had revised the old family law in 2000. The Revised Family Code
(RFC) at national level serves for all citizens equally has given equal weight
about the cause and effects of dissolution of marriage regardless of the form
of celebration of marriage.
Regardless of all efforts
made by the community and state to protect marriage and family from dissolution
divorce is unavoidable reality for many families. The agreement of spouses and
/or a petition for divorce is the outcome of malfunction of family for
personal, social and economic factors. According to Pankhurst (1992a) (as cited
in Tilson& Larsen, 2000), the most common reasons of divorce from women
perspective were ``barrenness, husbands beating, ill-treating them, wasting
money, adultery, exerting too much control over their activities, forcing
intercourse, homesickness, and a large difference in age``.
The direct implication of
divorce is the disruption of family function fulfilling the basic social and
psychological needs of its members. Therefore, to the continuation of family as
social unit and for the maintenance of healthy family relationship the problem
of divorce needs priority attention.
Divorce has
psychological, economic and social impacts on the divorcees (Walsh, 1999). The
negative impact of divorce is much higher on women in countries like Ethiopia
where they have had lower participation and status in education and employment.
Therefore, women affected severely economically, which make the post-divorce
adjustment difficult (Daniel, 1994).
Especially on children, it is stressful
experience for all where the form of reaction may vary depending on their age
of developmental level (Eleoff, 2003). According to Sisay 1997, children whose
parents divorced are being at greater risk for psychological and social
adjustment than from intact families (Sisay, 1997). This negative effect of
parental divorce on the psychological and social adjustment of adolescents has
much stronger effect when the child is younger when the parental divorce occurs
(Sisay, 1997). According to Walsh F. the negative impact of divorce, continue
to the adult hood where adults from divorced family found to have problem in
intimate relationship and work than those adults from non-divorced family
(Walsh, 1993).
This study will focus on
the causes of divorce and its impact on the lives of divorced women and their
children wellbeing. The study will include women who are divorced and settled
legally, culturally and or religiously.
1.2 Statement of The Problem
It
was obvious that there was an increase in divorce in Dutse local govt which led
to have mass widowers and neglect children within the community this was
evident by occurrence of many social vices like rampant sexual intercourse,
minor theft, rapes and many more within the locality
Except the 1994, PHC report there is
no statistical report that can shows the trend about the actual divorce rate at
regional or national level. But according to D. Tilson and U. Larsen in
Ethiopia ``forty-five per cent of all first marriage end in divorce or
separation within 30 years, 28% of first marriages within the first 5 years,
34% within 10 years and 40% within 20 years`` (D. Tilson& U. Larsen, 2000).
In addition, the same study stated that two –third of women divorced within the
first five years of marriage (p.355).
Divorce has negative impact on the
divorcees and their children socially, economically and psychologically. There
is no organization aimed at provision of services for individuals and couples
in the process of pre marriage, divorce and remarriage except few attempts by
religious institutions.
To investigate the nature of the
problem and extent of impact on the well-being of women and children the study
of the causes and consequences of divorce may help in the effort to reduce
divorce rate and its impact on individuals and society in general.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The general aim of the study is to
investigate the Negative Impact of Divorce on Women and Children in Dutse Local
Government Area of Jigawa State using some selected women and children as a
reference point. The specific objective includes:
i.
To
identify major causes of divorce.
ii.
To
examine the economic and social impact of divorce on divorced women.
iii.
To
examine the negative impact of divorce on children from divorced family of
their psychology, social relationship and their relation with their parents.
1.4
Research Questions
i.
What are the major causes of divorce?
ii.
What
are the economics and social impact of divorce on divorced women?
iii.
How
does divorce affect children of divorced family and their psychological, social
relationship with their parents.
1.5
Significance of the Study
The research will be
beneficial to all communities especially Dutse, Jigawa as it emphasized the
need and encourage of policy guidelines on divorce act in the state. It will
help communities’ leaders of various state to generate ideas and solution to problems
based on the best way to reduce the rate of divorce in the community. It will
also help researchers to know more about negative impact of divorcein Nigeria.
Finally, it will be of great value to students as a point of reference and will
equally form the basis for further research study.
1.6 Definitions of Terms
Divorce Women:
women who were legally or traditionally married at one time but legally or
traditionally divorced and during the time of study participated as divorced
women.
Intact Family:
A family comprises parents who are living in together as husband and wife
having children.
Social relationship measure: A perception of children above age of 10 on
selected aspects of their social relationships with their peers and in the
community in relation to their social competence, shyness, loneliness, and
social anxiety and distress.
Psychological measure:
Self report of feelings, perceptions, or experience of children above age of 10
that reflect feelings of sadness or hopelessness, stress, depression, and
satisfaction with personal life.
Child parent relationship: A
perception of children above age of 10 about nature of their relation with both
parents.
Family Arbitrators: Individuals who are nominated by couples
sometimes by the Court to involve in settlement of family dispute, child
custody and child support, spouse maintenance and property settlement.
Maintenance fee for Spouses:
The support, which is to spouse until the time of divorce pronouncement.
1.7
Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study covers the
negative impact of divorce on women and children in Dutse Local Government Area
of Jigawa state using some selected women and children as a reference point.
The basis for the case study is to show whether there has been any significant
contribution of poverty on prostitution among young girl in Dutse.
The main limitation of
this work is the time frame and other limitations are stated below:
1. Time Constraint: it should be noted the period given is not
adequate for a study of this magnitude and also a high demand nature of other
academic engagements would affect the quality of this research. For this
reason, the study has to be limited to some specific areas.
2. Availability of Relevant Materials: the problem of getting the
relevant textbooks, journals and other materials might pose as a threat to the
quality of this research.
3. Finance: the non-availability of finance for countless trips to
collect data and meet certain obligation as at when due may contribute to the
quality of this research work.
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