Understanding diversity in gender norms within farming communities: A Q-methodology approach applied in Uganda

ABSTRACT

Women’s and men’s opportunities are influenced by gender norms which shape their respective behaviours, roles and decision-making power. Gender norms thus influence farming outcomes and the ability of women and men to secure their livelihood objectives. We study gender norms and normative change in a smallholder farming community in Uganda. We argue that gender norms operate in sets and that multiple sets of gender norms may co-exist in the same location. To empirically demonstrate this, we employ mixed methods centred around the use of Q-methodology and further consisting of a survey, focus group discussions and individual interviews. In our study, 80 participants (50% men) ranked 40 statements pertaining to gender norms. Factor analysis yielded three different groups each representing a distinct “set” of gender norms representing varying appreciations for women’s agency amongst other things. Survey data analysis found that participants’ “gender” and “wealth status” were associated with these sets. We explored gender normative change through our qualitative tools and build an analytical framework in which we plot the three groups to help visualize and comprehend gender normative change processes. We conclude that the three groups can be understood as being part of messy normative change processes. Dynamic interplay between these groups is likely to act as a mechanism for change. Our findings and unique methodological approach provide useful entry-points for identifying sets of gender norms in particular locations. This opens the door to delivering gender transformative research, interventions and policies tailored to the diverse needs of women and men.

KEYWORD:

• Gender norms
• normative change
• gender transformative approaches
• Q-methodology
• Uganda

Acknowledgments

We thank the members of our field data collection team Charity Kiboga and Ezra Twinomujuni and all the farmers who participated in this study. We are also grateful to Harmen den Braber for his support in sampling.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Support for this study was provided through the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) and the CGIAR Initiative for Low-Emission Food Systems. We would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.