“When will I get my rest?” Neo-liberalism, women, class and ageing in Ibadan, Nigeria

abstract

In-depth interviews about gender and the urban political economy in Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria with a sample of 24 women aged 46 to 83 years revealed that there are class differences in ageing as it pertains to women's experiences of financial security and care work. Based on interview responses, this Briefing argues that neo-liberalism has exacerbated the class disparity in ageing among women in Ibadan. Neo-liberalism has heightened urban inequality through policies that have led to currency devaluation, state retrenchment of social services and employment insecurity. These policies have in turn intensified women's triple burden of reproduction, production and community management as women bear the responsibility of absorbing the shock of neo-liberal economic policies. Moreover, contrary to neo-liberal assumptions that older people are mainly dependants who rely on their families for financial assistance and care, poorer older women are also shock absorbers as far as economic activity and care work is concerned. This Briefing highlights that neo-liberalism in fact increases the burden on older people, especially women, and can have adverse effects on the ageing process in that it exacerbates deprivation and increases the social constraints faced by poor elder women and their burden of care.

Keywords:

• Neo-liberalism
• gender and ageing
• class
• financial security
• care work

Notes

1. This research was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa, Canada, to whom the author is grateful for support.

2. Emphasis mine.