Feminization of Labour in the 21st Century Flower Industry in Africa

This book examines the feminization of labour in the flower industry in Naivasha, Kenya. Its objectives are: to evaluate the significance of the structural characteristics on the gender division of labour in the flower firms in Naivasha; to assess the impact of neo-liberal policies on the feminization of labour in the flower industry and to investigate the effect of women’s employment in the flower sector on the public and private space.The findings in this book are based on information gathered from a sample of eight flower firms and 230 employees who comprised 86 men and 144 women. The techniques employed to acquire the sample were simple and stratified random sampling for firms and employees respectively. Some of the findings indicate that the firms’ structural characteristics which proved significant in influencing the feminization of labour in the flower industry include: technology; skills; diversification and the firms’ rate of growth. The findings also show that sharing of household tasks, engagement of household helpers, emergence of day care centres and availability children’s health centres have enabled women to reconcile their productive and reproductive roles.