THE POLITICAL-ECONOMY OF HOUSEHOLD ENVIRONMENTAL-MANAGEMENT - GENDER,ENVIRONMENT AND EPIDEMIOLOGY IN THE GREATER ACCRA METROPOLITAN-AREA

In many low-income cities, environmental problems in and around the ho me impose an enormous burden, particularly on women, children and the elderly. Practical strategies are needed to assist women in diminishin g or transcending the environmental hazards associated with their trad itional roles. This paper examines the gender dimension of local envir onmental management in Accra, relating this in turn to household wealt h and the environmental hazards children face. It provides a qualitati ve account of the gender division of labor in and around the home and a quantitative analysis of some of the environmental risks that women and children are exposed to, and their possible health effects. The re sults also help explain why women have reason to be skeptical of gover nment-led improvement efforts, particularly in those areas where they ought to benefit most from better conditions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.