Asian Research Journal of Arts & Social Sciences

Women’s economic empowerment is influenced not only by access to economic resources but also by the cultural and social environment within which women live and participate in economic activities. This study assessed the influence of cultural and social factors on women’s economic empowerment in the formal and informal sectors in Garissa Township Sub-County, Garissa County, Kenya. The study was motivated by the persistence of socio-cultural constraints, including gender discrimination, household responsibilities and restrictive gender expectations, alongside enabling factors such as family support and social networks. A descriptive research design employing a mixed-methods approach was adopted. The target population comprised women aged 18 years and above engaged in formal and informal economic activities in Garissa Township Sub-County. Data were collected from 303 women respondents using structured questionnaires, complemented by qualitative information obtained through key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative information was analysed thematically. Descriptive findings revealed high levels of agreement regarding the influence of cultural and social factors on women’s economic empowerment. Gender discrimination recorded the highest mean score (M = 4.23, SD = 0.868), followed by family support (M = 4.20, SD = 0.833), household responsibilities (M = 4.19, SD = 0.770), social networks (M = 4.14, SD = 0.722), and cultural norms supporting women’s economic participation (M = 4.06, SD = 0.919). Pearson correlation analysis established a positive and statistically significant relationship between cultural and social factors and women’s economic empowerment (r = .359, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis further demonstrated that cultural and social factors had a positive and statistically significant effect on women’s economic empowerment (B = 0.255, β = 0.242, t = 4.237, p < .001), making them the strongest predictor among the determinants examined in the study. The findings indicate that women’s economic empowerment is shaped by the interaction of supportive and restrictive social conditions. Family support and social networks can facilitate economic participation, while gender discrimination and household responsibilities can constrain women’s economic agency. The study concludes that improving women’s access to economic opportunities should be accompanied by interventions that transform restrictive gender norms, reduce discrimination, strengthen supportive household relations and expand women’s social networks. Such interventions are essential for enhancing women’s capacity to control income, participate in economic decision-making and achieve greater economic independence in both formal and informal sectors.