Social Determinants of Human Rights Awareness Among Barmaids in Mathare Sub County, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The study explores the societal factors contributing to the vulnerability and lack of legal protection of barmaids in the informal labor sector in Mathare sub-county, Nairobi, Kenya. The study aims to identify barriers to human rights awareness and develop strategies to bridge the gap between marginalization and empowerment among vulnerable individuals, like barmaids. The study employed a descriptive survey research design to establish human rights awareness and knowledge of the violations among barmaids in Mathare Sub-County. The study’s target population was 238 barmaids in 119 licensed bars in Mathare sub-county. A sample size of 108 barmaids from 59 bars/clubs in the Mathare Sub-County was used in the study. The study’s instruments were questionnaires and focus group discussions. The study applied SPSS version 25 in data analysis. The study found that awareness of human rights remains consistent regardless of education level, with social factors like social class and positive attitudes being highly rated as facilitating knowledge by 66% and 76% of respondents, respectively. The study found that 73% of respondents believe social lifestyle, family size, and income levels influence human rights awareness, while 77% of barmaids believe education level also influences awareness. However, a chi-square test showed no significant relationship. The study found that 91% of barmaids believe social factors enhance their understanding of human rights, while 9% believe societal issues do not hinder their knowledge. The study revealed no significant correlation between awareness level and factors such as age, education level, and service length, as denoted by (chi-square(4, N = 81) = 1.28, p = .86; chi-square(5, N = 81) = 1.69, p = .89; chi-square(3, N = 81) = 2.9, p = .41). The study was limited to barmaids in Mathare Sub-County, Nairobi. It was limited to its structured survey method and cross-sectional research design. This may have overlooked qualitative insights and limited the ability to examine human rights awareness changes over time. The study recommends targeted and sustained human rights awareness campaigns tailored to vulnerable groups such as barmaids in informal urban settlements. It further advocates for the integration of human rights education across all levels of Kenya’s education system, emphasizing curriculum reforms that promote legal empowerment and civic responsibility. The study underscores the importance of leveraging digital platforms and social media to enhance outreach and engagement. Methodologically, it calls for future research to adopt longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches that capture the evolving and complex nature of human rights awareness. Finally, the study highlights the need to address broader social determinants through multisectoral collaboration across education, health, labor, and civil society sectors.