Functional Literacy and Household Decision-Making Among Women in Akwa Ibom State

This study examined the relationship between functional literacy and household decision-making participation among women in Akwa Ibom State, South South Nigeria. Women's agency within households is a critical dimension of gender equality, with functional literacy increasingly identified as a key enabler of informed and assertive household-level participation. The study employed a descriptive survey design involving 155 women drawn from functional literacy programme sites across three local government areas. Data collection instruments included structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Findings revealed that women who completed functional literacy programmes demonstrated significantly greater participation in household financial planning, children's schooling decisions, healthcare choices, and community governance matters. The acquisition of numeracy skills was particularly transformative, enabling women to track household expenditures, manage savings, and negotiate pricing in market transactions with greater confidence. Functionally literate women also reported higher levels of self-efficacy and reduced experiences of being dismissed or overruled in household discussions. However, long-standing patriarchal norms continued to constrain decision-making agency for some women even after literacy acquisition, indicating that functional literacy is a necessary but not standalone solution. Recommendations include designing functional literacy programmes with explicit focus on women's rights education, budgeting and financial planning skills, and communication assertiveness training. Community sensitisation targeting male household members on the collective benefits of women's enhanced decision-making agency is also strongly advocated. Keywords: functional literacy, household decision-making, women empowerment, Akwa Ibom, gender equality.