Gendered Dimensions of Social Exclusion and Social Work Advocacy in South East Nigeria

Social exclusion operates along intersecting gendered lines in South East Nigeria, where customary practices, economic dependency, and limited policy enforcement converge to marginalise women from full social and economic participation. This study empirically examines the gendered dimensions of social exclusion and evaluates social work advocacy responses in Anambra and Enugu States. A cross-sectional explanatory design is employed, combining a structured survey of 250 women from low-income urban and semi-urban communities with qualitative interviews of 20 social workers and gender rights advocates. Quantitative data are analysed using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression; qualitative data via thematic analysis. The study finds that property inheritance denial, limited access to credit, exclusion from community decision-making, and gender-based violence are the primary mechanisms of female social exclusion in the study communities. Social work advocacy in these contexts is underdeveloped, with most practitioners engaging in individual case resolution rather than community-level or policy advocacy that could address systemic exclusion. Applying feminist social work theory, the study argues for an advocacy-centred model that builds women's collective agency alongside individual empowerment. Recommendations include integrating gender advocacy practice into social work curricula, partnering social welfare agencies with women's rights civil society organisations, and developing community legal empowerment programmes that social workers can facilitate. Keywords: gendered social exclusion, social work advocacy, South East Nigeria, feminist social work, women's rights