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Women are expected to do the majority of the work, especially in rural areas. It is a very patriarchal society, and women still have very traditional, subservient roles, especially in the village. They do most of the work – farming, cooking, cleaning, chopping, caring for children, etc. They are the caretakers of the household.
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In the village, in general, women wear dresses or skirts – no jeans or trousers (though this is changing). They do not drink or smoke, unless they are prostitutes or women of low repute.
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In
Nairobi , gender roles and values are very much in line with Western cultures, and trousers, drinking and smoking are common among females.
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In more old fashioned areas, women generally do not give instructions to men. Older men may view this as unacceptable, making it difficult for a working woman (Kenyan or Western) to communicate with older male co workers. Often men will indicate that they are happy to comply with a woman’s requests, but then privately resolve not to carry them out. Things are changing as society modernizes.
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