Gendered Vulnerabilities and Resilience: Evidence from Realities of Elderly People in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

This qualitative study explored gendered experiences of vulnerability and resilience among 30 older adults (60+) in Yaba, Lagos, using semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis grounded in intersectionality, feminist gerontology and social-ecological resilience. Four themes emerged: gendered economic precarity, care and kinship as protection and risk, barriers to healthcare and urban mobility, and relational and faith-based resilience. It recommends gender-responsive social protection, age-friendly healthcare, stronger safeguarding mechanisms and community-based interventions for dignified ageing.