WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT
Women empowerment is all encompassing, so this work will want to narrow it to the subject of women development and the impact of skill acquisition and economic empowerment. This topic has generated so much controversy in Nigeria, and the debate centers on appropriate type of development and whether the would help stimulate women toward their development. There is much ambivalence within every society as to the proper place of women in all the vital spheres of life. However, there seems to be a consensus that the future of women development is greatly enhanced with these two variables mentioned above. This study therefore examines the role of skill acquisition and economic empowerment on women development and how women have contributed in the development of their community. This will be done by defining each of the concepts involved, showing their specific relation and reaching a conclusion on the topic.

                                        CHAPTER ONE

                                       INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The discriminatory practice in education which favored the male over the female was very unprogressive yet the government could not do anything to either stop or reverse it (Kema, 2003). The colonial government laid a very bad foundation for education generally and women’s education in particular. It is on record that in Nigeria, the colonial government initially did not show any interest in educational development at all. The early efforts were made by the Christian missionaries who came to evangelize to the people. In 1986, the federal ministry of education in Nigeria created a special unit, women’s education unit. This showed that the government was beginning to respond to the urgent need for the development of women. This special right accorded to women in education suggests that apart from women benefitting from general education, there will be a measure of encouragement to them towards specialization in sciences, engineering, and technology. Another area were the federal government of Nigeria intensified effort to develop women’s education was in the establishment of mass literacy commission. The effort of government has been complimented by the non-governmental.

From onset women were made to be vital instrument of social development in almost all capacities of human engagement. The biblical injunction that women shall be man’s helper has lured various service and capacities for instance they have labored in the house as the mother and housewives. They have a time extending their roles a cross the frontiers of a house-wife. At sometimes many women from age to age have proved to be invaluable silent counselors by their husbands. By thus is meat that some of the policy decision of their people are the brain child of their wives who inform their husbands of the decision that sometimes convey public impacts. That is not all. Women are also found to be involved in some trivial but equally essential services to their families and the general society. These include harvesting and processing farm products for household’s consumption or assisting their male counterparts in farming. In fact, the term “assisting” might be misapplied have, because in the practical aspect, the African women engages in more tedious labor in the farm than we husband, most work done by men are easer going and work at shorter duration compared to the women tasks. For instance, men’s work are usually confined to cleaning an area for cultivation and even her sometime with women’s assistance and then cultivation. The rest of the work which is more laborious is entirely shifted to the women. These include planting of the crop weeding and he general technical supervision of the farm. In spite of these contribution, instead the form of trend that women have been suppressed to exploitation, subjected to psychological and in some instance physical assaui. (C.F. Iyayi,199:8) Today, however the situation has assumed a different dimension as women are enjoying more freedom in our economic and technological complexities. It dawned on women that their intention is no longer suspected to menial Jobs but that also have a crucial role to play in positive development in Nigeria. Among the antecedents of these changes as they occurred in a historical sequence are as follows. In 1946, the united organization created the commission on the status of women in recognition of the disadvantage status of women. The charter include the promotion of equality of opportunities regardless of race sex etc. in 1907, the general discrimination of education and in 1967, the united Nation general Assembly adopted a declaration on the elimination against women as an elaboration of the universal declaration of  human right. In 1972, the U. N general Assembly declared 1975 an internal women’s year. This led to the first world conference held in Copenhagen in 1975 where action was to be intensified to promote equally between men and women and to ensure the full integration of women in total development and effort and also increase their contribution to the strengthening of place. Another conference on international year for women obtaining a ten year plan of action on “equality development and was held in Mexico. In 1979, the U.N. took a resolution against any form of discrimination against women in Nigeria, the idea belong women originated from the interest that evolved during the founding members believed that the liberation of women cannot be fully achieved outside the context of liberating the oppressed and the poor majority in the country. In 1685, the world conference on women was held in Nairobi Kenya, at a very ethical period when Nigeria was undergoing econ depression. Based on the 1985 forward-looking strategies for women, the federal government of Nigeria organization awareness campaigns, workshops, seminars and rallies to mobilize women and teenage girls.

Thus resulted in creating activities for both urban and rural women.

In 1989, United Nations educational scientific and cultural organization (UNESCO) stated that “human kind in entering the 21^st century with a list of unresolved global issues on its agenda. women comprising half of the world’s population cannot be divorced from active participation in solving those global problem. This implies that women are entitled to equitable involvement in decision making in solving our problem. Between August 27 and September 3, 1995, the forth U.N. conference on women was held in Belgium, China, it was the fourth and the largest world conference on women in the context of equality and sustainable development. All these development illustrated human effort at redefining women status in the human folk. They bring with them corresponding challenges and responding challenges and responsibilities.

More so, it is intentionally accepted that the family is the bedrock of every society.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The semi-rural extension and development projects created by the successive Nigerian military and the civilian government’s programmes were to increase women’s knowledge, skills and participation in the area of agriculture, home economics, education and policies. All these programmes were aimed at breaking down social barriers that have prevented women from taking active part in community affairs and overall development. Such programmes, include Better Life for Rural Women, Family Support Programme, amongst others. Although, these programmes have impacted positively in integrating women into development activities, the involvement of women in these development activities was limited to the urban areas at the expense of the rural areas. Even when women are at work and become partners in the development effort, there is no equality of treatment in certain vital areas and women suffer the negative effects. Integration of women into rural development as participants is, therefore still fraught with problems and poses a tremendous challenge to Nigerian rural women. This study investigates if educational disparity is still a barrier to women’s participation in community development in the rural areas. The study has attempted to investigate whether educational factor acts as a barrier to women’s participation in community development programmes in Nigeria, and to make appropriate recommendations on how the participation of women in community development programmes could be enhanced.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is to assess the impact of empowerment on women’s participation in development processes in Nigeria. The specific objectives are:

1. To ascertain the ways in which women have been empowered politically in Nigeria.
2. To ascertain the ways in which women have been empowered economically

• To identify the empowerment initiatives available to women in Nigeria.

1. To identify the factors which may militate against full empowerment and participation of Nigerian women in development processes.
2. To determine the relationship between Nigerian women’s educational qualification and their participation in development processes.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions are to guide this study:

1. In what ways have Nigerian women been empowered economically?
2. In what ways have Nigerian women been empowered politically?
3. In what ways have Nigerian women been empowered educationally?
4. What are the empowerment initiatives available for women in Nigeria?
5. In what areas have Nigerian women participated most in the economic, political and educational development processes?
6. What are the factors that may militate against Nigerian women’s full empowerment and participation in development processes?
7. Does the income level of Nigerian women influence their participation in development processes? 9. Does the employment status of Nigeria women influence their participation in development processes?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study on women empowerment is meant to have both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically, this study will add to the body of knowledge on the levels of women’s empowerment at the local and community levels. It will throw more light on the existing literature with regard to the role of empowerment on women’s participation in developmental processes and the factors that limit women’s empowerment and participation in development processes. It will be of great help to students and researchers who may want to investigate issues relating to women. Practically, this work will produce data, which will enhance the understanding of major factors that hinder women empowerment and participation in developmental processes and the best strategies for eliminating the constraints. Based on this, governmental and non-governmental organizations would be able to mount effective policies and empowerment programmes that would be beneficial to women and the world in general. This work will also serve as a working document to women community-based organizations and other established women organizations that are interested in improving the status of women.

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study seems broad as it centers on women empower in Nigeria, the researcher outline factors that restrained women involvement in national development. In the cause of the study, the researcher encounters some limitations which limited the scope of the study;

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

Inadequate Materials: Scarcity of material is also another hindrance. The researcher finds it difficult to long hands in several required material which could contribute immensely to the success of this research work.

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Development processes: Development processes for this study include all the activities involved in the political, economic and educational activities which can lead to the upliftment and enhancement of women’s status and the society at large. These activities include voting and contesting for elections, belonging to political parties and involvement in other political activities, involvement in both formal and informal educational training, and involvement in money-yielding, production activities and other related activities.

Economic development process: This includes entrepreneurship activities, cooperative related activities, production activities and all other processes relating to money-yielding activities that lead to improvement of the well-being of women and the society.

Economic empowerment: This entails women’s access to and control over the means of making a living on sustainable and long term basis and receiving the material benefits of this access and control which leads to economic independence. It includes access to land, agricultural facilities, micro credit, cash crops, and skill and technical training. Educational development process: This involves all formal and informal training activities, including teaching, creating awareness on the need for education, and skill acquisition that results in the enhancement of women’s status.

Educational empowerment: Educational empowerment entails women’s opportunity to acquire literacy skills, ideas and knowledge which will help in liberating their minds and improving their socio-economic and political statuses. This is achieved through access to media, adult literacy programmes, workshops and awareness campaigns.

Employment status: Employment status is the type of endeavors or occupation that women engage in for their livelihood. This is categorized into self-employed, civil servants, women employed in private firms and unemployed women.

Empowerment: This is a process whereby women are provided with both material and nonmaterial assets to enable them to engage in activities that aim at reducing their powerlessness which was created by their membership of a marginalized group. These activities include income generating activities, educational activities, and political activities.

Empowerment Initiatives: Empowerment initiatives are programmes which are established by individuals, government and non-governmental organizations in communities to help in improving the status of women and the society. These programmes range from micro credit programmes, activities initiated by women organizations, literacy programmes, women skill training, and other related programmes. Gender: Gender is defined as the social, economic, political and cultural attributes, perceptions, and opportunities which a society associates with being male or female.

Gender awareness: Recognition that women and men have differences in needs and roles in society. Gender awareness enables one to identify problems arising from gender inequality and discrimination that must be addressed.

Gender discrimination: Following Aidoo, et al (2002), gender discrimination in this research means a differential treatment of individual groups based entirely on their being male or female. This difference contributes to structural inequality in the society. It has manifested in systemic and structural discrimination against women in the distribution of income, access to resources, participation in decision-making, education and power.

CDD: Community-Driven Development

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.