Determinants of Socio-economic Empowerment of Married Women: Evidence from Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract:In Ethiopia, women's participation in their own matters and women's benefit from social, economic and political spheres is low. The study is attempted to identify the various possible determinants of women socio-economic empowerment using data collected from 384 households in the selected woredas of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPR). A case-control household survey is conducted on randomly selected married women in study areas. Results of the study show that women's level of education, their employment status, their earning compared to husbands, exposure to media, place of residence, age at first marriage, family size and attitude towards wife beating are found to be the major determinants factors affecting women participation on their social and economic matters in a household. Therefore, the Concludes that policy designed at the micro level should be translated to solve the problem on the ground. Thus, considering their agency, women's empowerment at different levels might be realized. On the other hand, collecting clear statistical data and studying the different types of women's home based work and their empowerment and/or disempowerment effect might be areas of research that further have policy implications.

Understanding Agency Within Context: The Case of Breeding Cooperatives Program for Transforming Small Ruminant Value Chain in Ethiopia

“…Factors such as trust, respect and leadership style are found to affect one's capacity to make active participation in group contexts (Sseguya et al, 2015). Income, age at first marriage, wealth status, and urban location are positively correlated with agency (Akram, 2018;Disassa et al, 2016). Likewise, women's autonomy, short-term membership in savings and credit groups (Koenig et al, 2003), access to agricultural extension information (Lecoutere et al, 2019), involvement in agricultural value chain development (Fuller, 2012), education (Gupta & Yesudian, 2006), and media exposure (Akram, 2018) are positively associated with agency.…”

“…Based on gender inequality’s recognized predominance in all spheres of rural life in Ethiopia (Badstue, Eerdewijk et al, 2020; Badstue, Petesch et al, 2020; Disassa et al, 2016; Muchomba, 2017), we hypothesize that neither perceptions regarding effective participation in the collective action - livestock-based institutions—nor factors associated with it, are gender neutral. By combining both qualitative and quantitative methods to complex concepts (Doss et al, 2020), we address two research questions: how livestock keepers perceive agency in the sheep breeding cooperative; and what are the factors associated with the agency they perceive to be important?…”

Small ruminant value chain and empowerment: a gendered baseline study from Ethiopia

“…Lim et al, 2007;Disassa et al, 2016;Akram, 2017;Lecoutere et al, 2019 Involvement in credit programs Economic security, mobility, making purchases, contribution to family support, political awareness + Hashemi et al, 1996 Formal and non-formal education Use of contraception + Al Riyami et al, 2004; Parveen and Leonhäuser, 2004; Gupta and Princy, 2006 Traditional socio-cultural norms (early marriage, dowry and domestic violence) Resource ownership, contribution to household income and decision-making; Perception on gender awareness -Parveen and Leonhäuser, 2004 WDIP program on women's empowerment Improved dimensions of various resources (economic, social, and psychological assets) + Legovini, 2004 Membership in savings and credit groups Risk of domestic violence + Koenig et al, 2003…”