WOMEN EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study explored women empowerment initiatives and participation in community development in Abia State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two null hypotheses provided direction for the study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. A sample size of 384 women from Abia State was used for the study, the sample was determined using Cochran’s formula Structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha coefficient which yielded 0.835. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 levels of significance with appropriate degree of freedom using t-test analysis. The results of the analysis revealed that women have contributed to the Community Development of Abia State, Nigeria through participation in local governance, educational initiatives, healthcare and wellness programs, environmental conservation efforts, social services, cultural and recreational activities, and mentorship/leadership roles. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in the mean scores of urban and rural women on their perception regarding was women can contribute to the Development of Abia State, Nigeria. Strategies of enhancing Women’s participation in Community Development in Abia State, Nigeria include equal opportunities to hold leadership positions, training programme women’s participation in local government, women access to microfinance loan, mentorship and vocational programmes equal access to property ownership and inheritance rights, financial literacy programs, scholarships and grants, capacity-building workshops. Finally, there is no significant difference in the mean scores of urban and rural women on their perception regarding strategies of enhancing women’s participation in Community Development in Abia State, Nigeria. Consequently, location has no significant influence on the perception of Abia state women regarding strategies of enhancing women’s participation in Community Development in Abia State, Nigeria. The study among others recommended that governments at all levels, community leaders and NGOs should recognize and promote the diverse contributions made by women in various sectors of community development to inspire young girls and women to take up leadership roles and actively participate in community development initiatives