ROLE OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN ENUGU STATE

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ROLE OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN ENUGU STATE

By

Chioma

Presented To

Department of Public Administration

77 Pages 10,089 Words 1,803 Views PDF Format No. of Chapters: 1 to 5 Chapters

ABSTRACT

This research is about the role of women to economic Development in Local

Government Areas in Enugu State. It examines the contributions of women to

Economic Development. The study used the Local Government System in

Enugu as a case study. More so, the study agreed that the future of Economic

Development especially education and health in the country seems to depend on

women. However, on the issue of development, women could contribute more

to Economic Development if deliberate efforts are made to encourage them. The

data used in this study are collected from both primary and secondary sources.

The primary method or sources of data collection include the use of a research

instrument (the questionnaire) and oral interview. Some research questions

serve as guide to the respondents in order to elicit first hand information on the

subject matter. The questionnaire contained eight structured questions design to

elicit vital information from the respondents on the issue of economic

development in Enugu State. In addition, the questionnaire is validated and

administered accordingly. Secondary sources of data collection on the other

hand, include textbooks, journals, and government documents. The study used

simple percentage and chi-square in analysis method for data analysis and the

hypothesis .Various recommendations that will elevate the status of women like;

Increased women's participation to economic development, Appreciation of

women's roles in economic development, Increased women's participation in

decision making at the local government level etc. If these contributions are

adhered to, it will eventually promote the impact of woman in Economic

development of the nation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- i

Approval page ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ii

Certification ------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii

Dedication ----------------------------------------------------------------------------iv

Acknowledgement -------------------------------------------------------------------v

Table of Content --------------------------------------------------------------------vi

Abstract -----------------------------------------------------------------------------viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study -------------------------------------------------------1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ------------------------------------------------------3

1.3 Objective of the Study --------------------------------------------------------- 5

1.4 Significance of the Study ------------------------------------------------------5

1.5 Scope and Limitations of the Study ------------------------------------------6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Literature Review ---------------------------------------------------------------7

2.2 Theoretical Framework ------------------------------------------------------- 31

2.3 Hypotheses ----------------------------------------------------------------------35

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH PROCEDURE AND STUDY AREA

3.1 Study Area -----------------------------------------------------------------------36

3.2 Population Sample size and Sampling Procedure --------------------------39

3.3 Sources and Method of Data Collection -------------------------------------40

3.4 Reliability and Validity of Instruments --------------------------------------40

3.5 Method of Data Presentation and Analysis --------------------------------- 43

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND

FINDINGS

4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis----------------------------------------------- 45

4.2 Analysis of Findings --------------------------------------------------------- 47

4.3 Test of Hypotheses ------------------------------------------------------------ 53

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF HYPOTHESIS --------------------- 60

CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION, AND

CONCLUSION

5.1 Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 64

5.2 Recommendation -------------------------------------------------------------- 64

5.3Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------------ 66

Bibliography

Appendices

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In developing countries,most of the work done by women remains unrecorded (i.e.

not reflected in the GNP) thereby giving an erroneous impression that women's contribution

in the economic sector is grossly inadequate and inconsequential. That means the role of

women is just limited to their capacity to produce and re-produce, home care and indirect

involvement in national development by engaging in unpaid labour activities etc.Women in

most countries perform multiple functions and they represent a strong productivity force in

subsistenceagriculture leading to economic development of the local government system.

According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa,women provide between

60-80 percent of the work that leads to economic development. Traditionally, it is regarded as

unpaid family labouroutside the sphere of subsistence agriculture, women do not play much

appreciable role.

Evidence abound that women make up about half the population of many countries in

the world(Newman,1984).This fact notwithstanding, international agencies and government

fail to recognize that women have a significant role to play in the economic development of

the local government system.In some countries, women do men's work such as being

primarily responsible for house-keeping and maintenance,education and feeding of the

children.Many women are also becoming head of the household either because of death of

husbands or separation ofhusbands, agedparents, and sick relatives. This means that the

nuclear family and the extended ones depend so much on them for survival. Why then do the

womenoccupy a very low position in the society? Position in this context means the place

that women are given and have in our societies.

Nigeria is the most populous country in sub Saharan Africa and is termed the ninth

most populous country in the world. The 2006 National Census puts Nigeria's population at

about 150 million about 50% of which are females. Many of the women in Nigeria live

largely in poverty. Their personal poverty is a lot more pervading than that of the male and

this threatens the very survival and health of the nation. Poverty has a woman face since 70%

of people in poverty are women. This is a challenge to sustainable development. The

achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that involves gender equality and

women's empowerment and poverty reduction has the target date as 2015. Women in Nigeria

have always participated in productive labour. The National Report for the 2004 United

Nations Conference on Environment and Development indicates that women perform at least

40% of Agricultural production activities and 85% of agricultural produce, processing and

marketing. Women constitute the majority of the poor and the illiterate in both urban and

rural areas in Nigeria.

In recent times, the developing countries have started making some effort to involve

women in micro-enterprises (income generating activities).However,there is hardly enough

programme for providingsystematic information and knowledge to the third world women to

manifest some of the economic roles.The role of women in economic development and their

participation in income generating activities has not been given due attention that it deserves.

Women have been side tracking national income development plans and this phenomenon

negated the role of women in economic development.Women through vendor activities

contribute a lot in reduction of unemployment rate in the economy. The relevance of micro-

enterprise in national development was observed by Onuoha (1991) when he asserted that the

future economic development of Nigeria to an extent lies in the dynamic and growth of small

to medium scale enterprises which are directly or indirectly owned and managed by women.

Women have roles to play towards the socio-economic development of our local government

system; maybe that is why the United Nations declaredthe decade (1970-1980) for women.

This declaration sparked off women into engaging themselves in so many developmental

programmes and activities. In Nigeria for instance, there have beenmany women oriented

programmes such as Better Life for Rural Women, Family Support Programme (FSP),

Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP), Child Trust Fund (CTF), and National

Association for Nigerian Women in Business (NANWB), etc. In Enugu State, there are some

social-economic programme for rural women handled by Ministry of Gender to improve

women/children and youths welfare in the state.

In view of the above, this study sought to examine the role of women in economic

development of local government system in Enugu State.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The fundamental contributions of women in their households and national economies

are increasingly acknowledged within Africa and by the international community mainly

because of their energetic efforts to organize, articulate their concerns, and make their voices

heard. At both grassroots and national levels, more women's associations are taking

advantage of the new political openings to assert their leadership roles. They are also pressing

for an expansion of women's economic and social opportunities, and the advancement of

women's rights. By improving their own positions, women enhance the country's broader

development prospects.Subsequently, women in Nigeria continue to face enormous obstacles.

A nation's population is usually almost divided evenly between males and females except

under peculiar circumstances such as war or highly selective immigration, which normally

affect males more than females. Nevertheless, throughout the ages, the sharing of power,

wealth, influence, employment etc, between men and women has never been close to

equality. Even in the most advanced countries, gender inequality in wealth distribution has

remained a live issue. Over the years, many women have faced daunting challenges of

joblessness, no source of livelihood, widowhood, and single parenthood. These challenges

notwithstanding, the roles played by women in national development and in all facets of

human endeavors have been quite notable.

However, there has been considerable progress in developing the capabilities of

women, their participation in economic and political decision making remains very limited.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in its 2005 Human Development

Report listed some examples to show that in spite of the considerable progress in developing

women's capacities, women, and men still live in an unequal world. The examples include

the following: poverty has a woman face, because 70 percent of the 1.3 billion people living

in poverty are women: the increasing poverty among women arises from their unequal

situation in the labour market, their status and power in the family etc ; women's labour force

participation rose by just 4 percent in 20 years (from 36 percent in 1980 to 40 percent in

2000) ; women have relatively low access to credit from formal banking institutions because

they mostly do not have collaterals to offer; all regions record a higher rate of unemployment

among women than men; among illiterate people in developing countries, the proportion of

women is higher than men's; women's wages are below average. The UNDP report adds that

in 55 countries with comparable data, the average female wage is three quarters (¾) of the male wage in the non-agricultural sector. In developing countries, women still constitute less

than one-seventh (1/7) of administrators and managers. Women occupy only 10 percent of

parliamentary seats and only 6 percent of cabinet positions. Women development is the

process whereby women develop the capacity and the ability to control and direct those

things, which affect them. The growing recognition of their contributions has not translated

into significantly improved access to resources or increased decision-making powers. Neither

has the dynamism that women display in the economic, cultural, and social lives of their

communities through their associations and informal networks been channeled into creating

new models of participation and leadership. Aside from the political challenges, the material

conditions under which most women live and work continue to deteriorate due to economic

and social decline, conflicts, and the spread of diseases.African women in general and

Nigerian women in particular now and in the past have been subjected to gender

discrimination, poverty, ignorance, tradition and cultures, family hierarchies, religious

fundamentalism, and violence. All these factors have continued to subjugate the women from

playing a key role in the economic development of Nigeria.

It is only when a problem is seen as a major concern or as a national issue that people

are motivated to search or look for the solution. However, women have not been recognized

in the role they play in economic development and in their participation in various income

generating activities or how they could be supported to increase their earning abilities.

A critical observation of the degree of economical participation and training of

women in Nigeria tend to reveal that women have not been afforded conducive environment

to play key role in the economic development.

Based on the foregoing, the following questions are relevant:

1. What is the contribution of women in the economic development of local government

system in Enugu state?

2. Does gender inequality affects the role women play in the economic development of

local government system.

3. Does poverty hinder women participation in economic development?

4. Does lack of women involvement in decision-making in local government system

affect their role in economic development?

5. How can the role of women in economic development of local government area of

Enugu state be improved?

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is the role of women in the economic development

of local government system in Enugu state.

This work will seek to achieve the following specific objectives:

1. To ascertain the contribution of women in the economic development of local

government system in Enugu state

2. To determine if gender inequality affects women's role in economic development of

local government system.

3. To discover whether poverty hinders women participation in economic development.

4. To find out if poorwomen participation in decision-making at local government level

impair their role in economic development.

5. To improve the role of women in economic development of local government area in

Enugu State.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In the first place, one can rightly say the significance of the study is to unmask the

nature and character of the Nigerian economic system and then use such as a prelude for

analyzing the nature and character of local government system economics with particular

reference to the degree of participation of women in the economic development of local

government system. If women are aware of their role in economic development through

various micro-enterprises or self-employed economic activities they are engaged in, they

would put in more effort to enable their roles manifest openly.

Theoretically, there has been a general work on Nigerian women especially in the

sphere of economics. This will give an overview of the subject, incorporate and synthesize

the various views of women and their effort to emancipate themselves from the social,

economic, cultural and political subjugation which they find themselves. This work will

contribute in this aspect.

Practically, this study will motivate the government, non-governmental organization

and other concerned members of the society to formulate and implement policies that will

encourage women to participate more in various income generating activities.

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study is the role women play in economic development of local

governmentsystem in Enugu State.Six local government councils were used as a case study.

Two selected from each of the three senatorial zones in Enugu study. The aim is to achieve a

comprehensive coverage of the state.The research work was limited by constraint such as

time and finance.

Time is the major constraint of this research study. The time allowed or allotted for

the study is short. Resources was another constraint as the researcher was unable to execute

the work more effectively due to insufficient financial resources, because of this, the

researcher had to make use of the little information she could get.

However, with perseverance and enterprises, these challenges were tactfully

surmounted and a successful completion of the research work attained.

77 Pages 10,089 Words 1,803 Views PDF Format No. of Chapters: 1 to 5 Chapters

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