ABSTRACT

This study Assessed the extent of women’s participation in community development projects in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. Five research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was 4200 while 420 constituted the sample using proportionate stratified random sampling. The instrument used was a fixed response type of questionnaire. Frequency, percentage and weighted mean were used to analyze the research questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the respondents are mostly fixed-income earners, majority of the projects listed were carried out by Nsukka women, participation of the women in most areas of the projects implementation is low: the constraints to effective participation in community development projects were many; majority of the factors listed enhance participation in community development projects among Nsukka women. There was no significant difference on the mean ratings of the responses of fixed-income earners and non-fixed income earners on four items on the level of participation, while there was no significant difference on five items. There was no significant difference on the mean rating of the response of literate and illiterate women on six items on the level of participation while there was significant difference on three. The major implication is that the women will not be able to harness to the fullest the human and material resources available towards effective project completion. The major recommendations were: awareness of programmes should be organized through seminars and workshops to sensitize women on the issues of self-help projects and to be aware of their rights; every member should be involved in all the processes of carrying out the projects; leaders should be penalized when found guilty of any act of corruption; people should be enlightened on the effects of their practices and beliefs that hinder women from participating in community development projects. The conclusions is that if all these major recommendations were to be practically, scientifically and methodically internalized by our societies especially Nsukka Local Government Area, women in the area would not only record tremendous progress in community development projects participation.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page                                                                                                    i

Approval Page                                                                                           ii

Certification                                                                                               iii

Dedication                                                                                                 iv

Acknowledgement                                                                                      v

Table of Contents                                                                                                 vi

List of Table                                                                                               vii
Abstract                                                                                                      viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study                                                                                      1

Statement of Problem                                                                                 5

Purpose of Study                                                                                        6

Significance of Study                                                                                  7

Research Question                                                                                                7

Hypotheses                                                                                                 7

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW                                         9

• Conceptual Framework           9
• Concept of Community Development                                             9
• Various Community Development Projects 13
• Extent of Women’s Participation in Community Development           19
• Constraints to Women’s Participation in Community 30

Factors that Enhance Women’s Participation                                            37

• Theoretical Framework           49

Democratic Theory                                                                                       49

• Mobilization Theory           50
• The Civic Voluntary Theory 49
• Review of Empirical Related Studies                      51
• Summary of the Reviewed Literatures            56

 

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

Design of the Study                                                                                    58

Area of the Study                                                                                                    58

Population of the Study                                                                                          59

Sample and Sampling Techniques                                                                  60

Instrument for Data Collection                                                                                 61

Validation of Instrument                                                                                         62

Reliability of the Instrument                                                                          62

Procedure for Data Collection                                                                                   62

Method of Data Analysis                                                                                 63

CHAPTER FOUR:

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA                                                 64

Analysis of Respondent Age                                                                           64

Distribution of Respondent According to Marital Status                                          65

Distribution of Respondent According Educational Qualification

Percentage rating of self help development project

by Nsukka Women                                                                                     65

Mean Rating on Project Identification by Nsukka Women                         66

Mean Rating of constraint to effective participation of women in

community development                                                                           66

Mean Rating of factor that enhances women participation in

community development project                                                                67

T-test Analysis of women with respect to literate and

non-literate respondent                                                                               68

Hypothesis 1                                                                                               68

Hypothesis 2                                                                                              68

 

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary of Major Findings                                                                      70

Implications of the Study                                                                          72

Recommendations                                                                                                73

Limitations of the Study                                                                                       73

REFERENCES

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

The participation of women in social, political, and community development was addressed at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment, and Development held in Cairo. The Egyptian Capital, at the Conference, roles and other related issues on women as well as their social positions were freed from the narrow confines of reality to act beyond being only relegated folder development in all spheres of however, women play better greater roles today in community development,

According to Umeleke (1994) Participation means to sensitize people and thus to increase the receptivity and ability of rural people to respond to development. Community development according to United Nations Organization (UNO) is a process by which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of the government authorities to improve the socio-economic and cultural conditions of the communities, to integrate those communities into the life of the nation and to enable them to contribute fully in the national progress

Women’s participation in community development project in Nigeria has widened today to cover self-help projects in the areas of heath, environment, etc. And in order to bring the projects to realistic end, they have for so long a time started pulling together for identification of their needs on their own initiatives, and resources as well as grants from either government or non-governmental organizations, especially when on a shoestring budget. All these concerted effort are means of ensuring that ignorance, poverty, poor health, and social vices such as drug abuse, theft, savagery, etc are curbed to better the lives of the populace.

Development activities cannot be successfully carried out without the support of women because women represent a powerful economic force. Women pursue their own interest and right in the society, against their relegated social class position and status in a society; to fight all forms of exclusion, discrimination, inequality and all forms of psychological disadvantages.  Oduoran (2006) clearly stated that women generally have contributed immensely towards the development of some physical projects such as construction of boreholes, building of civic centres, walling of market premises for security purposes, building of health centres, clearing of bushes, building of churches and primary schools. These projects have today been improved to meet up with the current demand of our contemporary societies from reactive to proactive.

The concern for women in development or women progress and women participation in community development activities when compared with the men in the recent past is really encouraging as demonstrated in the construction and the commissioning of schools and several projects in Nigeria, this among others includes: A governmental struggle and popularized programme. Miuanyil (1996) listed programmes geared towards the upliftment of women by government and groups in Nigeria for participation to include establishment of government institutions such as civil societies, WACOL etc, which safeguard and facilitate the mobilization and involvement of women in national, state and local government affairs.  In another development educational policies initiated by the government like National Policy of Education (981-1989) lays emphasis on liberalizing professions to put women at par with their men counterparts. A factor which highlighted women’s consciousness towards finding bearings in community developmental projects No wonder there are women professors, lecturers etc in our education sector today than before. Government also encouraged through the media, the formation of voluntary organizations that would orientate and mobilize women for participation in national development. Various successive Nigerian governments both military and civilian since independence have initiated a number of programmes to boost the standard of living of the people especially those in the rural areas, such establishment like Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), Green Revolution (GR), Directorate of Food,  Road and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI), Better Life for Rural Women (BLFW), Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP)Women fund for economic empowerment(WFFEE),Business development fund for women. etc

In Enugu State, the life and position of women generally and particularly those in Nsukka have changed drastically by such programs as the Rural Women For Change(RWFC) a program designed by Enugu State government and directed towards rural women in 2010 as recorded a reasonable impacts in waking up women folks in Nsukka to being appendages on men especially in community development projects as well as breadwinners, among others towards the establishment of the community development project funds has crippled development mainly in Nsukka area due to their self-centeredness. The participation of women towards community development projects have also been hampered by some factors such as poor financing, lack of sensitization workshops, of development, illiteracy and mismanagement of funds. set aside  for community development projects by grassroots government officials, executives of associations or those entrusted with community development funds. Moreover, in the face of these aforementioned daunting odds, men seems to rub salt into the wounds by monopolizing community projects due to their sensitivity and manipulative powers. this they do by organizing themselves into various age grades with different names like “Udoka age grade”, “Ikemba age grade” , “Ugomba age grade” to mention but few. Each accomplished community development project undertaken by these age grades, especially in Nsukka..

Consequently, in Nigeria as a result of poor economy the government alone cannot provide all the comforts of the people. In line with this, Ezeh (1999) asserts that more often than not community’s needs which via for government’s attention are unlimited and constantly cause the limited resources of government on a lot of pressure  thus making community development often a necessary alternative way out. Hence, community development has almost gained a universal acceptance as one of the alternative and veritable vehicles for positive transformation of societies which must be obligations for both men and women. Koozberiski(1998) and Federic (1993)

Literature showed that women are involved in all stages of community development processes beginning from the identification of the felt need to execution and evaluation of projects. Women also help in mobilizing themselves for physical participation in developmental plans in the local communities as well as enlightenment campaigns on government policies.  This is because community development projects are effective weapons to fighting unemployment, stealing, low standard of living, sufferings, premature/untimely death, bribery and corruption, all sorts of crimes and for poverty reduction in particular. The various groups that participate in community development projects include literates, illiterates, fixed income earners, self-help groups, welfare groups, church groups, and women trader associations, August Women Function Groups in Nsukka and Office of Women Affairs and Community Development Section Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. Women constitute a powerful social class, they are partners in this task, and there should be no limit whatsoever placed on what they can collectively contribute to community development projects.

In the researcher’s own point of view and understanding, participation means people partaking in doing it themselves in order to be independent and self reliant. It presupposes that people should supplement government efforts in the provision of goods and service.

Statement of Problem

Generally, women in Nigeria over the years have been discriminated against by their male counterparts; for instance women in Nsukka are being left out. In traditional and modern society, women are marginalized by men in all facets of life and this has hindered their participation in community development and society at large(community development journal,2006).

For instance, when women from Nsukka engaged in development projects in their various communities, they were often considered inferior thereby causing a blend of emotions to ferment inside them second class citizens. This showed cold and domineering manner men of Nsukka were displaying against their counterparts instead of encouraging appreciation of their roles in community development. this attitude continue to  discourage the women from being active with their activities towards the development of Nsukka community. Again, Despite the diverse activities of women in Nsukka to wake up to their wheels of progress are still being clogged in the marshy land of strategies such as inability to stick together, identify, initiate, support and focus in a particular project, with these mobilization strategies that can be used for enhancing participation organization lack on and on, women and community development projects will remain parallel lines. For instance   Most of these women organization are not properly organized and cannot work smoothly or as a result of lack of a dedicated leader. Even when they are organized, they are still faced with the problem of finance and financial management on the part of their leaders. These women sometimes are found to be antagonized working with one another towards achieving the objectives of the organization which they belong and this tends to erode away their actions towards participating in development of Nsukka. Based on the above problems and many others, the researcher undertook to evaluate the participation of women in community development.

Purpose of the Study

Intends to:

• Determine various community development projects carried out by the women in Nsukka;
• Find out the extent to which women participate in various stages of community development projects in Nsukka;
• Ascertain constraints to participation of women in community development projects in Nsukka;
• Determine ways to enhance participation of women in community development project in Nsukka;

 

Significance of the study

For instance, the study will generate information on the various project carried out by women in Nsukka (information on completed on going and proposed projects) as well as various stages in which women participated in such projects

ii Determine who either benefit from such projects.

iii Access the benefits derived from such projects .

iv Beside the study will also provide insight for other researchers who may wish to carry out   further studies on the involvements of women in community developments projects.

Research Questions

1. What are the various community developments projects embarked upon by the Nsukka women?
2. What is the extent of women participation in various stages of community development project in Nsukka?
3. What are the constraints to women participation in community development projects in Nsukka?
4. What are the ways to enhance the participation of women In community development projects among Nsukka women?

 Hypotheses

(a) Literate and non literate women equally participate in community development projects

(b) A literate and non literate woman does not equally participate in community development projects

          For instance, the study will generate information on the various project carried out by women in Nsukka (information on completed on going and proposed projects) as well as various stages in which women participated in such projects

i Determine who either benefit from such projects.

ii Access the benefits derived from such projects .

iii Beside the study will also provide insight for other researchers who may wish to carry out   further studies on the involvements of women in community developments project

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