Perceptions and Practices of University Students and Employees Regarding the Influence of Women’s Empowerment on the Economic Development of Rural Kenyan Families (Published)
Despite challenges including resource scarcity, gender-based violence and discrimination, women’s empowerment is still a vital tactic in the fight against poverty. Rural women worldwide often face limited personal and economic empowerment, which constrains their capacity to influence economic development within their families and communities. The objectives of this study were to examine how Tangaza University students and employees perceive the influence of women’s empowerment on economic development in rural Kenyan families, to determine the practices of students and employees at Tangaza University to promote women’s empowerment within their families and entire Kenyan families, and to identify the perceived challenges women in rural areas encounter in pursuit of economic development. The study involved a sample comprising 50 students and 30 staff members drawn from Tangaza University using stratified random sampling. Data was collected utilizing structured questionnaires and information was gathered about participants’ perceptions and actions regarding women’s empowerment and how it influences rural Kenyan families’ economic development. A qualitative section of the instrument comprised open-ended questions whose verbatim responses were thoroughly examined using content analysis while descriptive measures were used to analyse the quantitative data. The findings reaffirmed that economic development in Kenya’s rural households is positively influenced by women’s empowerment. Furthermore, women’s empowerment in Kenya was supported locally and nationally by Tangaza University staff and students who encouraged women in their families to pursue education and skill development and fought for equal opportunities for women in the community and workplace. The recommendations included that the National and County Governments should work closely with Universities to come up with projects and programs that promote women’s empowerment including education to all, business empowerment, and leadership empowerment to enhance sustainable economic development among women in rural areas.
Keywords: Development, Economic Empowerment, Women, perceptions and practices, rural families
Women in the Promotion Of Cultural Security and Development in Africa (Published)
This paper examines the role of women in protecting and preserving the cultural heritage of the African continent which is an important ingredient for the nation’s development. It traces the indispensable role of the women to the creation of mankind at the Garden of Eden. However, despite the much desired role and contribution of the women to the development of the African nation, the imposition of colonialism in Africa laid the groundwork for the marginalization of the women folk, which eventually created gender inequality that weakened the contribution of the women. Nevertheless, African women have not given up the struggle. Women continue to play a leading role in preserving the farming tradition which is the main occupation in Africa by means of women organizations such as “Women in Agriculture in Nigeria” and “Women farmers Advancement Network”. Notwithstanding there are still a number of barriers against women effective participation in economic development activities which the study has identified to include; systemic gender biases in form of customs and beliefs; domestic workloads that impose severe time burden on women; limited access to credit, education and medical care. The expose of these barriers reveals the need for greater sensitization of the cultural and social barriers to encourage increased women participation in the economic activities in Africa.
Keywords: Africa, Cultural security, Development, Women