Women Economic Empowerment and Community Development in Mbale District, Eastern Uganda

ABSTRACT 

The study was carried out to investigate women economic empowerment and community development in Mbale District. The purpose of the study was to; test the hypothesis of no significant relationship between women economic empowerment and community development, To validate the theory (Economic Modernity Theory; the classical development perspective) where the study is underpinned, To generate new information on women economic empowerment and community development. This study was based on four objectives: 1) to determine the social demographic characteristics of respondents in terms of; Gender, Age, Educational qualification, Marital status. 2) To assess the extent of Women Economic Empowerment in Mhale District. 3) To assess the level of community development in Mbale District. 4) To establish the relationship between women economic empowerment and community development. The researcher formulated one hypothesis to guide the study. The researcher used Sample size of 331 which was calculated using the sloven’s formula from a research target population of 1920 respondents. The researcher used questionnaires and descriptive coloration The study indicated that the female respondents were the highest (58.0%), in terms of age; respondents aged between 25- 35 years provided a high response to the study. As of marital status, married people emerged the highest respondents of the study (40.5%), and in the education qualification, certificate holders ranked high among the respondents. the study which intended to find out the extent of women economic empowerment revealed that the strategy has fairly satisfactory enhanced community development (at a mean of 2.37). The study revealed that the level of community development is tentatively improving with influence from women economic empowerment (at a mean of 2.33). The study concluded that there is significant relationship between women economic empowerment and community development. The study found out that women were the highest respondents; however women economic empowerment has not done a lot yet in improving the position of women in the community in terms of taking part in community meetings and taking part in decision making, protecting community natural resources, ownership of resources among others., it was revealed that women economic empowerment and community development are synonymous and mutually exclusive. The research recommended that Women economic empowerment should encourage more women to take part in community decision making, Women economic empowerment should set up income generating actives.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preliminaries Page

Declaration A

Declaration B ii

Approval Sheet iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement v

Table of Content vi

List of Tables x

List of Abbreviations xi

Chapter Page

One THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE 1

Background of the Study 1

Statement of the Problem 4

Purpose of the Study 5

General Objectives 5

Research Questions 6

Hypothesis 6

Content Scope 7

Theoretical scope 7

Time scope 7

Significance of the Study 7

Operational Definitions of Key Terms 8

Two REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 9

Concepts, Ideas, Opinions from Authors/Experts 9

Theoretical Perspective 16

Related Studies 17

Three METHODOLOGY 23

Research Design 23

Research Population 23

Sample size 23

Data Gathering Procedures 24

Data Analysis 25

Ethical Considerations 26

Limitations of the Study 23

Four PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Demographic characteristic of respondents 28

Extent of women economic empowerment 31

Level of community development 35

Relationship between women economic empowerment and community development 39

Regression analysis between women economic empowerment and community development 40

Five FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS 41

Findings 41

Conclusions 42

Recommendations 42

References 44

Appendices

Appendix Asam pie size 49

Appendix B - Transmittal Letter 50

Appendix lB — acceptance letter 51

Appendix C - Clearance from Ethics Committee 52

Appendix 1C - Informed Consent 54

Appendix D - Research Instrument 52

Researcher’s Curriculum Vitae 61