Problems and Prospects of Women in Managerial Positions in Edo State Civil Service

Abstract

The imbalance against the females vis-avis their male counterparts in access to positions has received adequate attention of scholars and public commentators for discourse on gender parity. The outcome of the imbalance is the regrettable loss of contributions of the females to the process and programmes of development. The female folk have consequently taken the challenge to halt the trend by agitating variously for “women empowerment” “women liberation” and women equality”. Interestingly, the women have been able to prove the fact of their marginalization to the extent that the issue is no longer their concern only, but also the concern of the males and governments. This work is a reappraisal of the problems and prospects of women in managerial positions in Edo state civil service as at the end of the last millennium specifically 1990-2000. The work adopted the stratified sampling survey method using the pools of officers on grade level 12 and above, who are by law those on managerial cadre, as the population for primary source of data. The secondary source of data was the statistics division of the state ministry of establishments. The work revealed gross under representation of women in managerial positions in the state due to several, factors including poor value placed on female education. It has therefore, made appropriate recommendations among which are deliberate granting of access to women to education and career opportunities. Gender and Behaviour Vol. 5 (2) 2007: pp. 1318-1339