Socio-economic Empowerment Research Articles

An exploration of women's workplace experiences in the South African mining industry

SYNOPSIS Historically, the mining industry, on a global level, was male-dominated, as many governments had prohibited women from working at mines, particularly underground. In South Africa, the government introduced the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (No. 28 of 2002) (MPRDA) and the Broad-based Socio-economic Empowerment Charter to address the imbalances and rectify previous inequalities in the mining industry. Since the inception of MPRDA, women's representation in the South African mining industry has increased, from 3% in 2002 to 15% in 2018. Although government has good intentions, gender equality in the mining industry remains a challenge. Research on women employed in South African mines revealed that women still face barriers to some extent. This research explores women's current workplace experiences in the South African mining industry. A literature review and an empirical study were conducted. The study followed a positivistic research approach, and a quantitative research design was used. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed at the 8th Annual Women in Mining Conference in February 2017. Based on the data obtained, it became evident that several aspects must still be addressed to successfully accommodate women in the mining workplace. The study offers practical recommendations that can be implemented by mining organizations to improve women's workplace experiences in order to encourage and foster transformation in the mining industry. Keywords: gender, mining industry, mining legislation, South Africa, women in mining.

Microcredit and Women's Empowerment

This paper aims to examine whether the microcredit (MC) programme, a financial mechanism to provide small amount of credit to the poor, had improved the status of poor women in the family as well as in society i.e. empowerment status of women. The research is based on primary survey of three settlements in the periphery of Bandipur Municipality of Tanahun district. For survey, a sample of 30 women were selected which represented 15 percent women beneficiaries of microcredit from the study area. The respondents were selected by using systematic random sampling. In addition to questionnaire survey, KII with six local persons and two FGDs were also conducted. The paper has used the conceptual framework of Sara Longwe (1990) to examine women empowerment. The findings are derived by comparing the position of women in various family affairs such as access to finance, control over income and expenditure, children's education and participation in social meetings etc., prior to and after participation in MC programmes. The results showed that most of the females who received microcredit reported socioeconomic empowerment through access to capital, control over resources, decision making power, etc. The findings, however, varied with regard to Dalit, Janajati and Brahmin/Chhetri women and those women in hard core poverty and landless families are still out of the reach of MC programmes. Those who are engaged in income earning activities with the MC need to be supported financially and technically to upscale their business so that the cumulative effect would also contribute to the improving various macro-economic indicators of the economy.

MEMBANGUNKAN SOSIO-EKONOMI KOMUNITI MENERUSI KEUSAHAWANAN SOSIAL: PERANAN DAN PELUANG

The concept of social entrepreneurship is increasingly popular throughout the world. In Malaysia, the need for social entrepreneurship is based on community-related issues such as economic, social, environmental and educational development. Communities need to be strengthened as a group of individuals who make up and become valuable human capital for the country. Community cultures that are keen to wait and rely on the assistance of the government and the Department of Social Welfare (JKM) in particular need to be changed. By generating as many social entrepreneurs in the community, it is believed to be able to enhance the socio-economic status of the community as well as stimulate the country's development rapidly. Therefore, communities in this country need to be exposed and educated with the concept, role and opportunity of social entrepreneurship for them to move social and economic development through social entrepreneurship platform. The success of individuals pioneering the social entrepreneurial approach to solving community problems needs to be publicly disseminated, especially to groups within the community; to be an exemplar of the successful social entrepreneurship endeavour. Through this social entrepreneurial approach, community socio-economic empowerment is expected to be realized. Hence, this concept paper aims to explain the concepts and approaches of social entrepreneurship towards the socio-economic development of the community with the emphasis on social entrepreneurship roles and opportunities.

Transgender Entrepreneurs

A transgender is a person whose gender does not match with the gender assigned to that person at birth and includes trans-man or trans-woman, person with intersex variations, and gender- queer. A trans gender’s career path is not simple and straight, they have to make extra efforts to be accepted in the world of 'commoners'. They are subjected to multi-faceted humiliations solely based on their gender identity. Recently empowerment of transgender has been mushrooming in every sphere either be constitutional, parliamentary, political, civil, legal, economic, social or technological facet. This article is based on the collection of Review of Literature with latest notable case studies on the socio-economic empowerment of transgenders. This paper throws light on the positive developments of the transgender to change their societal outlook. The reviews presented reflect a optimistic growth for trans-community in society and is a path breaking efforts to subside their taboo by projecting that transgenders are showing powerful curiosity in entrepreneurial venture.

Policies and Planning Approach: Challenges and Opportunities for Local Stakeholders' Empowerment and Sustainable Development (Case Study: South and South-East Villages of Tehran)

Purpose- The present study aims to examine the challenges and opportunities for local stakeholders' empowerment related to rural planning in Iran. In general, the current approach of planning process from making decision to implementation and monitoring is based on instrumental rationalism approach, irrespective of the villagers’ viewpoints. Urban – Rural divided planning has created some challenges for sustainable rural development and opportunities for improving environmental-ecological and socio-economic indicators, which have been ignored. Design/Methodology/Approach- Less attention has been paid to local stakeholders' empowerment in planning methods and procedures, which is regarded as an obstacle for the promotion of the indicators related to sustainable rural development. The present study was based on a descriptive – analytical method. Correlation test and multivariate regression were used to provide a meaningful framework. Library and field studies were used for data collection. Library method was used to understand the impact of policy implementation and planning approach on the socio-economic empowerment of local stakeholders for their socio-economic participation in sustainable rural development and the study of previous research experiences and other countries on appropriate planning. The statistical population of the study is 124 villages in south and southeast of Tehran. Random sample size for completing the questionnaire of local authorities at village level, using Cochran formula and its adjustment formula for small statistical population, with 95% confidence level and probability of 0.05 and prediction of variance S2 0.25 = sample size of 54 villages was achieved. In these 54 villages, 450 questionnaires were completed according to size by specifying sample size in each village .The validity of the research questionnaire was conducted by experts in organizations. The reliability of the questionnaire through Cronbach's alpha was 0.801. Findings- The results indicated that local stakeholder's generative empowerment is important although unproductive empowerment is increasingly overcoming. In addition, the possible effects of this process have been identified. Thus, problem-oriented planning is necessary for formulating a community-based approach optimally and strengthening social capital, which is not based on current instrumental rationalism approach. Thus, for the best planning with a community-based approach and the reinforcement of social capital, the group to convene is needed in the process and problem-oriented planning is important. This is inconsistent with the techno centrism rationalism approach.

The Impact of Micro Finance and Skill Training Intervention on Single Women’s Vulnerability in Nepal

Micro finance and skill training are integrated to build empowerment model to improve socio economic level of single women in Nepal. This popular model is widely employed to improve socio economic empowerment of women, particularly single women for restore and rehabilitate their life from this psychological trauma and vulnerability. Its result is claimed positive. In this context, this paper examines whether the skill training and micro finance improves to empower single women socio economically and to reduce poverty and vulnerability and happiness of single women in Nepal through descriptive statistics and the paired “t” test. Its primary data sets are collected from the survey. The “t” test is significant that the skill training and micro finance are effective measures to empower single women socio economically and to reduce their vulnerability and then improve their self-reliant and happiness.

Impact of Self-Help Group on Mishing Community of Assam: A Case Study of Socio Economic Empowerment of Women in Dhemaji

Today, the self-help group movement is increasingly accepted as an innovation in the field of rural credit in many developing countries including India to help the rural poor considered a vehicle to reach the disadvantaged and marginalized section, which in the normal course cannot avail of credit facility from the bank. Self-help group is consisting of people who have personal experience of a similar issue or life situation, either directly or through their family and friends. Sharing experiences enables them to give each other a unique quality of mutual support and to pool practical information and ways of coping.

Women political empowerment and child health: an empirical analysis, 1990-2016

Abstract Empowering women has been presented as a key strategy to improve child health. Yet, the literature on the subject is mixed, with strong variations in measures or according to context. Additionally, most of the research focuses on social or economic empowerment at the individual level rather than on structural factors or political empowerment. In this study, we explore whether women political empowerment is associated with improved health for children under 5 years old, in comparison to socio-economic empowerment or structural factors from the sustainable development agenda. We use the V-Dem project’s Women’s Political Empowerment Index and its components, combined with selected indicators of child health from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators for 166 countries, between 1990 and 2016. We estimate random- and fixed-effects regressions for the index as a whole and its individual components against child mortality, stunting and immunization coverage, controlling for structural and socio-economic indicators. The association between women political empowerment and child health outcomes tends to weaken once country heterogeneity is accounted for. Looking at individual components of women empowerment, factors or markers of socio-economic empowerment tend to have a stronger positive effect on child health compared to more political ones, for which we found either no correlations or even detrimental links to child health outcomes. Our results demonstrate the complexity of the relations linking women empowerment and child health. Presenting women political empowerment as a whole as the solution to improved child health appears misguided. However, selected individual freedoms and markers of women socio-economic empowerment are associated with positive effects on specific child health outcomes. This calls for a more context-specific yet multi-dimensional approach to women empowerment and child health in order to provide cohesive evidence to achieve the related SDGs. Key messages The relations between different dimensions of women empowerment and child health are complex. Women socio-economic empowerment may offer better leverages than political empowerment to improve child health.

Sustainability of Slum-Based Settlement Management Community Socio-Economic Empowerment (Study on Slum Settlements in Panakkukang District, Makassar City)

Sustainability of Slum-Based Settlement Management Community Socio-Economic Empowerment (Study on Slum Settlements in Panakkukang District, Makassar City)

Socio-economic Empowerment of Women Through Micro-entrepreneurship: Evidence from Odisha, India

Micro, small and medium enterprises play a pivotal role in the country which can contribute to women empowerment providing them employment opportunity. It is a key force in improving the economic condition of women providing employment to highly qualified as well as less qualified women for their overall development and helps to recognize their inherent ability to be engaged in the non-agricultural sector when employment in the agricultural sector is static. The present study attempts to assess the socio-economic empowerment of women through entrepreneurship and identify several problems faced by them in managing the enterprise. A total of 100 samples were surveyed for the purpose of the study. Simple random sampling has been used to collect data from 30 registered entrepreneurs. Through snowball sampling, 70 unregistered entrepreneurs were interviewed in the area. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected through a structured questionnaire using direct interview method. OLS regression and ordered logistic regression models have been used to explore the determinants of empowerment. Again, different constraints the entrepreneurs confronted during initiation and current management have been explored. The key economic variables are income, expenditure and enterprise decision making that are likely to increase the economic empowerment scores. All social empowerment variables except physical mobility are likely to increase social empowerment scores. The prime constituents of obtaining high overall empowerment status are income, self-employment, participation in domestic decision-making, independently managing personal matters, credit management, leisure, unpaid work, confidence in one’s own self, and social recognition. The study found that finance is the key challenge in start-ups and running expenses of enterprises. In addition, work-life and family imbalance, and marketing are recognized as prominent, followed by lack of lucrative price and heavy workloads.

An Assessment of Microfinance in Socio-economic and Psychological Empowerment of Women in Some Selected Western Zones of Oromia Region

As a matter of course, the position of women in Ethiopia has been low compared to men. Women are poorer, have low education and suffer from traditions and customary laws. This study explores the position of micro finances in socio-economic and psychological empowerment of women. The study is causal type of research to clearly depict the relation (correlation) between empowerment of women and microfinance institution. Since the study uses survey method the research approach is basically quantitative. Qualitative data have been used in support. Convenient sampling strategy were in work to select study sites as the research is proposed to be done in four selected zones of Western Oromia region. From the total population of 2559 female customers having relation with MFIs and engaged in various business activities in the western part of Oromia region, the researcher selected 334 persons as a sample respondent based on Simple random sampling technique on Proportional base. Primary data is the main source of data and the data were obtained by using questionnaire and interview. To analyze the data inferential statistics like t-test were applied to gain an insight about the change before and after the microfinance intervention in women’s life. Linear regression and correlation analysis are also made with the help of statistical package for social science (SPSS version 20). It is found that Women are economically, socially and psychologically empowered by participating or dealing with microfinance program. Focus on providing Skill trainings, consultancy and consciousness raising training which are supposed to be combined with the core function of a microfinance program of providing financial services let women’s give power to themselves or feel empowered . Keywords : Microfinance, economic, social and Psychological empowerment DOI : 10.7176/RJFA/10-17-01 Publication date :September 30 th 2019

Impact of microcredit on women empowerment in Ishwarganj upazila of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh

Women are considered as a medium to provide microcredit in Bangladesh, who are at the same time culturally less recognized, face social obstacles and economically more vulnerable. However, many researches indicated that the status and power of women has much improved since Grameen Bank opened its doors forty years ago. Despite some critics, majority of the scholars reached to the conclusion that microcredit loans encouraged poor women and significantly increased their self-esteem and self-worth, and thereby empowered them. This study evaluates the effects of microcredit on women empowerment at Ishwarganj upazila of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. The data was collected by using a structured questionnaire. A total 60 sample respondents were selected purposively. Empowerment was measured by five domains (production, resources, income, leadership and time). The score was positive as maximum of them achieved the desired score. The results showed that most of the females who availed the facility of microcredit finally got socioeconomic empowerment through acquiring the self-esteem, confidence level, decision making power, etc., but the question is: is it the same voice that the researchers and the researched people speak? The findings showed that microcredit might play significant impact on the uplift of socio-economic empowerment of the borrowers but we must be careful before reaching to the conclusion.
 Progressive Agriculture 30 (1): 86-94, 2019

A Study on Socio-Economic Empowerment and Loan Repayment of Women SHG Members

This paper is designed to study the extent of the role of SHGs , who are playing significant role in socio-economic transformation among poor and weaker section of the society. For the purpose of study, the researcher has selected 120 respondents of SHG. The study covers different aspects in respect to socio- economic status, barriers in improving the income level, savings habit of women, utilization of loan disbursed and whether the SHGs has significance in improving the standards of women SHG members. Further the study would highlight the socio-economic empowerment and loan repayment of women SHG Members. All category of women were surveyed by using questionnaire and the extent of improvement in their social and economic status is studied. Finally the detail information about the benefits they had received were also considered. A small attempt have been made to understand the benefits of the SHG’s , and also how SHG’s help in transformation of the poor and weaker section of the society.

Perkembangan Pelabuhan Perikanan Nusantara Kejawanan dan Kontribusinya terhadap Pemberdayaan Sosial Ekonomi Masyarakat Nelayan Kota Cirebon, 1994-2011

This article aims to analyze the development of the Fishing Port and its contribution to the economic life of fishing communities at Cirebon in 1994-2011. The Fisheries Port of the Surgeon was built in 1994 and began operating in 1997 with trial status. Then in 1999, the Cirebon fishing port status changed to the Nusantara Fisheries Port (PPN). PPN equipped with basic, functional, and supporting facilities that aim to support port activities. The basic facilities available in PPN Vocational consist of trapezoidal breakwaters. Meanwhile, the technical facilities available at PPN included administrative offices, Fish Auction Places (TPI), ice warehouses, water reservoirs, water networks equipped with water pumps, meters, and pipe installations that reach the port dock, as well as electricity networks. Besides, PPN also had supporting facilities consisting of security posts, mosques, bathrooms, and official homes. In its development, PPN Kejawanan had a significant contribution in the socio-economic empowerment efforts of fishing community at Cirebon. Those efforts were included in empowering women at households level and fostering the fishermen to increase welfare and employment opportunities.

Inter-Regional Variations in the Process of Promoting Socio-Economic Empowerment of the Tribal Women through Self Help Groups (SHGs) Activities

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: 27.0pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><em><span style="font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This study analyses that the SHGs have expanded avenues for tribal women to improve their socio-demographic and economic conditions by way of adoption of family planning methods and have awareness about promoting their health and literacy levels. On the whole, it is clear that the tribal women are able to improve control over their freedom to move and interact, leadership, and reproductive choices, to some extent. Thus there is improvement with regard to social empowerment. But, there is no improvement in power with the dimension of social empowerment. On the whole, it is clear that tribal women are able to improve control over their labour, resources, savings, credit and income and freedom to move and interact. Thus there is improvement with regard to economic power to the dimension of empowerment. However, the positive impact on their economic and living conditions is not much found in the interior hill tract villages and found in a relatively better position in the roadside villages in plain areas. From the major findings of the study, it is revealed that tribal women are able to improve control over their labour, resources, savings, credit and income, freedom to move and interact leadership, and reproductive choices. </span></em><em><span style="font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">SHG approaches are influencing economic, social, and political and eventually empower the poor tribal women. The SHG activities are positively helping the poor tribal women for their comprehensive development.</span></em></p>

Strategizing roma identity for India-EU collaboration: strengthening the NRIS

It is an established observation that the Roma have been one of the world’s most impoverished, persecuted and marginalized communities, yet also the least understood. While there have been some estimates of a global Roma population of 20 million, these communities are dispersed throughout several countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. This article concerns the European Roma and the issues which engage them, the most salient being identity. It seeks to find congruence between the socioeconomic empowerment processes of Dalit (oppressed) communities in India with those of the Roma. There is a historical connection between the Romani language groups and north Indian languages – indeed it is from India where Roma communities are known to have originally migrated from. This article argues for the value of reviving these links by turning the argument around and advocating that aspects of the contemporary Indian experience of socioeconomic empowerment could be applied to Roma empowerment in Europe within the framework of the EU’s National Roma Integration Strategies (NRIS). This could benefit India through interaction with the Global Roma Diaspora and lead to a win-win situation whereby India would equally obtain advantage from learning about EU-centered models of inclusion. Accordingly, the robust sharing of good practices could benefit both sides.

Experience of Intimate Partner Violence and Help-Seeking Behaviour among Women in Uganda

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognised as a fundamental violation of women’s human rights and a widespread phenomenon in Africa. Women’s low socioeconomic empowerment, cultural acceptability, and lack of social support exacerbate the health and psychosocial outcomes of IPV among African women. To date, there is no systematic research on IPV and its association with healthcare use among adult women in Uganda. Therefore, we conducted the present study on IPV among Ugandan women of childbearing age (15–49 years). Cross-sectional data on 7536 women were collected from the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS—Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016). The objectives were to assess the predictors of IPV as well as help-seeking behaviour for victims of IPV. IPV was assessed by women’s experience of physical, emotional and sexual violence and healthcare use was assessed by self-reported medical visits during the last 12 months. Logistic regression methods were used to analyse the data. According to descriptive findings, which showed that more than half of the women reported experiencing any IPV (55.3%, 95%CI = 53.6, 57.0), emotional IPV (41.2%, 95%CI = 39.6, 42.8) was the most prevalent of all three categories, followed by physical (39.3%, 95%CI = 37.7, 40.9) and sexual IPV (22.0%, 95%CI = 20.7, 23.3). In the multivariate analysis, higher age, rural residence, religious background (non-Christian), ethnicity (Banyankore and Itseo), secondary/higher education and husband’s alcohol drinking habit were positively associated with women’s experience of IPV. Husband’s alcohol drinking was found to be a significant barrier to seeking help among those who experienced IPV. In conclusion, our findings suggest a noticeably high prevalence of IPV among Ugandan women. There are important sociodemographic and cultural patterns in the occurrence of IPV that need to be taken into account when designing intervention policies. Special attention should be given to women living with husbands/partners who drink alcohol, as this might increase their odds of experiencing IPV, as well as reduce the likelihood of seeking help.

OC 8713 MAXIMISING RESEARCH IMPACT TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE

BackgroundBillions of dollars are spent on research globally every year, yet little is translated to public use through policy and/or commercialisation. For the few research findings that make it to policy, evidence in most LMICs shows they hardly see the light of implementation. Our EDCTP-funded TWENDE consortium used implementation of tuberculosis (TB) molecular diagnostics as a model to investigate the barriers, and opportunities to unlock them in order to maximise uptake of health research innovations into policy and practice.MethodsMixed methods approach including surveys, audits, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs), policymaker dialogues to unravel the bottlenecks and how to overcome them.Results1119 respondents representing from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania participated in the study. 19% were district/county health officers, 12% healthcare audits, 58% one-on-one interviews and FGDs with healthcare practitioners, community leaders, TB patients and survivors, and care givers, and 11% policymaker workshops. Barriers: government poverty, family/individual poverty, incompatibility of technologies to existing infrastructure, low awareness and socio-cultural beliefs in the community were found. Stigma at community and healthcare levels was rife. Consequently, TB diagnostics were underimplemented and underutilised. Xpert MTB/RIF test was fully utilised in ∼10% of healthcare facilities (conducting 8 tests per day) whilst Line probe assay was implemented in less than 1% of the facilities.ConclusionBased on our findings, we believe overcoming the barriers presents the opportunity to maximise research impact of public healthcare. This could be achieved through sustained public and practitioners’ sensitisation to remove stigma to increase demand and utilisation of services; early interaction of researchers and policymakers to increase sense of ownership and acceptability of research innovations; early communication between developers and end-users to align the tools with the needs and existing infrastructure capacity; and increased affordability of innovations through socioeconomic empowerment programmes.

Socio-Economic Empowerment of Women through Women Dairy Co-operatives: A Study of Begusarai District of Bihar

The present study intends to establish the role of women dairy co-operative societies in socio-economic empowerment of women dairy farmers. For this purpose, the concept of Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index developed by feed the future was used. The index includes 5 Domains of Empowerment (5DE) and Gender Parity Index (GPI). Percentage of women dairy farmers disempowered across the five domains is less for the non-members when compared to the members. Also, disempowerment decreases as the herd size increases. The non-member group had a higher intensity of disempowerment when compared with that of the member group across the different herd size categories. In 25.32 per cent of member households, women had gender parity with their male counterparts while the same was 22.50 per cent in the case of non-members. Although gender parity was higher for women members still the figures were very meagre. The average empowerment gap between men and women of gender parity inadequate households were found to be more for non-member group (41.55 per cent) than member group (27.09 per cent). The Women's Empowerment Index, which indicated the empowerment achieved due to membership in WDCSs, was found to be more for members than that of non-members indicating a positive impact of Women Dairy Co-operative Societies in making the women empowered.

Inhibitory effects of unripe, ripe peels and seed volatile oils of Dennettia tripetala on some pathogens and free radicals

Background: Nigeria currently has the second highest number of pregnancy-related deaths, which accounts for 15% of global estimates. Emerging contributors to maternal mortality have graced the medical literature in the last 3 decades. Objectives: We sought to document the current contributors to maternal death in our hospital and to highlight the increasing role of non-obstetric causes of maternal mortality. Methods: Maternal mortality recorded in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City from January 2011 to December 2018 was retrospectively studied to evidence a trend across the years. The major non-obstetric causes of maternal mortality were determined by simple proportion, and the relationship of maternal mortality to specific determinants was expressed as specific fatality. Results: MMR was 1,114/100,000 live births. Mortality was higher in unbooked women, teenagers, older and grand-multiparous women, and women in lower social class. The majority th of mortality was from obstetric haemorrhage. HIV deaths ranked 5 overall. HIV, VTE, cardiac disease, diabetes and anaesthesia were the leading non-obstetric causes of maternal mortality. Conclusions: Maternal mortality is common in our environment. The contribution of nonobstetric causes of maternal mortality appears to be on the increase. The health consequences of poverty, ignorance and disease are determinants of maternal mortality. Addressing socioeconomic empowerment of women will improve overall maternal health indices. Key words: Maternal mortality, Trend in maternal mortality, Non-obstetric causes, University of Benin Teaching Hospital