A Proposal on Impact of Women Empowerment on Poverty Reduction (Lagos State)
CHAPTER ONE
Purpose of the Study
The following research hypotheses will be formulated
- To determine the degree of women empowerment through poverty reduction programme in Lagos state
- To examine the nature and dimension of women poverty in Lagos State.
- To determine the problem encountered in the course of implementing the programmes
- To offer suggestion for greater participation of Lagos State community and social development agency
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Theoretical Framework, and
- Empirical framework
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concept of Empowerment
Empowerment is the ability to take effective control of oneself or one’s life in terms of being well informed and equipped with education, finance, and relevant skills. It is also the ability to take decision and to act on such decision without any external hindrances (Urom, 2002). Supporting the above point, Okpoko (2002) stated that empowerment is a term which has its root in power. Stressing further, Opkoko maintained that to empower means to give power or authority to enable a person gainpower to be able to take decision by himself/herself. Contributing to the above assertion, Lahiri (2002) observed that empowerment relates to attempt or measure made to extract oneself or group of people from some type of domination/subordination. The word empowerment has been used in many different contents and by many organizations and disciplines. In the same vein, Dung (2003) stated that the use of empowerment is found in the fields of education, social work, psychology, community development and in the work of feminist development organization. Empowerment is a management concept that can result in higher productivity and job satisfaction (Olakunle and Ojo, 2006).The authors stressed further that the need for empowerment arises when there is an inability of an individual to actualize his dreams and reach his greatest potentials due to artificial barriers created by individuals and other groups within the society. Justifying the above assertion, Adefarasin (2008) opined that empowerment is referred to as a means of increasing the economic, political, social, educational, gender, or spiritual strength to an entity. From the foregoing, empowerment could also mean to give power by legal or official means. Contributing to the above assertion, Egbo-Mba (2002) stated that empower is the process whereby a powerless or less powerful member of the society get greater access and control over material and knowledge, resources, challenges and ideologies of discrimination and subordination. Buttressing further, the authour opined that this helps to transform the institutions and structures of the society through which unequal access and control over resources is sustained and perpetuated. Empowerment implies that the person being empowered has hitherto lacked power or authority, either by default or denial. In the context of this study, empowerment can be defined as the ability to takedecision and act on it without hindrance due to the support gained by an individual. From the above view, it could be perceived that when the children and the women are well provided for through sources of empowerment, the society will automatically be transformed for better because the women and the children are the foundation on which the society is based (UNESCO, 2005) Following the above view, there are several sources of empowerment suggested by some scholars and international organizations which can be geared towards empowering women. Contributing to the above assertion, Adetoun and Dike (2012) citing Economic Commission for Africa (2005) stated that in information society, whatever area of empowerment, access to information is very crucial for women empowerment including the fact that African Union Gender Policy has realized that the policy frameworks is to “promote equitable access for both women and men to resources, knowledge, information and services including basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health care among others; also facilitate the implementation of corrective measures to address existing inequalities in access to and control over resources, as well as other empowerment opportunities. Stressing further, Adetoun and Dike, quoting Department of Trade and Industry, 2011) opined that promotion of women’s empowerment in Africa in areas such as education, politics and economics has been slow and much remains to be done. The African Development Forum (ADF) (2008) averred that empowering women to participate in the information economy would bring about benefits such as increased creativity, expertise and competitiveness in technology sector and thus assist the information economy thereby lead to economic growth. This is true because through access to information, women will be empowered in every ramification such as being aware of matters that concern them in the society. Women also need information on issues affecting their health, that of their babiesduring and after pregnancy, and for their businesses. From the foregoing therefore, it is pertinent to emphasize that empowering or investing in a woman is invariably investing in the whole nation. Empowerment can either be individuals or collective, it becomes collective if the enablement affects a group as a whole, for example the women folk.
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