Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research

Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research

Identification of Economic Empowerment Facilitators of Rural Women (A case on members of rural women's Micro-Credit Funds in the province of Semnan)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Shahram Moghaddas Farimani 1
Mahdieh Sadat Mirtorabi 2
1 Assistant Professor, Institute of Agricultural Education and Extension, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
2 Ph.D. Graduated, Agricultural Extension and Education, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran
10.22059/ijaedr.2020.286690.668796
Abstract
 The purpose of this research was identification of Economic Empowerment Facilitators of economic empowerment among rural women. The statistical population of the study consisted of all members of rural women's Micro-Credit Funds in the province of Semnan that 112 of them were selected according to Cochran formula as sample size. This research was a survey and a researcher-made questionnaire was employed to data collection. Reliability of the questionnaire by calculating Cranach's alpha (α= 0.939) and validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by four experts of Institute of agricultural education and extension. The results of ranking the determinants of economic empowerment of rural women showed," Trust in your ability to do things", " Motivation and desire to earn money by myself ", "Membership in rural women's microfinance fund", in the first to third ranks and there are the most important factors of the economic empowerment of rural women in Semnan province. Also, according to the results of exploratory factor analysis the most important factors affecting the economic empowerment of rural women in Semnan province were classified into six factors: 1- Cultural context of rural community, 2- Participation in social and educational activities, 3- Economic and and households participations, 4- Tangible and intangible assets, 5- Family support and 6- The spirit of financial independence. In total, these factors could explain 65.76% of the total variance.
Keywords
Rural Women
Empowerment
Micro-Credit Funds
Economic Participation
Province of Semnan
  1. Ahmed, S. (2016). “Socio-Economic Empowerment of Rural Women: An Overview”, International Journal of Social Impact, Vol, 1. No, 3. P 33.(In Farsi)
  2. Amini, A. Taher, A.H. (2017). An analysis on the role playing of rural women's economical activities and its determinants: the case of simakan rural district in Jahrom, Iran, Agricultural extension and education journal, 12(2): 37-51.(In Farsi)
  3. Ataei; P. & Zamani Miandashti, N. (2012). The Role of Women's Cooperatives in Empowerment of their Members, Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research,42-2 (3): 433-444. (In Farsi)
  4. Barimani, F., Nikmanesh,Z., Khodaverdiloo, S. (2012). Role of small size credits regarding empowerment of rural women case study: lakestan sub district salmas of county, Journal space economy and rural development, 1(1): 69-82. (In Farsi)
  5. Bayissa, F. W., Smits, J., & Ruben, R. (2017). “The Multidimensional Nature of Women's Empowerment: Beyond the Economic Approach”, Journal of International Development, https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3268.
  6. Bhuimali, A. & Poddar, S. (2005) “Development of rural women through education and empowerment” Abhijeet Publication, Delhi.
  7. Bushra, A. & Wajiha, N. (2015). Assessing the Socio-Economic Determinants of Women Empowerment in Pakistan. Procedia-Social & Behavioral Sciences, 177: 3-8.
  8. Hunt A. & Samman E. (2016). Women’s Economic Empowerment. Navigating Enablers and Constraints.Overseas Development Institute. From https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resource-documents/10683.pdf.
  9. Jakson, M.A. (2010). Empowering women of Nepal: an experience of empowerment in the land of the Himalaya. M.S. thesis, Prescott college in adventure education.
  10. Kabeer, N. (2003). Gender mainstreaming in poverty eradication and the millennium development goals: a handbook for policy-makers and other stakeholder. International Development Agency, Canadian.
  11. Kabiri, N. (2010). Introduction to measuring women's empowerment, Sadeghi, F.: translator, Tehran: agah publication.(In Farsi)
  12. Kalantari, KH., Shabanali Fami,H. & Soroshmehr, H. (2010). Facilitating and impeding factors in rural women economic enablement, Journal of community development, 2(1): 107-124.(In Farsi)
  13. Katabi, M., Yazd Khasti, B. & Farokhi, Z. (2003). Obstacles and preconditions for women empowerment, Women in development and politics, 1(7): 5-30.(In Farsi)
  14. Kooshki F., Iravani, H. & Kalantari, K. (2012). Influential factors on improvement of women participation in rural micro credit funds: a case study of Kermanshah province of Iran, Journal of village and development, 14(1): 15-33.(In Farsi)
  15. Kulkarni, V.S. (2011). Women's empowerment and microfinance; an Asian perspective study. International fund for agricultural development (ifad). From http://www.ifad.org/operations/projects/regions/pi/paper/13.pdf.
  16. Kumar, H. (2017). Role of microfinance in women's empowerment (a study on rural area of Patna india). International journal of social sciences. 7(2):53-58.
  17. Lecoutere, E. (2017). The Impact of Agricultural Cooperatives on Women's Empowerment: Evidence from Uganda. Journal of Cooperative Organization & Management, 5(1):14-27.
  18. Longwe S.H. (1991). Gender awerness: the missing element in the third world development project, a chapter of "changing perceptions: writing on gender and development, by Wallace, T & March, C. OXFAM.
  19. Mahmud, S. Shah, N.M. & Becker, S. (2012). Measurement of Women's Empowerment in Rural Bangladesh. World Development, 40(3):610-619.
  20. Mila Elmi Z., Zaroki, S. & Mahdavi Chabok, S. M. (2015). Measurement of effective demographic factors on women's economic participation in urban area of Iran, Women in development and politics, 12(4): 525-544.(In Farsi)
  21. Mirakzadeh, A. Aliabadi, V. & Shams, A. (2010). An examination of the barriers to Iranian women participation in training and extension programs, Rural and development, 13(2): 147-165.(In Farsi)
  22. Mohammad, Z. & Lashgarara, F. (2013). The role of entrepreneurship education in empowering rural female entrepreneurs in ilam province, Agricultural extension and education research journal, 6(2): 61-72. (In Farsi).
  23. Najafi Kani, A., Hesam, M. & Asho, H. (2015). The assessment of entrepreneurship status in rural area, case: southern astarabad in gorgan, Journal of studies of human settlements planning, 10(30): 47-56.(In Farsi)
  24. Navabakhsh, M., Azkiya, M. Vosougi, M. & Moshir Estekhareh, Z. S. (2014). An assessment of effective on economic empowerment, The scientific research, 3(12): 1-20.(In Farsi)
  25. Nazar, A. & Adeli, J. (2012). A comparative of the rate of effectiveness of micro credit among different groups of rural societies in mountainous and plain areas, geography, 9(31): 191-214.(In Farsi)
  26. Oladokun, Y. O. M.; Adengan, K. O., Salman, K.K. & Alawode, O.O. (2018). Level of Asset Ownership by Women in Rural North-East & South-East Nigeria. Women's Studies International Forum. 70:68-78.
  27. Rahnavard, N. & hosseinin, F. A. (2008). Factors influencing on women's empowerment, Women in development and politics, 6(1): 105-118.(In Farsi)
  28. Rezaei, R. & Vedadi E. (2014). Identifying and analyzing the barriers in women’s economic participation in the rural regions of the Zanjan Province (Case study: Abhar- Rod Rural District), Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 4(3): 501-510 .(In Farsi)
  29. Salehi Chegeni, M., Rahimian, M. & Gholamrezai. S. (2018). Analyzing the Solutions of Microcredit Funds to Empower Rural Women (Case study: Lorestan Province), Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 45(3):675-687. (In Farsi)
  30. Salwa, A. H. F., Azahari, A.M. & Tamkin, B. J. (2013). Success factors of successful microcredit entrepreneurs: empirical evidence from Malaysia. International journal of business and social science. 4 (5):153-159.
  31. Sell, M. & Minot, N. (2018). What Factors Explain Women's Empowerment? Decision-Making Among Small-Scale Farmers in Uganda. Women's Studies International Forum, 71:46-55.
  32. Selvaraj, N. & Suganya, M. (2015). Rural Women Empowerment through Capacity Building-A Study With Reference To Micro Credit Programmes in Tamilnadu, India. International Journal of Research in Management, Economics & Commerce. 5 (3):20-52.
  33. Sepahvend, F. Gholamrezai, S. Rahimian, M., Malekshahi, Y. (2015). The role of home care jobs and its importance in rural women's empowering, National conference on sustainable agriculture, environment and rural development. (In Farsi).
  34. Soroosh Mehr, H. (2009). Evaluation of economic empowerment indices and strategies of rural women in Hamadan, Master thesis, Tehran University, Economic and agricultural development department.(In Farsi)
  35. Statistical Center of Iran. (2015). Economic and social status of the provinces of the country, Country panning and budget organization.(In Farsi)
  36. Statistical Center of Iran. (2016). Population and housing census, Country panning and budget organization. (In Farsi).
  37. Steiner, A. A., & Farmer, J. (2017). Engage, participate, empower: Modelling power transfer in disadvantaged rural communities. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 2399654417701730.

Sultana, S. & Hasan, S.S. (2012). Impact of Micro Credit on Economic Empowerment of Rural Women. The Agriculturists. 8 (2): 43-49

Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Volume 52, Issue 3
Summer 2021
Pages 553-567