Co-operatives are seen as one of the appropriate strategies for intervention in eradicating poverty in rural communities. During the financial year 2007-2008 the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes pronounced on the availability of funds in its budget for the establishment of women’s co-operatives and other livelihood community projects. The initiative of funding rural women’s cooperatives was one of the interventions to address high poverty and unemployment levels among rural women in the province. Rural women co-operatives were nonexistent in the Mbhashe area of the Eastern Cape, as a consequence, co-operatives were speedily formed in order to access funding for women co-operatives that was made available by the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes. The concern of the state initiated rural women’s co-operatives was their long-term sustainability as they were not embedded in the principles of a co-operative as autonomous association of persons who should voluntarily unite to meet their common economic, cultural and social needs and aspirations through a jointly democratically controlled enterprise. It was a top-down approach which negated inherent values of cooperation, namely self help, self responsibility, democracy, equity and solidarity. The aim of the study was to investigate the challenges faced by state-initiated rural women’s co-operatives in reducing poverty in the Mbhashe Area, Eastern Cape Province. Purposive sampling was used to select members of the co-operatives as participants. Study had an applied goal and intrinsic was the research design. Data was collected by means of focus group interviews and semi-structured interviews were used. The findings indicated that there is inadequate capacity in knowledge and skills to manage co-operatives and run a business and lack of co-operative values and principles among co-operatives. The study concludes that lack of knowledge about business, financial management and non adherence to co-operatives values and principles limit the ability of co-operatives to operate independently and succeed as businesses. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / The issue of women's access to land is a developmental issue. From a fundamental research view point, this study aims to explore the circumstances in which women access land in South Africa. The study examines the inequalities that may arise in the context of land access, land acquisition; land use, activities taking place on land and closely related issues focusing specifically on women in general, and women headed households in particular. The study is based on demographic characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, occupational groups, education, province of residence and ethnic groups. Bringing together the demographic variables and land related variables, the study captures the structural changes between 2004 and 2007. Using 2004 and 2007 GHS secondary data requested from Statistics South Africa, cross tabulation and bivariate statistical analysis by means of SPSS software was performed. The results obtained indicate that the inequality against women's access to land still persists. Some women have access to land for agricultural purpose but few own it. The findings suggest that a number of factors including age, place of residence, marital status, ethnic group, literacy, educational level, of women are associated with the ability of women to access and acquire land. The sustainable livelihood framework is a theory that guided this study. Diversification is commonly used to prevent time of risks and shocks. In general, the study shows that the proportion of women who had access to land was 16% in 2004. This figure dropped to 14% in 2007. / South Africa

The rural women in EMLM hew the wood, carry water, satisfy the men, produce and take care of the children to continue the family tree, and manage all the household chores. Their contribution is central to the effective functioning of families and communities. Yet, in terms of decision-making and local governance structures, they are absent. Indeed, there is truly a large constituency of women out there who are largely unrepresented; and therefore, they have no idea how governance is conducted – even around them. This is unfair, especially in jurisdictions where women are clearly in the majority. It is inconceivable that local governance structures have over a decade recorded only a single elected female member. With this in mind, this study seeks to explore the extent of rural women’s participation in local governance in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality. It is a comparison of traditional and democratic local governance structures; and the methods the researcher has used are qualitative and quantitative data on women councillors from 2013, in order to assess the factors that may be accountable for their small numbers, as compared to their male counterparts. The conclusion drawn was that the social structure, its traditions and cultural was identified in the study as the main obstacle to the advancement of women in the political arena. This study has not exhausted all the facets of the challenges; but it has brought a few to the fore, in an attempt to help stimulate debate, and inform policy and practice in the future.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2015 / The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of gender discrimination in water services provision on women empowerment in GaPila Village, located in Limpopo Province. Gender discrimination remains a major challenge both in the labour market and within households. The allocation of resources within households is still much gendered due to unequal gender relations in most rural areas. Men are allocated most resources within households and have many benefits than women. Such also manifest to children. Despite, women being major beneficiaries of the delivery of water services, they are discriminated against as they are not involved with the processes that precede the provision of such services. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research approach to establish the effects of gender discrimination in the provision of water services on women empowerment. The findings of the study illustrated that culture and tradition are the key to the inadequacy of women’s access to and control over management of water services. Cultural practices within communities either ignore female participation in water services management. Their participation is obstructed by lack of time, level of education, low self-esteem and flexibility due to substantial workload and numerous household responsibilities. The study also showed that according to local cultural beliefs, the status of women whether high or low, does not determine the amount of work that must be done by her at home, because irrespective of her status or career placement, her primary assignment is to care for the family/home. The study further revealed that women in the GaPila Village are allowed access to economic opportunities and participation roles during community meetings. Also, women are allowed to occupy positions such as chairperson, secretary and treasurer; however, due to culture and tradition, low self-esteem and lack of support from men, women do not take advantage of such opportunities to occupy these positions of authority in water services. Therefore, the study concluded that, as woman’s contributions regarding water services provision remains inconsequential because they are excluded from decision making processes that affect their level of living and prospects of empowerment. From a water services provision perspective, this study affirms the theoretical principle that discrimination against women disempowers them. Women are the beneficiaries of water services because most of their duties require water. As such, it is important for women to actively participate and to be involved in the management committee relating to water services and provision.

[pt] A organização de movimentos de mulheres rurais durante a década de 1980 trouxe à tona um processo que articulou distintas formas de resistência e mobilização na luta por direitos e pelo reconhecimento do trabalho desempenhado pelas mulheres no meio rural brasileiro. Ao reivindicar o seu reconhecimento como trabalhadora rural e, por conseguinte, denunciar a sua exclusão dos espaços de representação política, tais movimentos mobilizam elementos fundamentais para a compreensão da divisão sexual do trabalho nas áreas rurais bem como dos itinerários que definem trajetórias e formas de socialização política destas mulheres. A partir do estudo do Movimento de Mulheres Camponesas no Oeste do estado de Santa Catarina (MMC-SC) organizado há mais de três décadas, a tese aponta como se dá nesse contexto a conformação de uma luta compreendida como de mulheres rurais e a noção de autonomia como justificativa para a existência de movimentos formados exclusivamente por mulheres surge como um aspecto crucial na luta por direitos. A partir de uma abordagem qualitativa, a pesquisa explora estas relações que envolvem o histórico de ocupação e colonização da região, a divisão sexual do trabalho, as formas de organização e socialização política com o objetivo de compreender como estas são traduzidas em termos de reivindicações para o MMC-SC. Vistas por esse prisma, não privilegiamos a observância de um conflito específico, e sim do tecido social que permitiu a emergência do movimento analisado e do engajamento destas mulheres ao longo dos anos. Tal perspectiva outorga ainda um olhar menos normativo sobre estas experiências do fazer política, distanciando-se de classificações ou tipologias definidas a priori. / [en] The organization of rural women s movements during the 1980s brought to the fore a process that articulated different forms of resistance and mobilization in the struggle for rights and recognition of the work performed by women in rural Brazil. By claiming their recognition as a rural worker and, therefore, denouncing their exclusion from spaces of political representation, these movements mobilize fundamental elements for understanding the sexual division of labor in rural areas as well as the itineraries that define trajectories and forms of political socialization of these women. Based on the study of the Movement of Peasant Women in the West of the State of Santa Catarina (MMC-SC), organized more than three decades ago, the thesis shows how in this context the formation of a struggle understood as rural women and notion of autonomy as justification for the existence of movements formed exclusively by women emerges as a crucial aspect in the struggle for rights. From a qualitative approach, the research explores these relationships that involve the history of occupation and colonization of the region, the sexual division of work, the forms of organization and political socialization in order to understand how these are translated in terms of demands for The MMC-SC. Viewed from this perspective, we do not privilege the observance of a specific conflict, but rather of the social fabric that allowed the emergence of the movement and the engagement of these women over the years. This perspective also gives a less normative view of these experiences of political making, distancing itself from classifications or typologies defined a priori.

This research explores the role of al-Hakkamat rural women poets in the context of armed conflict in Darfur, from 1980s to 2006. Utilising QSR NVivo7 software, the study analyses and interprets qualitatively collected data in the light of the posed research questions. Processes and attributes leading to the identification of al-Hakkamah, such as her singing and composing talents, are explored - from identifying and nurturing to fully constructing her role as a folk singer and agitator as well as a powerful social actor. Her nurtured personal and social identities reconstruct for her gender roles that are found to be both feared and revered by the community and appropriated by the government. She is found to respond effectively to situations ranging from gallantry (lauding), solidarity (lobbying) to downright belligerency (inciting). These roles exhibit robust and proactive gender roles and power relations in Darfur that enable women, not without historical precedence, to exercise their own identity, agency and political influence in an otherwise overwhelmingly patriarchal society. The study also reveals that the conflict of Darfur is rooted in the history of the neopatrimonial domestic politics pursued by the riverine ruling elites, marked by systemic failure to manage resource issues equitably between tribal and ethnic entities in Darfur. In such circumstances, al-Hakkamat agency is either volunteered or enlisted in the attempt to secure an advantage. In either case her agency is verifiably seen to bolster the hypothesis that rural women in Darfur exercise more power than their counterparts in rural northern Sudan. / Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand why women from Scott County, Tennessee, left home to attain the baccalaureate degree and returned home to live and/or work. More specifically, understanding (1) the educational aspirations, motivations, and discouragements prior to attending college; (2) the educational persistence, motivations, and discouragements while attending college; (3) and the reasons for returning to Scott County after attaining the baccalaureate degree. The population of this study included all females over the age of 25 who had a bachelor's degree, attended grades 1–12 in Scott County, Tennessee, and returned there to live. The primary form of data collection for the study was in-depth interviews. The interviews were arranged serially. This study also provided a forum for the participants to explain their experiences in their own voices. Data analysis occurred at the same time as the data collection. The open coding system developed into theoretical sampling, whereby the data was examined the emerging relationships and categories. From the data emerged 11 concepts that fit within the boundaries of the research questions and emerged from the collective responses. Participants were motivated to attend college by: (1) Hearing parents and grandparents speak regretfully about their own lack of education and (2) Having parents who viewed education as means of taking care of their daughters. The major deterrent was a lack of community support for higher education. Participants were motivated to persist at college by: (1) Parental influence (fear of displeasure); (2) Need for a job; (3) Developing or continuing a love of learning; (4) Developing self-awareness; (5) Raising self-esteem. Participants reasons for returning home were: (1) Family ties; (2) The need to payback educational assistance; and (3) Belief in life-long learning.

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