Nas comunidades rurais, um número importante de organizações, associações e grupos de diferentes tipos gera uma atividade e um impacto importante sobre as interações e a vida dos seus vizinhos. Tradicionalmente, a participação das mulheres nas organizações não tem sido valorizada o suficiente, sendo pouco reconhecida a contribuição delas para os processos que promovem o desenvolvimento e a vida das localidades. Nesta tese, visa-se explorar as formas e mecanismos mediante os quais a participação das mulheres nestas organizações se transforma em uma contribuição fundamental para a geração de capital social e de recursos associativos que ajudam a alargar e produzir novas formas de cidadania. Nesse sentido, são estudadas as formas especializadas de participação feminina nos diferentes tipos de organizações, as predisposições a agrupar-se e a formar coletivos e o relacionamento dos vizinhos com o Estado. A partir do trabalho realizado para a tese, foi possível observar que nas comunidades rurais, embora homens e mulheres colaborem na produção de mecanismos de geração de cidadania ampliada, as mulheres desempenham um papel essencial no que diz respeito à transmissão e reprodução de uma série de normas e valores que conformam a base da cidadania, bem como das próprias formas de exercício dela. / In rural communities a large number of different kind of organizations, associations and groups produces an activity and a significant impact on interactions and lives of their neighbors. Traditionally the participation of women in the organizations has not been enough valued, and the contribution that they make on development has little regocgnition. This thesis explores the ways and mechanisms that allow women’s participation become a fundamental contribution to generate social capital and community resources to widen and produce new forms of citizenship. It explores the specialized forms that women has to participate in different types of organizations, as well as the predispositions to join together and create groups. Also the relationship of the neighbors with the State. Through the work done for the thesis, was possible to observe that in rural communities men and women work together in the generation of enlarged citizenship, however women have an essential work in regards to the transmission and reproduction of norms and values which are the basis of citizenship, as well as the exercise of that same citizenship.

The emergence of higher education opportunities in rural areas of Mexico such as throughout the state of Oaxaca has opened new opportunities for young women's professional development and new individual and community identities. I explore tensions between the collective imaginary of rural Mexico and rural women's emerging sense of independence and self-determination in light of higher education's expanding opportunities. Educational opportunities lead to community formation around commonality of experience in addition to ascribed community relationships and roles. I situate this analysis within the context of the Universidad Tecnológica de los Valles Centrales de Oaxaca (UT), a small university in San Pablo Huixtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. Through interviews and participant observation, I answer the following questions: (1) How is rural women's identity produced through policy, geography, and social influences? (2) In what ways do college women experience change in terms of family relationships and professional trajectories? and (3) How do changes in rural women's collective identity through professional development contribute to social movements for gender equality? This thesis provides a broader examination of the implications of shifts in family trajectory for belonging and women's identity in Mexico, contributing to larger discussions regarding higher education in rural areas, women's experiences and interactions within institutions, and women's collectives as venues for societal transformation. In conclusion, I offer recommendations for educational policy that supports women's identity development, promotes gender equality, and encourages women's leadership.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / The aim of the study was to asses the socio-economic impact of casualisation of female farm workers and to determine whether they understand their rights as provided in labour policies. The study was conducted in the Letsitele area in the Greater Tzaneen municipality, Mopani District, Limpopo Province of South Africa. A sample of eighty female farm workers was drawn from the population. The self-constructed questionnaire elicited biographic information, the socio-economic impact of casualisation and knowledge of female farm workers about labour policies was from the respondents The findings of the study showed that casualisation of female farm workers have a large impact on their lives. The low wages that they earn are usually insufficient to meet their basic financial needs such as schooling their children, buying food, and building proper houses. It was also established that they are not properly informed about labour policies.

No description available.

"July 24, 2004" / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 297-319) / xix, 319 leaves : ill. (some col.), maps ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, Discipline of Geographical and Environmental Studies, 2004

Women in rural Nepal are heavily involved in management of energy resources particularly biomass, which constitute the main form of rural energy as is the case in most developing countries. Women's most time consuming activities in rural areas of Nepal are cooking, collecting firewood, and processing grain, all of which are directly associated with the rural energy system. Despite women's strategic interests in improved rural energy in Nepal, energy planners (normally male) rarely consider women's roles, needs, and priorities when planning any interventions on rural energy. This study targeted at rural women in the mid hill region of Nepal, has examined the socio-economic implications of alternative energy technologies (AETs) especially in terms of saving women's labor and time and increasing opportunities for them to participate in social and economic activities. The analysis indicates that there is a positive implication of AETs on women's workload especially with access to the micro hydro mills available in the villages. In general, women have been able to save their labor and time in collecting firewood, and milling activities, although this is not always apparent due to women using the saved time for other household chores. However, AETs were rarely used for promoting end use activities (such as, energy based small cottage industries) in order to enhance women's socio-economic status. In addition, AETs had rather limited coverage and were not able to fulfill the energy demands of all rural households. There were also limitations in the adoption of such technologies mainly due to financial, technical, and social problems. For instance, the solar photovoltaic system and biogas plants were still costly for the poorest households even with subsidies. Consequently, socio-economic gaps within small communities widened and became highly visible with access to such technologies. Women's participation was mainly in terms of their involvement in community organizations (COs) and representation in Village Energy Committees (VECs) rather than their active participation in planning and decision-making processes with regard to AETs. Nevertheless, women were actively involved in providing labor in construction work relating to AETs, and creating and mobilizing saving funds as a means to be involved in small income generating activities associated with AETs. This study ultimately suggests a framework for increasing women's participation in rural energy plans and programs at local and national level, and develops policy measures to enable integration of gender into energy planning and policies. This would help to address practical and strategic gender needs in terms of fulfilling basic energy needs managed by women, and providing them with opportunities to be involved in some social and economic activities, which lead towards the self-enhancement of women.

This thesis examines the varied and contradictory ideas about rural women and their needs that are produced and circulate within development discourses and projects. It pays particular attention to the multiple actors involved in the production of such ideas and the relations of power that determine which ideas gain authority. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India, it looks at women's participation in three different development projects: a women's savings and credit group, a broad-based development NGO, and the women's village organizations (mahila mandals ). These case studies demonstrate how development organizations engage with local gender meanings, often working to reinforce or even exploit inequalities, rather than challenge them. As women are targeted by such projects, they creatively receive, shape, and negotiate the ideas and representations that they encounter about themselves. These encounters limit, and sometimes foster, women's potential for new political identities and agency.

This thesis examines the collective labour and resources utilized by farm women within the context of the farm women’s neighbourhood club in rural communities in twentieth century Southern Alberta. The ethnographic research explores the historic, cultural and political foundations of women’s labour on farms and in formal and informal farm organizations through interviews conducted with former members of two clubs that were actively involved in fundraising and philanthropic projects in their rural communities for more than forty-five years. The critical perspective argues farm women in rural clubs responded to the patriarchal farm discourse that gendered their labour by using their reproductive skills and resources to build and maintain friendships, social networks and mutuality, and do good works that ensured the livelihood of their rural communities. / vi, 141 leaves ; 29 cm.

Recent research suggests that rural people develop a rich array of informal support and exchange among their kin, neighbors and friends. These informal exchanges are argued to develop in response to the weak penetration of formal state structures and capitalist market relations in peripheral regions. This case study of the survival strategies of low income rural mothers who live in Quebec village demonstrates that these mothers' avenues for economic and social integration are restricted by the formal and informal sectors which constitute and reinforce one another. First, an extensive data and document analysis of the Quebec pronatalist and welfare policies reveals that they fail to provide low income rural women access to appropriate training and education, to transportation and adequately subsidized child care, or to secure jobs. This restricts these women's integration into formal or informal systems of support and exchange. The second section draws on interviews with 20 community leaders and on two years of participant observation. Contrary to the literature which suggests that extensive informal ties promote socially and economically inclusive rural communities, this case study reveals that centralized state development policies limit local community initiative and independence. Hence, community effort to aid low income families are limited to charity which does not fundamentally alter these families' marginal position. The third section draws on semi-structured interviews with 20 low income single and married (or common-law) mothers. Comparing the single and married mothers' strategies reveals that studies of the rural informal sector have narrowly defined the sector, by excluding unpaid domestic and child care work. It is shown that the married mother's strategy to stay in the home is a viable one because she alone performs the unpaid work of the home. This results in her isolation in the domestic sphere. For the single mothers who seek paid work, the gende

Rural women in Zimbabwe are disproportionately represented among the poor. Among the interventions taken to mitigate the poverty suffered by women is the concept of income-generating projects (lGPs). Government, non-governmental organisations and donor agencies support the IGPs. After years of channeling resources through the IGPs to alleviate the poverty of mostly rural women, it is necessary that we take stock of the benefits that have been realised. The aim of this thesis is to identify the benefits and pitfalls of the IGPs in alleviating poverty. A case study of two projects in Chinamora communal lands in Zimbabwe demonstrates that IGPs do provide some benefits to participants and their households. Limited funding for start-up capital and lack of viable markets are among the major impediments to increased benefits. There is evidence that women can successfully organise themselves and explore previously male dominated areas of production such as carpentry. This suggests that IGPs do have the potential to somewhat alleviate poverty. making it necessary for the supporting institutions to seriously consider improving the shortcomings presently plaguing IGPs. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.