Women, Economic Empowerment and Development

Abstract

Gender equality and women’s empowerment have been given much attention by international institutions and governments for their role in development. However, the views on women’s rights vary across cultures, religions, and socio-economic lines. More recently, economic empowerment of women has seen to be one of the culturally sensitive methods of promoting development through women’s empowerment. Even as governments and organizations engage in economic empowerment of women, it is important to recognize the distinctions in the definitions of success and empowerment, according to the women themselves, in order to achieve the goals of gender equality and women empowerment.

This study gives voice to 20 Kenyan women in the coastal area to express their own definitions and ways of achieving success and empowerment, as well as their perspectives on challenges and solutions in their efforts towards economic empowerment. According to these women, money and children are fundaments of a successful woman. Their desires to improve the lives of their children encourage these women to take up work. Their aspirations for work stems from their self-identity as a mother, indicating the strong family ties attributable to culture and religion. It is also found that economic empowerment could lead to women empowerment, as women become more confident, independent and respected through work. However, this finding is not consistent for all modes of employment. Additionally, unlike the widely accepted view that traditionally defined gender roles hinder women empowerment efforts, these 20 women interviewed expressed that deviation from gender roles could cause disempowerment of women and troubled marriages.

Here are some of the portraits. Please note that the quotes are excerpted from the interview.


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