Women’s Empowerment in Ondo State, Nigeria Using Education, Partner’s Attitude & Culture and Political Participation.

Abstract

Women's empowerment was a major concern in most developing countries, including Nigeria. This was because human development evolves when there is development of people, their freedom, their opportunities, and their participation in those activities and events that shape their lives better. Women's empowerment was about the enhancement of the status of women economically, socially, and politically in our society. It concerns women's freedom to make decisions that affect their lives. This included the right to economic engagements of their interest, the right to spend their income freely, the right to inheritance and to owe property, etc. In most developing countries, women were relegated to the background, even as many of them strive to meet the needs of their children and family members. The research examines the impact of education on women's empowerment in Ondo State. It further investigates the impact of culture and religion on women's empowerment, the impact of partner’s attitude on women’s empowerment and the impact of political participation of women on women empowerment in Ondo state. The research methodology relies on a mixed-method approach. Thus, it entails using well-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews with respondents. Descriptive statistics such as simple percentages, tables and chi-squares through SPSS were used to analyse data gathered during the fieldwork. Findings from the study reveal that women empowerment is a multifaceted process and is determined by the level of education, cultural and religious values, attitude of the husband, and political participation. The study recommends that access to quality education by women in the society should be enhanced. Community engagement and sensitization initiatives are crucial in addressing the contribution of restrictive cultural and religious norms to the disempowerment of women. The religious and community leaders should be engaged to discuss and re-define cultural and religious texts with a positive meaning for gender equality.