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WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH DECISION MAKING:

ABSTRACT

Rathiranee, Y,

Senior Lecturer, Department of Financial Management,

Faculty of Management Studies & Commerce, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

rathiy22@gmail.com

Women empowerment is giving legitimate power or authority to perform the tasks. If women

were empowered they would be able to participate in the planning and decision making task

and contribute to the development programmes and activities individually. This study focuses

on women empowerment through decision making authority at household level. The male

headed household in Sri Lanka is the norm, and it is not accepted culturally to be female

headed household. The concept of the head of the husband is not defined in anywhere.

Further in the census record, ration card and other family survey reports also the name of the

male has been given under head of the household and it is obviously stated that he is the

breadwinner and the chief decision maker. In some cases where the wife is the breadwinner but

the husband is the decision maker. The prime objective of this study is to examine the women

empowerment through decision making power at house hold level. It has been assumed that

there is a positive relationship between women empowerment and decision making at

household level. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been used to obtain reliable data.

Data were derived from a questionnaire survey of sample 94 women in three Divisional

Secretariat Divisions. In addition to this, three focus group discussions were conducted

involving 18 women while in-depth interviews were carried out with another 12. The data have

been collected 66 out of 94 regarding the decision making power on income, saving,

expenditure and children education and marriage decisions etc., The correlation and ANOVA

test have been used to analyse the data to find out the relationship and significant differences

using SPSS software package. The study recognizes that there is a strong relationship between

decision making authority and women empowerment. However women are not allowed to

take the decisions at household level due to the cultural norms and other personal issues.

Key words: Decision Making, Women Empowerment and household level.

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1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:

Empowerment is meant that give power or authority to someone. Women are important to

the family as a mother as well in a society. Women are working in the family without any

compensation but in the workplace they earn more money with their high position. A UN

Secretary General report states that women in the developing world face violence in varying

degrees: forced marriage, spousal abuse, forced prostitution, infanticide and genital cutting.

Nicholas Kristof, a New York Times journalist who reports widely on human rights issues in

the developing world, describes how husbands impose violence on spouses for disobedience,

how parents spend more on healthcare for infant boys than girls, and how women are forced

into sex trafficking. Kristof argued that “in this century the paramount moral challenge will

be the struggle for gender equality around the world”.

Empowerment is defined as a process that women are able to transform their self perceptions-

equivalent to alchemy of obviously transforming gender roles. Empowerment and

development are closely related. Empowerment leads to development. It is giving lawful

power or authority to act. Women all over the world have been challenging and changing

inequalities since the beginnings of history. These struggles have been supported by men

who have been impaired at injustices against women and society.

Empowerment of women refers to giving decision making power to women in social,

economic and political sphere of life. Empowerment of women is very much essential to

achieve sustainable development. It is prerequisite to gender equality and development.

Quoting from a UNFPA report, “the state of World Population 1992”, the News Letter of

Bernard Van Leer Foundation says, that there can be no sustainable development without

development for women, because it is women who contribute most for the development for

children. The process of empowerment should start from our own home. Women’s position

in the household determines women’s autonomy in the family. It is worth to examine

whether can decide about household matters like buying household assets and jewelleries,

having access to money, having mobility to go to relatives’ house or getting health care

facilities.

A study by Hoque and Itohara (2009) reported that micro credit is contributing to some extent

in generating economic activities and participation in family decision making of the rural

women. And also stated that micro credit program in Bangladesh is developing gender

awareness among the women. This study was conceptualized considering basically three

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important dimensions of women’s empowerment that identifies five principles in which

empowerment are achieved including welfare, access equality, awareness raising,

participation and control. The results of the study by Hoque and Itohara (2009) reported that

micro credit is contributing to some extent in generating economic activities and participation

in family decision making of the rural women.

Pitt, Khandker and Cartwright (2006), on their study of Empowering Women with Micro

Finance: Evidence from Bangladesh examined the effects of men’s and women’s

participation in group based micro credit programs on various indicators of women’ s

empowerment. The results are consistent with the view that women’s participation in micro

credit program helps to increase women’s empowerment. Credit programs lead to women

taking a greater role in household decision making, having greater access to financial and

economic resources, having greater social networks, having greater bargaining power vis-a-

vis their husbands, and having greater freedom of mobility.

In the post war situation the majority of female headed households in Northern part of Sri

Lanka who have lost their male relatives during the war situation. However, they are the

bread winners and decision makers to manage the household activities and they have the

responsibility to look after their children they are not in a position to take whole decisions in

the household activities such as savings, purchasing assets, investments and other economic,

social and political activities due to the cultural and religious norms.

According to Makombe, Temba and Kihombo, (1999), the study found that there is an

improvement in gender relations and poverty alleviation and there is increased women

involvement in decision making, control over household resources and freedom to used their

time.

The Sri Lanka Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2006-2007, provide information

specific to women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka. Information and data was collected on

women’s control over their own earnings and their participation in household decision

making. The degree of women’s decision making power is not same over the different

aspects of life considered here. Women are almost the sole authority to decide about cooking

and have access to money but can rarely buy jewelry of its own. Less than one-third of

women can decide about health care or get permission to go to relative’s house or market.

This study focused on women positions in the family with regard to their role in the intra

family decision making, their degree of control over some selected items. This study was

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designed to examined women’s autonomy and decision making power among rural women

within their household in Sri Lanka. For this purpose the following research problem has

been identified in this study: “Women are stimulating with meeting their family basic needs

but lack the decision making authority to perform the needful”.

2 OBJECTIVES AND HYPOTHESIS:

The prime objective of this study is to examine women autonomy and the decision making

power at household level.

In addition to this prime objective the following objectives have been

incorporated in this study:

i) To find out the relationship between decision making power and women

empowerment.

ii) To identify the level of autonomy and decision making power influence on

women empowerment.

iii) To give suggestions and recommendations to improve decision making power

and empowerment at household level.

To meet the above objectives it has been assumed that;

H1: “There is a positive relationship between women empowerment and decision making

power at household level”

3 RESEARCH METHODS AND TOOLS:

Quantitative as well as qualitative methods were employed to find out the results. While

more emphasis was given to the quantitative method, qualitative analysis was used as a

supplement to the former approach. With the objective of obtaining accurate quantitative

information, a questionnaire was developed for a total of 94 respondents who are living in the

rural areas. The study was designed in such a way that comparison of respondents’

empowerment levels through decision making power. Only 66 have been considered out of

94 due to lack of data in the questionnaires. In addition to this the focus group discussions

and in-depth interview methods have been used to get reliable data.

The focus group discussion is held among individuals of 5 to 10 persons divided into a 2 to 6

groups. In this study, two focus group discussions were conducted with 20 women. The

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focus group discussions lasted from half an hour to one hour and the information obtained

was generally very valuable. In-depth interview was used in addition to focus group

discussion in order to obtain more information from the respondents. The structured

questions raised during the interview deal with the respondent’s personal background and

issues. Four persons have been selected from each area who live in Chiththankerni, Irupalai

North, Manipay, Anaikoddai, those areas belong to Chankanai, Kopay and Sandilipay GS

Divisions respectively. Most respondents expressed their ideas freely while a few showed

reservations. The interviews generally lasted from 30 minutes to an hour.

4 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

With regard to the quantitative analysis, SPSS software was employed for the data entry and

to assess the results. The resulting data was then analyzed and interpreted. To analyse the

empowerment through decision making respondents were asked the questions regarding the

decision making power at house hold level and the tables 1 and 2 show that the mean level of

decision making authority, correlation, significance differences among variables and impact

of decision making on women empowerment.

The recording of both the in-depth interview and focus group discussion was initially

transcribed. Then the transcripts have been read and taken notes. Interpretative reading

involves constructing and documenting what the data represent and then can describe and

explain the phenomenon being studied from the data.

Table 1 (Appendix) shows that the maximum and minimum level of decision making which

expresses 5 and 1 score respectively and various level of mean. In this case, if the mean level

is above 3 it will be explained that the respondents have decision making power and which

leads to empowerment. Table 1 explains that there is no decision making power except the

decisions on cooking, visits to relative’s house and health care because the mean level of its

above three and the mean level of decisions on income, expenditures and children’s education

is below three.

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Table 2 illustrates that the relationship between decision making power and empowerment and

it explains that there is positive relationship between decision making and interpersonal

empowerment (0.724) at 0.01 significant level. Further, it has revealed that the decision

making on cooking, visits to relative’s house and health care have positive moderate

relationship with empowerment (<0.50) and the decisions on household income, savings,

expenditures and children’s education have weak relationship with empowerment (>0.50).

Further the regression analysis shows that the impact of decision making on empowerment

only 52.5% and the remaining 47.5% has been determined by other factors such as economic,

social, political and other legal rights. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the

overall significant of the linear regression model F test (P < 0.05) for considerable adjustment

of the model with the regression coefficient (R square) 52.5. Therefore, it has been explained

that there is no significant differences between decision making and women empowerment.

However if we conclude that there is positive relationship between decision making and

empowerment, which focuses only the freedom to take decisions on cooking, visits to

relative’s house and self healthcare except the decisions on household income, savings and

expenditures and children’s education.

In addition to this quantitative analysis the following results have been derived from the

qualitative analysis.

Case 1: “I am 32 years old have completed G.C.E (A/L) and have two children. We have

a retail shop at our home and I will help my husband to run the business. When I take any

decisions I will discuss with my husband and the decisions regarding children’s education

and household income, savings and expenditures have been made by my husband”.

Case2: “I am Chandrika housewife, and I take decisions on cooking, visits to relative’s house

and self health care but other decisions regarding income, savings, expenditures and

children’s education and healthcare have been taken by my husband”.

Case 3: “The decisions on income, savings, expenditures and children’s education are taken

my husband except the decisions on cooking, visits to relative’s houses and healthcare”.

Case 4: “My husband is a daily paid labourer. However I take all decisions which will be

discussed with my husband”.

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From the above cases it could be concluded that all decisions except the decisions on

cooking, visits to relative’s houses and health care are taken by women which resulting from

the quantitative results as well.

5 CONCLUSION:

From the above both quantitative and qualitative analysis it could be concluded that there is a

positive relationship between decision making power and women empowerment. The degree

of women’s decision making power is not the same over the different aspects of life and

situation. Women have sole authority to decide about cooking and have access to money for

this purpose, but can rarely purchase household assets and jewellery of its own. Further

women have freedom to decide about their healthcare and visits to their relative’s house. In

Sri Lanka, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims are living with various cultural beliefs and norms.

Tamils have different cultural norms and beliefs and they respect their male partners.

Further, it is different between rural and urban areas and the women education and

occupation level. Women take any decisions with their husband’s permission and husbands

do not believe that there wives are talented persons. Further, husbands think about their

wives who depend on husbands and they can’t perfectly complete any task without their help

although they are the breadwinners. And Tamil women hesitate and fearing of doing the

forwarded activities due to their shyness which is another reason for this low decision making

power. So In this situation the change of attitude of women and men is very important to

empower women by giving decision making authority to them.

The family relations training are needed to the rural people and which is not only for women

participants but to their male partners also. These Gender workshops and training

programmes will bring women and men together to discuss responsibilities and decision

making. If only the attitude of women and men is being changed women could be

empowered. Further, microfinance programmes should be considered in the rural areas

especially in the northern part of Sri Lanka where the war affected areas and which leads to

decision making power of women. At present however, it is moving in these areas the men

also should be considered in these aspects.

References:

Maheswaranathan,S., Kenedy, F, B., Impact of Micro Credit Programs on Eliminating

Economic Hardship of Women, (2010), ICBI 2010, University of Kelaniya, Sri

Lanka.

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Selvamalar, A., (2006), An Insight into the “Constraints” Faced by Women Entrepreneurs

in a War-Torn Area: Case Study of the North East of Sri Lanka, Consultant Trainer,

Academy of World Business Marketing and Management Development

(AWBMAMD) Conference at Novotel, Paris, France.

Chulangani , H. M. A., & Ariyawardana, A., (2007 ), Analysis of Lending by public and

Private Micro-Financial Institutions to Microenterprises in NuwaraEliya,

Sabaragamuwa University Journal, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp 86-100.

Thurairajah,N., Amaratunga, D., & Haigh, R., (2010) Women’s Empowerment in

Disaster Reconstruction: Critical Perspectives on Policies and Frameworks. School of

the Build Environment, University of Salford.

Hoque, M., & Itohara, Y., ( 2009), Women empowerment through participation in micro

credit programme : a case study from Bangladesh, Journal of Social Sciences, Science

Publications, Gale.

Pitt, M. M., Khandker, S. R., Cartwright, J. (2006), Empowering Women with Micro

Finance: Evidence from Bangladesh, Seminar Paper, The University of Chicago.

Pitt,M and Khandker, S, (1996), Housholds and intra household impacts of the Grameen

Bank and Similar targeted Credit Programmes in Bangaladesh; World Bank

Discussion Paper No: 323, Washington D.C.

Makombe, I. A. M., Temba, E. I., & Kihombo, A. R. M. (1999), Credit Schemes and

Women’s Empowerment for Poverty Alleviation: The Case of Tanga Region,

Tanzania, Research Report No.99.1, Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA).

Arulrajah, J,A, and Philip, P, G, (2011), Equlity and Personality Development of Women-

Headed Hous Hold: The Role of INGOs and NGOs in Women Headed House Hold in

Manmunai South West D.S Division of Batticaloa.

The Sri Lanka Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2006-2007.

UNFPA Report, The State of World Population 1992.

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Appendixes:

Table 1

Descriptive Statistics

N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation

Decision making on household income and savings 66 1.00 5.00 2.4242 .89547

Decision making on household expenditures 66 1.00 5.00 2.4848 .80846

Decision making on children's education 66 1.00 5.00 2.7424 1.02748

freedom to cooking 66 1.00 5.00 4.0152 1.04502

freedom to visits relative's house 66 1.00 5.00 4.1061 1.15197

Autonomy on Self healthcare and children’s healthcare

66 1.00 5.00 4.0909 1.17313

AverageDM 66 1.00 5.00 3.8242 1.06382

Valid N (listwise) 66

Source: Survey Results

Table 2

Correlations

** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed)

* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level ( 2 tailed)

Source: Survey Results

DM

on

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inco

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and

savin

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DM

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house

hold

expen

dit

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res

DM

on

chil

dre

n’s

educa

tion

Fre

edom

to

cookin

g

Fre

edom

to v

isit

s

rela

tive’

s

house

D

M o

n

Chil

dre

n’

s an

d s

elf

hea

lthca

re

Ave.

DM

Ave.

IP

Em

p.

DM on household

income and

savings

1 .223 .338** .290 .358** .373** .373*

*

.478**

DM on household

expenditures 1 -.027 -.139 .076 .079 .121 .180

DM on children’s

education 1 -.282 .244* .249* .423*

*

.337**

Freedom to

cooking 1 -.104 .100 .493*

*

.573**

Freedom to visits

relative’s house 1 .995** .678*

*

.510**

DM on

Children’s and

self healthcare

1 .691*

*

.533**

Ave. DM 1 .724**

Ave. IP Emp. 1