Assessment of Women’s Economic Empowerment through rural saving and Credit Cooperatives in Meta Robi District, West Shoa Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

In most rural parts of Ethiopia, women have no equal opportunity for economic, social, and political participation, and also a visible majority of them being poor. Women Economic empowerment, as a policy approach, uses different mechanisms to empower women; out of which organizing women into cooperatives is attracting the attention of many organizations. Concerning this scenario, this research was conducted to assess Women Economic Empowerment through rural saving and Credit Cooperative in Meta Robi Woreda of Oromia Region with specific objectives of examine women’s perception on economic empowerment through rural Saving and Credit Cooperatives, assessing the current level of women’s economic empowerment through rural SACCOs Saving and Credit Cooperatives and examine factors affecting women’s economic empowerment in rural Saving and Credit Cooperatives. The methodology of this study was an integration of qualitative and quantitative methods based on data collected from 4 rural saving and credit cooperatives 132 sample women members in Meta Robi Woreda by employing random sampling technique. Primary data gathered from the respondents were analyzed and summarized by using descriptive and inferential statistical tools (frequency, percentage, chart, mean, standard deviation and Chi-square test. Further, the qualitative data that was collected through key informant interview and focus group discussions was analyzed qualitatively using narration to triangulate the quantitative data. And secondary data were also used to collect the necessary information. In addition to these, Multiple Leaner Regression analysis was used to find the factors influencing women economic empowerment. The results of the study indicated that there are economic benefits for women participating in RASCCOs through providing loan, and training enable the members to perform income generating activities; which help them to increase their income, saving and relatively decision making power. Similarly the result shows that participation in cooperative services has a positive impact on economic empowerment of women. This is also an indication, being organized into cooperatives is very important for women to improve their economic condition in rural areas. Many constraints are faced by the women in the study area to be addressed by giving proper attention while strategy and policy preparation aimed to implement for women economic empowerment. Therefore, the study, recommends that quality extension services, personal skill, training, education and gender awareness program for rural women needs special attention to increase their empowerment level. Therefore to empower women the RUSCCOs work in collaboration with different partner organizations that have great stake in the local area.