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Innovative Grassroots NGOS and the Complex Processes of Women’s Empowerment: An Empirical Investigation from Northern Tanzania

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  • Goldman, Mara J.
  • Little, Jani S.

Abstract

We argue that women’s empowerment is an ongoing, incremental, and relational process that occurs across scales and pathways. Using a contextualized mixed methods approach, we measure empowerment processes unfolding across Maasai villages in northern Tanzania as related to the interventions of two innovative grassroots NGOs. Our results indicate increased personal agency in the household and increased political participation at the societal level as related to NGO involvement. Moreover, we show links between increased personal agency, and changes in beliefs regarding gender norms at the societal level. This highlights the transformative potential for change and the links across empowerment pathways.

Suggested Citation

  • Goldman, Mara J. & Little, Jani S., 2015. "Innovative Grassroots NGOS and the Complex Processes of Women’s Empowerment: An Empirical Investigation from Northern Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 762-777.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:66:y:2015:i:c:p:762-777
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.09.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mahmud, Simeen & Shah, Nirali M. & Becker, Stan, 2012. "Measurement of Women’s Empowerment in Rural Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 610-619.
    2. Naila Kabeer, 1999. "Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 30(3), pages 435-464, July.
    3. Hanny Cueva Beteta, 2006. "What is missing in measures of Women's Empowerment?," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 221-241.
    4. Elizabeth Wangui, 2008. "Development interventions, changing livelihoods, and the making of female Maasai pastoralists," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(3), pages 365-378, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicola Banks & Tony Brockington, 2019. "Mapping the UK’s development NGOs: income, geography and contributions to international development," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 352019, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    2. Grillos, Tara, 2018. "Women’s participation in environmental decision-making: Quasi-experimental evidence from northern Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 115-130.
    3. Yurco, Kayla, 2024. "From grazing units to milking units: The gendered nature of intra-household livestock management and food security for pastoralists in Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    4. McCarthy, Aine Seitz & Krause, Brooke, 2024. "Age and Agency: Evidence from a Women’s Empowerment Program in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    5. Périlleux, Anaïs & Szafarz, Ariane, 2015. "Women Leaders and Social Performance: Evidence from Financial Cooperatives in Senegal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 437-452.
    6. A. Galiè & N. Teufel & L. Korir & I. Baltenweck & A. Webb Girard & P. Dominguez-Salas & K. M. Yount, 2019. "The Women’s Empowerment in Livestock Index," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 799-825, April.
    7. O'Hara, Corey & Clement, Floriane, 2018. "Power as agency: A critical reflection on the measurement of women’s empowerment in the development sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 111-123.
    8. Thomas Coen & Anthony D'Agostino & Naomi Dorsey & Arif Mamun & Hua Xie & Yating Ru & Ephraim Nkonya & Claudia Ringler, "undated". "Interim Report for Evaluation of the ENRM Project in Malawi," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 5faea006db4645dba4596c634, Mathematica Policy Research.
    9. Musonera, Abdou & Heshmati, Almas, 2016. "Measuring Women's Empowerment in Rwanda," IZA Discussion Papers 10131, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Varsha P. S. & Gayathri Reddy K. & Sudheendra Rao L. N. & Amit Kumar, 2019. "Impact of self-help groups, capacity building measures and perceived tension on women empowerment- an empirical study," Asian Journal of Empirical Research, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(3), pages 65-87, March.
    11. Cook, Nathan J. & Wright, Glenn D. & Andersson, Krister P., 2017. "Local Politics of Forest Governance: Why NGO Support Can Reduce Local Government Responsiveness," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 203-214.
    12. Laszlo, Sonia & Grantham, Kate & Oskay, Ecem & Zhang, Tingting, 2020. "Grappling with the challenges of measuring women's economic empowerment in intrahousehold settings," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    13. Kristen Velyvis & Thomas Coen & Irina Cheban & Naomi Dorsey & Arif Mamun, "undated". "Interim Report on Grants Under the ENRM Project in Malawi," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 07c35e466e314984944b4b2f4, Mathematica Policy Research.

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