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Women Empowerment Through Self-Help Groups: The Bittersweet Fruits of Collective Apple Cultivation in Highland Ethiopia

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  • Sintayehu Hailu Alemu
  • Luuk Van Kempen
  • Ruerd Ruben

Abstract

This paper deals with the impact of self-help groups (SHGs) in apple production on empowering women in the Chencha district of Southern Ethiopia. Impact is traced on the basis of a cross-sectional survey among SHG members and nonmembers, using propensity score matching. Apart from the attitudinal changes among SHG and non-SHG women, we also scrutinize differences in male attitudes concerning the status of women. The results point towards positive and significant impacts of SHG participation on empowerment at the community level, which suggests that SHGs offer an effective space for women to share information and raise awareness about their rights. This could in turn be harnessed collectively to negotiate more “room to maneuver” in the community. At the same time, however, the data hint at negative effects from group participation at the household level. The attitudinal differences between treatment and control group indicate more conflictive relations between spouses, arguably due to an intensified fight to assert control over household resources. Hence, the evidence is consistent with a potential “backlash effect” from husbands.

Suggested Citation

  • Sintayehu Hailu Alemu & Luuk Van Kempen & Ruerd Ruben, 2018. "Women Empowerment Through Self-Help Groups: The Bittersweet Fruits of Collective Apple Cultivation in Highland Ethiopia," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 308-330, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:19:y:2018:i:3:p:308-330
    DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2018.1454407
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Anand & Swati Saxena & Rolando Gonzales Martinez & Hai-Anh H. Dang, 2020. "Can Women’s Self-help Groups Contribute to Sustainable Development? Evidence of Capability Changes from Northern India," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 137-160, April.
    2. Alena Auchynnikava & Nazim Habibov & Yunhong Lyu & Lida Fan, 2024. "Effect of the contextual (community) level social trust on women’s empowerment: an instrumental variable analysis of 26 nations," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Sridevi Samineni & Kandela Ramesh, 2023. "Measuring the Impact of Microfinance on Economic Enhancement of Women: Analysis with Special Reference to India," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 24(5), pages 1076-1091, October.
    4. 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.
    5. Hillesland, Marya & Kaaria, Susan & Mane, Erdgin & Alemu, Mihret & Slavchevska, Vanya, 2022. "Does a joint United Nations microfinance ‘plus’ program empower female farmers in rural Ethiopia? Evidence using the pro-WEAI," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    6. Ravi Kumar GUPTA & Udit MAHESHWARI & Debendra Nath DAS, 2023. "An analysis of factors influencing empowerment of rural women through Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (SGSY)," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(1(634), S), pages 153-168, Spring.
    7. Renata Serra & Kelly A. Davidson, 2021. "Selling Together: The Benefits of Cooperatives to Women Honey Producers in Ethiopia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(1), pages 202-223, February.
    8. Ruerd Ruben, 2024. "What Smallholders Want: Effective Strategies for Rural Poverty Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Etienne Lwamba & Shannon Shisler & Will Ridlehoover & Meital Kupfer & Nkululeko Tshabalala & Promise Nduku & Laurenz Langer & Sean Grant & Ada Sonnenfeld & Daniela Anda & John Eyers & Birte Snilstveit, 2022. "Strengthening women's empowerment and gender equality in fragile contexts towards peaceful and inclusive societies: A systematic review and meta‐analysis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(1), March.

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