ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN SELF-HELP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN REMO DIVISION OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Community development constitutes a part of the overall development strategy in many nations. Over the years, women self-help efforts have been relegated to the background most especially in Nigeria. The study assessed women’s participation in self-help community development projects in Remo division of Ogun State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used for selecting total sample size of 234 respondents. Data were collected on respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, types of self-help community development projects, reasons for their participation, and constraints limiting their participation. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency count, percentage and mean) and inferential statistics (chi-square and Spearman rho) at P≤0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that majority of the respondents (59.4%) were below 50 years of age. Majority (81.6%) of the respondents were married, educated (23.9%) up to post-secondary level. Humanitarian service 1.97), betterment of the community 1.92) were some of the reasons for women self-help efforts. The level of participation of the respondents was high with a score of (51.3%). Test of hypothesis revealed that significant relationship existed between participation in self-help development project and age (c² = 39.740), marital status (c² = 9.132), religion (c² = 13.852), educational attainment (c² = 11.087), possession of landed properties (c² = 20.602). It was recommended that Individuals and NGOs should be encouraged to be of help to women, women associations, rural communities through execution of rural development project which has direct influence on women health status.