Rural Women Empowerment: A Panacea For National Development

This paper examines the role of women in the process of national development. Because a large number of them live in the rural areas, it is the view that qualitative national development which is human-centered cannot be complete if a part of those who should sum up to make a total (rural women) are neither recognised, acknowledged or given the access to realise their optimum potentials. Despite the fact that rural women produce more than half of the nation’s agricultural labour force and food supply, it is still intriguing to realize that they have far less access than men to such empowermentindicators as land, education, extension services and credit facilities among others. If the potentials of women are to be brought to limelight, changes have to occur to address these socially embedded inequities which hold women back. There is thus a need to formulate and implement programmes,the priorities of which should include the access of rural women to land, extension services, credit facilities and gender education. This is to enhance necessary positive gender mainstreaming at all levels of society.