Women Empowerment and Community Development: Voices and Perspectives of Marginalised Women in Nigeria

Abstract

The study explored women empowerment and community development: voices and perspectives of marginalized women. Women’s voices are unheard in most developing societies, and this essentially affected their socio-economic, socio-political, and socio-cultural impacts on community development activities. Universally, women encounter traversing discrimination, intensifying poverty susceptibility, and restraining unemployment. 69 of 190 economies restrict women’s workforce participation while 43 economies lack workplace sexual harassment laws. SDG goal 5 which focuses on gender equality promises to put an end to the barriers endearing women’s voices and perspectives. This marginalisation can be surmounted through women empowerment programmes for sustainable living conditions, equal human rights and social justice among humans. Concepts of marginalization, empowerment, women empowerment, and community development were discussed. Moreover, the obstructions and factors facilitating women’s empowerment for community development were also conversed. Therefore, women should be reinvigorated and involved in community development committees to guarantee their voices are heard and valued.