Empowerment of tharu farm women: An analysis of socio-economic and personal determinants

Empowerment determinants of tharu farm women

Abstract

The empowerment of Tharu farm women is crucial for achieving inclusive rural development. As primary contributors to agricultural labour, their socio-economic status, education, and decision-making capacity significantly influence household welfare and community progress. The present study was conducted to explore the socio-economic and personal characteristics of Tharu farm women and examine their relationship with empowerment indicators. Data were collected from a sample size of 200 Tharu women farmers using a structured interview schedule. The findings revealed that most of the respondents belonged to the middle-aged group (54%), while 31% were young and 15% were older. Educational attainment varied, with 21.5 % graduates and 15% illiterate. Most women were married (65.5%) and lived in nuclear families (58.5%), with medium-sized families being the most common (44 %). A significant majority were marginal farmers (65.5%), indicating limited landholding capacity. Material possession was found to be a medium for 47.5 15 cent of the respondents, and social participation was predominantly at a medium level (84 %). In terms of family roles, 44 % were dependent on their husbands, while 32.5 % served as heads of their households. Income levels showed that 36 per cent fell into the semi-medium category. Most respondents reported medium use of information sources (49.5 %) and medium access to marketing facilities (52.5 %). A high level of value orientation was observed in 54.5 per cent of the women, and farm activity participation was mostly at a medium level (60.5%). Notably, a dominant 88 per cent exhibited a high level of decision-making power. Statistical analysis using the Chi-square test revealed significant associations between empowerment and several variables like age (p=0.007), education (p=0.003), marital status (p=0.040), family size (p=0.016), social participation (p=0.001), position in the family (p=0.000), annual family income (p=0.004), source of information (p=0.004), value orientation (p=0.000), farm activities (p=0.004), and decision-making patterns (p=0.038). These findings emphasize that empowerment among Tharu farm women is influenced by a combination of educational, economic, and social factors.