Empowering Women Self-Help Group Members through Open and Distance Learning
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61538/huria.v20i0.39Abstract
Women self-help groups play a crucial role in personal emancipation and community development. This in itself is worthy of commendation. However, the role played by women in these societies can multiply in economic value if members are literate and vocationally skilled. Many members of women self-help groups are mostly illiterates who have had no access to formal education. At this point in their lives, they do not need school or a degree but vocational skills and basic education for empowerment and self-reliance. This is hinged on the fact that education liberates and Open and distance learning (ODL) is a powerful instrument for achieving this objective. The study investigated ways ODL can benefit the women self-help groups in 5 market locations in Lagos Mainland and sought the women’s perception of ODL as a means of empowerment. Structured interview was used to get responses from a total of 200 purposively selected respondents. Data gathered were analysed and findings revealed that members of women self-help groups believe ODL is a good means of acquiring education and empowerment because of its flexibility (working and learning)References
Akomolafe, C. O. (n.d.). ―Open and Distance Learning as a Mechanism for Women Empowerment Nigeria.http://pcf4.dec.uwi.edu/viewpaper. php?id
Empowerment. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/empowerment. Retrieved 17/5/2013.
Encarta Dictionary (2009).―The Importance of Skills Acquisition‖ Digest 2, p.1. FME/UNESCO (2003).Strategy for the Acceleration of Girls‘ Education in Nigeria. Abuja. Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Ghadoliya, M.K. (n.d.). Empowering Women through Self-Help Groups: Role of Distance Education.www.col.org/pcf3/papers/pdfs. Retrieved 17/5/2013
International Fund for Agricultural Development (2010). Empowering Women through Self-help Groups. http://www.ifad.org/evaluation/ public_html/eksyst/doc. retrieved30/5/2013
Janaki, D. (2006). Empowering Women through Distance Learning in India.
http://pcf4.dec.uwi.edu/viewpaper. retrieved 17/5/2013
Malhotra,A., Schuler, S.R. &Boender, C. (2002). Measuring Women‘s Empowerment as a Variable in International Development. Background paper prepared for the Worldbank worhshop on poverty and gender: New perspective. Final version, June 28.
Mbonu, B. (2012). ―The Role of Women in Nation Building and Empowerment‖ Address presented at the 4th Imo summit at Lagoon restaurant, Lagos.
Okeke, E.A.C. (1995). Women Empowerment and Rural Development.In E.C. Eboh, C.U. Okoye & D.Ayichi (eds0 Rural Development in Nigeria: concepts, processes and prospects. Enugu,Auto-century pub.. pp.152-163.
Olakulehin, F.K.&Ojo, D.O.(2006). ―Distance Education as Women Empowerment strategy in Africa‖ Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education 7(1), article 13.
Onwubiko, C.A.C. (2012). Empowerment of Women towards National
Development.Journal of Resourcefulness and Distinction, 2(1), 68-78.
Talesra,H . (2004). Open and Distance Learning: Global challenges. E-35/103, Jwahar Park, Laxmi Nagar, New Delhi, India.
Tejuosho, F. (2008).― Illiteracy is our Biggest Problem as Women‖. Saturday Vanguard Newspaper, March 22, p.17.
The Hunger Project- Empowering Women as Key Change Agents. http://www.thp.org/what_we_do/prog. retrieved 17/5/2013.
Thiyangarajan, P. (2009). Empowering Women through Open and Distance
Education.Digitallearning
UNESCO (2002). Open and Distance Learning: Trends, Policy and Strategy Considerations. Paris, UNESCO.
UNICEF (2014). Human Development Index (HDI) UNDP Human Development Report.www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter retrieved 30/10/2014
UNICEF (2007).―Equality in Employment‖.In The State of the World‘s Children. New York: United Nations Children‘s Fund
Yahaya, L.A. (1999). ―Women Empowerment in Nigeria: Problems, Prospects and Implications for Counselling‖. The Counsellor, 17(1). pp. 132-137.
