Women's Studies
Amir Asgari; Sahebeh Masoudi; Maedeh Taghizadeh Tabarsi
Abstract
Women's empowerment is a critical topic included in a wide range of programs and policies of various institutions worldwide. Despite this, research in cognitive sciences, particularly regarding cognition and cognitive abilities, has often been overlooked in many of these policies. This research aims ...
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Women's empowerment is a critical topic included in a wide range of programs and policies of various institutions worldwide. Despite this, research in cognitive sciences, particularly regarding cognition and cognitive abilities, has often been overlooked in many of these policies. This research aims to bridge this gap by providing a framework for empowering women in governance based on cognitive science studies. It employs a two-step method comprising a scoping review and content analysis. The study's findings include 18 key elements of women's empowerment derived from cognitive studies and a conceptual framework. These results can guide experts, researchers, and policymakers interested in empowerment, governance, and women's issues in their decision-making processes. Additionally, this research advocates for the creation of a network of related concepts, facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing.The significance of this study extends to applied research, aiming to connect different fields of governance and cognitive science. It highlights the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex issues and identifies conceptual gaps that can inspire further research. By doing so, it opens new pathways for those interested in interdisciplinary studies, offering a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between cognitive sciences and women's empowerment. This comprehensive approach not only enriches the academic discourse but also has practical implications for policy and governance, ultimately contributing to more effective and inclusive empowerment strategies.
Women's Studies
Kayvan Shoja Chaghervand; Alireza Poursaeed; Maryam Omidi Najaf Abadi
Abstract
The empowerment has been known as controlling decision making about his or her life and ability for interventions in all their life challenges (Baig et al., 2018). Women empowerment can improve sustainability in development fields (Akhter & Cheng, 2020). Empowerment conception not only comprises ...
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The empowerment has been known as controlling decision making about his or her life and ability for interventions in all their life challenges (Baig et al., 2018). Women empowerment can improve sustainability in development fields (Akhter & Cheng, 2020). Empowerment conception not only comprises extrinsic control but it also is included the development of intrinsic capabilities (Abrar-ul-Haq, Jali, & Islam, 2018). It has been reported that the development of the empowerment in women is a pivotal actors for improving productivity and food security in rural areas (Sharaunga, Mudhara, & Bogale, 2016).Food security is the measure of the availability of food and individuals' ability to access it. According to the United Nations' Committee on World Food Security, food security is defined as meaning that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. Female-headed households who live in rural areas are faced with serious challenges in their life, because they should manage their life and supply their life costs. In Iran, some supporting institutions support female-headed households but their pensions are not sufficient to manage their life. It was recently reported that 32% of Iranian families are living in food insecurity (Pakravan-Charvadeh et al., 2020).Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of job empowerment on food security of rural female-headed households under supervision of the Welfare Organization. Statistical population of the current study included 495 women based on the data collected from Statistical Center of Iran and 216 women were selected with the help of Cochran’s formula. Tehran province was divided into ten rural districts and each district was considered as a classification. A self-designed questionnaire consisting from 11 variables were used for job empowerment of women comprising grouping work and communication skills (n= 7 items), creativity and solving problem (n= 6 items), commitment and responsibility (n= 6 items), information and specific knowledge (n= 5 items) and technical skills and operational work (n= 5 items). A five-point Likert scale was considered for each variable ranging from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high). A standard questionnaire comprising accessibility (n= 6 items), availability (n= 6 items), utilization (n= 7 items) and stability (n= 4 items) was used for food security construct. A six-point Likert scale was considered for each variable ranging from 0 (any) to 5 (very high). The data were also collected for age, education, job, family size, and annual income. To investigate the effects of constructs of job empowerment on food security, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. The results showed that the age mean of the women-headed households in rural areas was 48.28 with standard deviation of 11.55 years. Mean and standard deviation for constructs were as follows; grouping work and communication skills (2.77 ± 0.88), creativity and solving problem (3.01 ± 0.90), commitment and responsibility (3.26 ± 1.02), information and specific knowledge (2.94 ± 0.94), technical skills and operational work (3.22 ± 1.00), access (2.23 ± 0.84), availability (2.42 ± 0.80), utilization (2.69 ± 1.10) and stability (2.57 ± 0.74). The results for model-fitting showed that job empowerment and food security had a good fit for the data with fit indices (χ2/df=1.85, CFI=0.92; NFI= 0.96; RMSEA=0.032). The results show that indices are appropriate and the model has a good fit. The results showed that job empowerment could determine 57.50% of food security variance. In conclusion, this study showed that factors of grouping work and communication skills, creativity and solving problem, commitment and responsibility and information and specific knowledge had significant effects on job empowerment of female-headed households in rural areas of Iran country. With regards to the effects of the factors on empowerment, policy makers must consider policies for improving job empowerment. To improve food security and job empowerment in rural region, we suggest establishing centers by supporting institutions for education of skills and also identification of creative women for improving their abilities. We also suggest education of new information and knowledge by media and other organizations for improving job empowerment. We also suggest education of technical skills for prevention of injures and improving abilities in female-headed households in rural areas. In sum, it is recommended to consider the job empowerment for improving food security for improving food security of rural female-headed households under supervision of the Welfare Organization.
Qadir Siaami; Maliheh Sattarivand
Abstract
Today, the increase of female-headed households, especially in informal settlements, is considered as a social harm, and in order to solve it, the empowerment approach in the economic field has attracted a lot of attention. Therefore, in order to solve economic problems and job creation in informal settlements, ...
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Today, the increase of female-headed households, especially in informal settlements, is considered as a social harm, and in order to solve it, the empowerment approach in the economic field has attracted a lot of attention. Therefore, in order to solve economic problems and job creation in informal settlements, the entrepreneurial approach was proposed based on local capitals and potentials. Because using this approach can be very effective in organizing economic and employment conditions and promoting income generation in informal settlements and areas. The purpose of this study is to evaluation of empowerment strategies women heads of households in Arvand and Ansar neighborhoods of Shahid Rajaei town of Mashhad with emphasis on entrepreneurship in informal settlements. These neighborhoods are located in the third erea of the sixth district of Mashhad and the number of women heads of households in these neighborhoods reaches more than 2560 people. The method of the present research is a descriptive-analytical method which is done with a measurement and evaluation approach. Library and field methods and questionnaires have been used to collect information. Also, the analysis was performed based on the method of strategic analysis and using the tools of GIS and SPSS software. The results of this study indicate that factors such as expansion of women's business workshops (with a score of 6.65) in the field of economic dynamism, promoting neighborhood social cohesion (6.48) and creating women's social networks (6.11) in the field of social capital, attracting investment and providing facilities (6.29) and supporting the self-employment of women heads of households (6.17) in the field of urban management transformation; are effective in improving the economic and entrepreneurial status and empowerment of women heads of households in informal settlements.
fahimeh keshavarzi; babak shamshiri
Abstract
The purpose of this sequential exploratory mixed method research of the type of classification is a formulation of a practical model for development of empowering mothers in Iranian society. In this regard, the qualitative purpose of the research is to explore the framework of applied components in the ...
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The purpose of this sequential exploratory mixed method research of the type of classification is a formulation of a practical model for development of empowering mothers in Iranian society. In this regard, the qualitative purpose of the research is to explore the framework of applied components in the development of empowered mothers and the quantitative purpose of the research is to validate the developed framework, to measure its usefulness and feasibility. Research method in qualitative part, case study and potential research participants included experts and faculty members as well as sample women in Fars province. The sample mothers and 5 women from the sample city with managerial tenure were selected. The method of collecting qualitative data was in-depth interview and study of documents related to the research subject. The content analysis method was used to develop a practical model for developing empowering mothers in Iranian society. Based on the findings of the qualitative part of the research, the model of empowering mothers in Iranian society was explored in 5 themes of organizing personal knowledge, environmental knowledge, personal attitude, environmental attitude, personal skill and environmental skill and 57 basic themes. Based on the findings of the first part of the study, a scale was designed for use in the quantitative section. In the quantitative section, the validity of the framework was measured by the descriptive-survey method. The statistical population consisted of faculty members specializing in psychology, educational sciences, sociology and law, which were selected through purposeful sampling approach and key informants were selected and distributed among them. The framework was validated using Lisrel 8.8 and Spss 21 software and confirmatory factor analysis. The results showed that the model was valid, useful and applicable.
Masomeh Jamshidi; Hossein Mahdizabeh
Abstract
The traditional strategy of economic empowerment of female heads of households in the form of microfinance and credit granting has positive and negative effects and consequences. The present study employed a structural analysis method to study the opinions of the experts. The main purpose of this paper ...
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The traditional strategy of economic empowerment of female heads of households in the form of microfinance and credit granting has positive and negative effects and consequences. The present study employed a structural analysis method to study the opinions of the experts. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the positive and negative consequences of the empowerment strategy in the regional (provincial) scale to analyze their influence and dependence. In order to collect information, deep interviewing method was initially used with 28 knowledgeable experts in the field of empowerment of women in different institutions of the province. The qualitative dta were collected through a researcher-made cross-sectional analysis matrix. Triangulation method and documentary and library information, direct observation and deep interviewing were used to ensure the reliability of qualitative data. After the first and second phases, the experts are provided with the designed questionnaires to examine the relationship between the variables in the cross-sectional matrix and the interrelationship between them. Micmac software has been used to analyze the data. The results showed that in the future, the most important positive indicators for the system analysis of the consequences of the traditional strategy of empowerment of female headed households were "job creation", "access to resources", "increase in production" and "entrepreneurship". The negative consequences include the variables of "waste of financial resources due to misuse of loans and microfinance", "major attention (and merely) of institutions to pay loans" and "increased false consumerism". According to the results, the conventional economic empowerment program for female-headed households in the future should be managed and organized in a way that has minimal negative impact and maximum positive effects. Therefore, the aforementioned empowerment system should reinforce and maximize the positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts.
Geography
Maryam Ghasemi; Lida Alizadeh; Elham Ghandehari
Abstract
Empowerment is the linking point between development and women which is closely connected to continuous improvement, competency enhancement, behavioral changes, and development of women’s performance. It is considered as a part of establishing the concept of development. As the focal point in the ...
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Empowerment is the linking point between development and women which is closely connected to continuous improvement, competency enhancement, behavioral changes, and development of women’s performance. It is considered as a part of establishing the concept of development. As the focal point in the area of empowerment lies within women’s ability to control their future (psychological empowerment), the present study seeks to identify and prioritize various approaches for psychological empowerment of women in rural areas. The descriptive-analytical method was used in this applied-developmental study. Data have been collected using documents and field studies. The data were then analyzed using SWOT-QSPM by strategic management tools. In this study, 142 women from the rural areas of Torghabeh and Binaloud County voluntarily participated to fill out the questionnaires. Given the final scores of IFE=1.79 and EFE=2.60 in SWOT matrix, defensive strategies (minimum-minimum) were identified as optimal for psychological empowerment of women in rural areas. Among the ten strategies outlined using the QAPM (Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix), the most important strategy was “the identification of restrictive and facilitative factors for psychological empowerment of women in rural areas. The strategy attempts to mitigate the following obstacles”, with a score of 1.176; the second and third strategies with scores of 0.256 and 0.219 were “holding various educational workshops in line with psychological empowerment of women in rural areas”, and “encouraging women in rural areas to form cooperatives as well as various NGOs for women and supporting them”, respectively.
Women's Studies
Khalil Gholami; Naser Shirbagi; Delsuz Hosseini
Abstract
The present research investigated the nature of power among women's principals in order to develop a theoretical framework. Relying on critical epistemology and qualitative approach, we used grounded theory to study the problem. Using a purposeful and theoretical sampling, we selected women and men's ...
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The present research investigated the nature of power among women's principals in order to develop a theoretical framework. Relying on critical epistemology and qualitative approach, we used grounded theory to study the problem. Using a purposeful and theoretical sampling, we selected women and men's principals as well as the men whose spouses were employed in schools. We collected data with semi-structured interview. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and after three stage of coding, institutional discrimination was considered as core category. In addition, political, cultural and mental structures were considered as casual conditions affected the core category. Family- official responsibilities, educational context and media were found to be the mediating factors that affected the hegemony of masculinity in society. The women enhanced a kind of epistemic hope in order to empower themselves and struggle with these hegemonic conditions.
Rural Development
Leila Vossoughi; Mahdieh Ghasemi
Abstract
Regarding gender inequality in many communities, empowerment of women has become an important subject and received more attention in recent years. Results of many researches show that tourism especially ecotourism affects women empowerment in its different aspects by making them interested in participating ...
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Regarding gender inequality in many communities, empowerment of women has become an important subject and received more attention in recent years. Results of many researches show that tourism especially ecotourism affects women empowerment in its different aspects by making them interested in participating tourism activities. Based on findings of previous researches, the current study aims to assess the role of ecotourism development on empowerment of rural women using a descriptive survey method. The population consists of women of Shib-Deraz in Qeshm Island who participate in environmental plan of “conservation of Eretmochelys Embricate “with an emphasis on ecotourism and handicrafts”. A questionnaire was designed based on a theoretical framework. Results show that development of ecotourism can influence social, psychological and economic empowerment of rural women.
Welfare and Planning
Mohsen Noghanidokht Bahmani; Zahra Baradaran-Kashani; Mahdi Kermani; Ahmadreza Asgharpour-Masouleh
Abstract
Unskilled women workers, including hotel housekeepers, despite a major contribution to the quality of the facilities, usually have invisible and less known position. While good understanding of their situation and the factors affecting their job performance can significant gains in improving their living ...
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Unskilled women workers, including hotel housekeepers, despite a major contribution to the quality of the facilities, usually have invisible and less known position. While good understanding of their situation and the factors affecting their job performance can significant gains in improving their living conditions and improve the quality of services related to human resources in the tourism industry. This research studies the employment status of women hotel housekeepers in ten hotels and other types of residential complexes in Mashhad city. The required data is obtained through in-depth interviews. Then texts of interviews have been analyzed by grounded theory method to present a paradigm model. The results indicate weakness in job performance and quality of life of the population under study. Also, respondents have faced with a series of physical and mental health problems in their personal life and workplace. The results suggest the need for synchronization job skills training and general life skills. Accordingly, it can be expected that individuals take less costly strategies to perform manual work in workplace. So a more long-term physical health and achieve material welfare is followed.
Women's Studies
Bijan Khajehnoori; Maryam Karimi; Saeed Keshavarzi
Abstract
Abstract Women as half of the population of each society have important role in societies development. Accordingly, many sociologists consider study of women’s empowerment and its influencing factors. Present study is to examine the relationship between digital divide and women empowerment. In ...
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Abstract Women as half of the population of each society have important role in societies development. Accordingly, many sociologists consider study of women’s empowerment and its influencing factors. Present study is to examine the relationship between digital divide and women empowerment. In addition, women empowerment and its dimensions (access and control of resources, participation, gender awareness, mobility and security) were investigated. Also these independent variables: marital Status, respondents and their families’ Income, social class, Education level of respondents and their spouses, Head of household status, employment status, occupation, age, technology divide, information access divide, information literacy divide were investigated. By virtue of multistage random sampling, 600 ones were selected based on leen formula. Required Datas were collected from Shiraz women aged 15-54 by means of questionnaires based on survey method. The study findings indicated variables: social status, respondent and husband education, technology divide, and information literacy divide and information access had a significant relation with the women empowerment; while marital status had no significant relationship with women empowerment. Multiple regression showed that 27 percent of the variance of women empowerment variable was explained through the independent variables (information literacy divide, respondents under Graduate Diploma).
Naser Zamani Miandashti; Pouria Ataei; Nasim Izadi
Abstract
The empowerment of women has been widely acknowledged as an important goal in international development. The main aim of this study was to investigate empowerment levels and rate among the members of Tafihan Rural Women’s Association.Those who were subject to research consisted of all members of the ...
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The empowerment of women has been widely acknowledged as an important goal in international development. The main aim of this study was to investigate empowerment levels and rate among the members of Tafihan Rural Women’s Association.Those who were subject to research consisted of all members of the Tafihan Women’s Association (418 members), out of which, a total number of 200 members were selected through a stratified random sampling method. The data was obtained through means of a questionnaire. Face validity of the questionnaire was obtained through an experts’ panel, and reliability was acquired through pilot testing. The Cronbach's alpha was .94. Results revealed that empowerment dimensions of the association members can be categorized in four sectors: psychological, familial, economic and socio-cultural dimensions. Results also showed that psychological and socio-cultural dimensions ranked highest, and were followed by familial and economic dimensions.
Volume 6, Issue 1 , May 2008
Abstract
Access to stable development requires organized participation of all people, including women in all institutes. Reduction of limitations and increase in legal authority of women are necessary to achieve the highest rate of participation. In this regard, a developmental approach demands a balanced increase ...
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Access to stable development requires organized participation of all people, including women in all institutes. Reduction of limitations and increase in legal authority of women are necessary to achieve the highest rate of participation. In this regard, a developmental approach demands a balanced increase in the legal knowledge, organizational authorities and civil demands of women particularly that the number of employed women in public organizations has increased drastically in recent years. Participation in organizational decision makings concurrent with increase in legal knowledge leads to a better understanding of occupational and organizational conditions of women thus improving their efficiency and effectiveness in the organizations.
This paper studies the relationship between legal knowledge and organizational participation. Documentary methodology and statistical techniques are used in theory and experimental (field) sections respectively. The result shows that there is a meaningful and significant relationship between legal knowledge of women employees and their organizational participation.
Volume 4, Issue 3 , December 2006
Abstract
On discussion about managerial ability of women outside home, social scientists refer to the wide range of women in labor force on one hand and to the discrimination against women on the other. Although women occupation is considered as an evidence of change, but providing opportunities for them in order ...
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On discussion about managerial ability of women outside home, social scientists refer to the wide range of women in labor force on one hand and to the discrimination against women on the other. Although women occupation is considered as an evidence of change, but providing opportunities for them in order to fulfill their abilities is of primer significance. This requires identification and evaluation of women managerial ability. Our case study consists of 172 women working in ministry of education, Shiraz University and Shiraz medical science university who experienced managerial position. In the research, the women’s managerial ability was examined and evaluated by quantitative and qualitative method. In quantitative method, the indicators of the social communication, self –esteem, and creativity were employed. In qualitative method, women’s interpretation about the characteristics of women managerial ability, the way to obtain those characters, evaluative criteria of women managerial ability and methods of problem finding and problem solving were considered. The findings represents that although the women are enjoying almost high managerial ability but the social and organizational context is not sufficient enough for their empowerment and the change in managerial structure of organizations in the benefit of women is very slow.
Volume 1, Issue 5 , April 2003
Abstract
Development is the ultimate goal that any country attempts to achieve. The basic values of sustainable development lie on enhancing people’s quality of life leading to women’s and men’s empowerment. One of the ways that influences development of men and women is women’s equal access, equality ...
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Development is the ultimate goal that any country attempts to achieve. The basic values of sustainable development lie on enhancing people’s quality of life leading to women’s and men’s empowerment. One of the ways that influences development of men and women is women’s equal access, equality of opportunity as compared to men, attaining economic security and alleviation of their poverty. These issues are more tangible in the case of female-headed households. This article presents the findings of a survey research on the opportunities and challenges encountered by female-headed households. 4280 samples were taken in a field research of women heads of households in five provinces of Iran. A review of the development, poverty, gender empowerment measures has to take place. The information gathered indicates severe poverty among women. The reviews of development and poverty indicators as well as women’s empowerment measures for women heads of households is very high and approximately equivalent to 0.527, in comparison to the same indicator for the whole country being equivalent to 0.193. Female-headed households constitute 8.4 percent of the total households in Iran. The main reasons of their responsibility as heads of households are disability of men to work (42% of cases) and death of spouse (36%).
