WOMEN’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT THROUGH PARTICIPATORY APPROACH A Critical Assessment

This study assesses the effects of a Government run participatory development project on the social and economic empowerment of women and its implications for poverty alleviation in Nasirabad area of Balochistan (a province of Pakistan). The need to evaluate the project’s effects in terms of empowerment arises due to the perception that interventions in the form of programs and projects have little effects on women’s development in the Province due to institutional and cultural factors. To test the validity of this proposition, a case study of Pat Feeder Command Area Development project which is the largest community based development project of government has been taken for analysis. The project is evaluated in terms of participation, access, and sustainability. The project provides useful insights into the issue of women’s empowerment. The findings show quantitative improvements in the indicators such as capacity building, access to micro credit, involvement in economic activities and reduction in the workload. The results confirm the paradoxical situation facing beneficiaries with respect to involvement in economic activity and spending income. The paper finally concludes that the positive effects of project are not sustainable due to poor functionality of Women Development Groups and therefore, suggest considering the viability of these groups in future follow up/new development projects.