The contribution of women’s leadership to community development in Tanzania:

Abstract

Globally women as leaders in various fields and their involvement in community developmental projects has been a long and hard process due to mostly gender inequality structures and stereotypes. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to assess the contribution of women leadership to community development in various fields. This study embodied the Exploratory Research Design and Descriptive research design. The study used both Qualitative and Quantitative approach. The target participants of this study were 92 respondents sampled from Local Government, Businesses and non-governmental organizations in Karatu wards. Data collection included Questionnaires, Focused Group Discussion (FGD) and Partial-Participatory Observation. The findings showed that women contributed to a high extent in various community development activities in areas such as the markets, uplifting family’s economic stature. The findings on the barriers to women’s leadership indicated that patriarchal ideology, gender roles and stereotyping influenced negatively the attainment of leadership roles by women. The composition of women leader in Karatu ward in developmental projects low. The respondents strongly disagreed on the participation of women in community development in Karatu ward. The findings also, showed a low number of documentation of women’s achievements and contributions to different activities in Karatu ward making the researcher rely more on respondent views and responses. The contribution and participation of women as leaders and members of the community in order to promote community development is negatively impacted by political, economic, social and cultural variables such as income, social norms, attitude and gender roles.

Globally women as leaders in various fields and their involvement in community developmental projects has been a long and hard process due to mostly gender inequality structures and stereotypes. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to assess the contribution of women leadership to community development in various fields. This study embodied the Exploratory Research Design and Descriptive research design. The study used both Qualitative and Quantitative approach. The target participants of this study were 92 respondents sampled from Local Government, Businesses and non-governmental organizations in Karatu wards. Data collection included Questionnaires, Focused Group Discussion (FGD) and Partial-Participatory Observation. The findings showed that women contributed to a high extent in various community development activities in areas such as the markets, uplifting family’s economic stature. The findings on the barriers to women’s leadership indicated that patriarchal ideology, gender roles and stereotyping influenced negatively the attainment of leadership roles by women. The composition of women leader in Karatu ward in developmental projects low. The respondents strongly disagreed on the participation of women in community development in Karatu ward. The findings also, showed a low number of documentation of women’s achievements and contributions to different activities in Karatu ward making the researcher rely more on respondent views and responses. The contribution and participation of women as leaders and members of the community in order to promote community development is negatively impacted by political, economic, social and cultural variables such as income, social norms, attitude and gender roles.

Globally women as leaders in various fields and their involvement in community developmental projects has been a long and hard process due to mostly gender inequality structures and stereotypes. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to assess the contribution of women leadership to community development in various fields. This study embodied the Exploratory Research Design and Descriptive research design. The study used both Qualitative and Quantitative approach. The target participants of this study were 92 respondents sampled from Local Government, Businesses and non-governmental organizations in Karatu wards. Data collection included Questionnaires, Focused Group Discussion (FGD) and Partial-Participatory Observation. The findings showed that women contributed to a high extent in various community development activities in areas such as the markets, uplifting family’s economic stature. The findings on the barriers to women’s leadership indicated that patriarchal ideology, gender roles and stereotyping influenced negatively the attainment of leadership roles by women. The composition of women leader in Karatu ward in developmental projects low. The respondents strongly disagreed on the participation of women in community development in Karatu ward. The findings also, showed a low number of documentation of women’s achievements and contributions to different activities in Karatu ward making the researcher rely more on respondent views and responses. The contribution and participation of women as leaders and members of the community in order to promote community development is negatively impacted by political, economic, social and cultural variables such as income, social norms, attitude and gender roles.