Women Cultural Role Expectations and their Participation in Functional Adult Literacy Programs (A Comparative study of Awra Amba and Ater Midir Communities, South Gonder Zone)
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Date
2009-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study was planned to examine the women cultural roles in Awra Amba and Ater
MidiI' communities. In doing so, it investigated how they shape women feelings and affect
their participation in Functional Adult Literacy Programs of the two communities. For
this pwpose, it employed ethnographic method in which a total of 51 participants
(community elders, Women in the functional Adult Literacy cenlers, those not yet
enrolled, Facilitators and Key informants of both communities) were purposely selected
for interview and Focus Group Discussion. In addition to these, participant observation,
as an important data collection method in this kind of Approach was used to collect data.
The study revealed that there is difference in women cultural roles and behavioral
expectations between Awra Amba a!1d Ater MidiI' communities. Family, peers and
schools and teachers are the major agents that socialize women towards differential as
well as similar gender roles. In Ater Midir, the gender roles coupled with negative
perception of the society towards women affects them in such a ways that they feel
incapable and inadequate and resulted in lack of confidence on the part of women except
in areas which are considered as theirs culturally. The cultural roles and expectations
based on sex and internalizations of these by the women hamper their participation in
Functional Adult Literacy Programs (enrol/ment, achievement, classroom participation
and subject choice) (Ater Midir) than those with similar roles and equal statuses (Awra
Amba). Finally, It is recommended that there is a need for urgent allenlion by concerned
bodies on changing such roles and expectations in order to create gender fa ir society,
like Awra Amba, allover the country. A needfor further study on this and other aspects of
the issue on larger scale has also been suggested.
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