Women's Access to Employment in Rural Hilly Area: A Study of Phungling 11, Taplejung, Nepal

Abstract

Women employment is an essential element for women empowerment that enhances socio-economic status of women to exercise control over their one's own life and family. The role of women in earning activities is key importance to the economic increment of their households. In most of the part of Nepal, however, women are not economically free, especially in rural areas. Women engaged in earning different activities such as farming, teaching, small business, fishery and other small types of entrepreneurship in the ward no 11 of Phungling Municipality. There are various types of internal as well as external factors which play important role to motivate the women to involve in self-employment as well as outside employment in the study area. Age groups between 30-40 are more energetic women found in the study area with small scale local technology based and resources based businesses. Their income level is very low but after entrepreneurship or employment their socio-economic participation has been increased. They able to provide comparative good education and health services to their children as well as able to purchases physical property. Women excess to employment should be strengthened and should expand their support to resource poor women. Government policy on the status of women plays an important role in empowering women in social as well as economic factors of empowerment. If government and other developmental partners work together in addressing these issues, they could better address the need of hilly women. Strategies to combat the lack of empowerment must address not only the immediate need of rural women but must also focus on the root cause of women's powerlessness. Incorporate programmatic elements such as literacy, skill based training or leadership opportunities that contribute to women's empowerment. Bring women and women's perspectives into the governance, management, and implementation of microfinance programs. Reforms and reorientations of local norms, traditions are vital tools in the process of empowerment.