Participation of Women in Household Decision Making Process (A Case Study of Morang District)

Abstract

Women are known as a second-class citizen in many developing countries like Nepal. Most of the women devote their time in non-remunerative works. They have low access in decision-making process in every sector. Decision making process is a significant indicator of the strong genders bias existing with in the household spare. The status of women is an important factor that affects the socio-economic development of household, society as well as country. Without women's participation in decision making goals of development activities cannot be fully attained. It is the bitter truth that most of the women are excluded from decision-making not only in leading sector but even in household matter. The main objective of the study is to find out the participation of women in household decision-making process, particularly in Urlabari VDC ward no. 8 of Morang district. This study is based upon the primary data, collected from the household survey. The main tool of the study is questionnaire. Fifteen percent households have been taken as sample. All of the respondents were married women and 22.5 percent were illiterate. From the study it was found that, males have dominant role and females have low decision-making power as compared to their male counter parts. Males have higher decision making in seed selection or cropping pattern, purchasing in household goods in fulfillment of deficit food, livestock rearing, using fertilizer, expenditure on children's education, medical treatment, giving or taking loan and in using family planning devices. Females have dominant role in decision making only in few sectors such as selling of surplus food, energy use pattern and celebrating the social and religious ceremony. Seventy percent respondents are facing the different type of problems in decision-making process. Some recommendations have been given here with the intention of rising women's status in terms of their decision making power. Government should give first priority to female in every development activities, increase the access to female in income generating activities. It is needed to increase the educational status of women as well as men, gender awareness programe should be lunched and root cause of the backwardness is poverty. So, poverty should be alleviated through income generating activities.