FACTORS AFFECTING WOM EN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN

AKSUM TOWN, IN TIGRAY REGIONAL STATE,ETHIOPIA.

SENIOR PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
Prepared by

1Ashenafi Molla................RU/1183/12

2Belaynesh Bizuwork.........RU/ /12

3Senayit Eshetu............Ru/ /12

4Tuji Mahammad..........RU/ /12

5Yordanos Gizachew.....RU/ /12

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 Table of
Contents Pages

CHAPTER ONE………………………………………………….....1
1.Introduction…………………………………………………...…...1
1.1.Background of The Study………………………………….......1
1.2.Descripition Of The Study……………………………………..3
1.3.Statement Of Problem…………………………………….........4
1.4.Objective Of The Study………………………………………..5
1.4.1.General Objective……………………………………….....5
1.4.2.Specific Objective………………………………………….5
1.5 Research Question ……………………………………………..5
1.6 Significance Of The Study…………………………………..…6
1.7 Scope Of The Study…………………………………………....6
CHAPTER THREE………………………………………………….7
3.RESEARTCH METHODOLOG…………… ………………….....7
3.1.Research Design……………………………………………...…8
3.2 Population,Sample And Sampling Techniques………………....8
3.2.1 Study Population……………………………………….........8
3.2.2 Sample Size And Sample Techniques…………………….....9
3.3.Data Source ,Data Gathering Tools And Data Analysis Techniques…9
3.3.1 Data source……..………………………………………………….9
3.3.2 Data Gathering Tools……………………………………………...10
3.3.3.Data Analyasis Technique…………………………………………10
Time budget………………………………………………………………..12
Reference……………………………………………………………………14

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CHAPTER ONE

1. Introduction

1.1. Background of the Study

Throughout the world, women have a always been second class citizens,the lower class
of human being(Randall.V,1997).It will explore three main aspect of discrimination for
women’s politics, work equity and in sport.(Barry.F,2002). Women have never been
considered a strong figure in politics, but on 19thc, something happened that will slowly
change the way the world views women in politics, the right movement is born(Ibid).
It’sargued that women constitute more than half of the word population and their
contribution to the socio economic development of the society is also more than half as
compared to that of men by virtue of their dual role in the productive and reproductive
spheres(Bellinton, 20O5, Barry, 1995). Nonetheless a casual observation of the
world’spolitical stages shows that the participation of women in formal political structure
and process were decisions regarding the use of societal resources generated by both men
and woman are made remains insignificant .Presently , women representation in
leguistrature around the world’s is 15% (Smoke Chapman.A,2005).
According to karam (,2010) Beijing platform for Action included detailed set of
recommendation to all sectors of the global communities to enhance women political
participation on decision making. The platform of Action is destined to all those
involved in the issue, whether local actors of international ones, as such builds on the
realization of that improving women’s political participation is not a feature of one
region of the world and it’snot only a feature of wealthy. The conference further called
for at least 30% representation of women in the of decision making. Infact some
countries in the world have made strenuous efforts to implement this
resolution(Ibid).Women political theorist believes that in countries where the democratic

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transition is slow the absences of progressive parties and the lack of diffusion of power
may hinder the effective participation of women. Unless they have an independent voice
to articulate their concerns women’s participation will remain symbolic “Inclusion
without engendered equality yields only distractive participation” (Brocklehurst 2003).
In a context where local communities are empowered, women have a better chance of
enhance participation at local level. Such participation provides women with the
opportunity of gain experience build a social base and acquire real power over time
Women’s participation in political parties is critical for women’s access to politics and
elected offices. It is important for women to take on leadership roles in order to influence
the general policy of their party and to ensure the inclusion of gender friendly agendas.
On the other hand it only through the transformation of political parties that women lane
participates effectively in politics).
The best known women’s movement is that engaged in political efforts to change the role
and status of women in society. Such political movement by women on their own behalf
often referred to as feminist movement. They have jumped in turned on the lights and
galvanized other to join them in smaller corner of their lives or no center strategies
women change.
The block hole of political to what it showed is the methods man ever principles and
practices of public affairs. According to women’s political participation, women’s ability
to participate equally with men at all level in all aspects of Political life and decision
making women constitution slightly more than half of the world population their
contribution to social and economic development of societies is also more than half of
compared to that of men by virtue of their dual roles in the productive and reproductive
spheres (The world Book Encyclopedia).
Historically, women have played a relatively small role in politics as a global level, more
than have of a history of African; women were not even given the right to vote. However,
women today are as active as men in most electoral activities and generally turn out in

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higher number to vote in election (, Daniel.V:2003). Many studies conclude and some
simply assume that women’s political behaviors are dominated by the men in their lives
in the first place wives are presumed to adopt the political views of their husbands.
Thus observing the similar in political outlook between spouses the almost perfect
agreement between husband and wife comes about as a result of male dominance in
political situation (Vllky Randal 1987). The question of women’s political participation is
also become up to agenda in the third world countries including Ethiopia.
So Ethiopian constitution granted the right of women to participation in political process
for instance Article 38(1) described the participation of women as equal with men by
stating that
Every Ethiopian nation without any discrimination based on color, race, nationality, sex
language, religion, political other opinion or other status has the right to take part conduct
of public affairs directly and through chosen representative (FDRE Constitution article
35). Even if the constitutions is granted this right still the problem have been persist and
need an urgent proper possible solution to enhance women political participation in Dubti
Town as well.

1.2 Description of The Study area

The Tigray regions located in the Northern part of Ethiopia sharing international borders
with Eritrea andDjibouti. In terms of area coverage, the Tigray region is the thrid
largest in the country with a total area of 96,7 square kilometers. It is structured in to five
zones and 29 woreda’s. The region is one of the nine ethnic based regions in federal
Ethiopia; following the ratification of the new constitution in 1994 with a total
population of 1,412,092 (CSA,2008). The capital city is called mekelle.It is home for
the tigray people who are predominantly mix farmers and traders and agro pastoralists.

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1.3. Statement of Problem

Women constitute almost half of Axum town’s population and contribute immensely,
economically and socially towards the socio economic development of the Axum
town.Unfortunately,their participation at all levels of decision making in Axum town is
very law(Own survey, 2008).
This can be attributed to the daunting challenges women have to face in their quest to
entre in to politics. Some of these challenges range from cultural stereotypes that
consider women to be better fit for the reproductive duties such as child birth and the
domestic care support for the proper growth of the family which in most case are never
antified(Ballington,2005).It cannot, however,be over emphasized that at all national level
needs the role of women in decision at all levels.
This has led to the proliferation of non-governmental organization s and feminist groups
who claim to be empowering the woman to take their rightful places in decision making
in all sphere of life (Hey wood;1995)
The FDRE constitution, Article 38(2) states or expresses the right of women in the
political process. However, the provision of such right under the constitution does not
mean is strongly or clearly protect them from challenges. This means that there are
barriers that limit the active participation of women at lower and high level of decision
making.
From these barriers some of them are religious, economic, societal attitude towards
women and cultural barriers. Even if the current government ratified several international
conventions, enact laws and political discourse such as Article 35(3), it expressed the
historical legacy of inequality and discrimination suffered women in Ethiopia.In order to
remedy plus to prove special attention have been given to women so as to enable them
complete and participate on the basis of equality with men in political social and
economic life as well as in public and private institution that aims to address the right of
women as well as to empower them to level of decision making at proportional rate with

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men (FDRE constitution 1995). However the persistence of predominance of male over
women beliefs challenges women active political participation.
Even though, the study of Daniel and Hobby (2002) on the factors that affecting the
participation of women’s with special concern to women’s political participation. And
their work is unfulfilled to the practical situation of the contemporary world.The main
object of the researcher were mainly focused on works that women’s political
participation is an issue at the global and national level in general and in the study area
in particular. While there is no comprehensive study carried out on the assessing the role
of women’s political participation in the study area.There fore, the researcher is very
interested to that conduct this study, particularly on examining Factors Affecting
women’s political participation, by filling this gaps and other uncovered problems in the
study area.

1.4 Objective of the study

1.4.1 General objective

The general objective of the study is to assess the Factor Affecting women political
participation in the case of Axum Town.

1.4.2. Specific objectives

 To identify challenges that hinders the active participation of women in politics’
in the study area
 To examine political participation of women in Axum town
 To assess the role of women’s association in enhancing women’s political
participation in Axum town

1.5 Research Questions

 This research will be answer the following research questions at the end.

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  What are the challenges that hinder women’s association to enhance women’s
political participation in Axum town?
 To what extent women’s are participate in the political affairs in Axum town?
 What are the Role of women’s in every socio political affairs of the society in
Axum town?

1.6 Significance of the Study

It is anticipated that the results that will be obtained from this study were add to the
valuable for information currently political participation of women’s. Since the issue of
women is the most sensitive issue which will be indispensable for policy makers,
development practitioners and women’s Association Hence, the output of this research is
expected to contribute to those endeavors by creating awareness at the grass root level. In
addition, the findings of the study are expected to contribute towards bridging the
existing literature gap on understanding women’s political participation.

1.7. Scope of the Study

This study is delimited to Role of women’s Association in enhancing women’s political

participation inAxumTown. This is due to much constraint which are actually beyond the
capacity of the researcher like absence of sufficient times, transportation and financial
problem.

CHAPTER THREE

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3.RESEARCH METHODOLOG
The method employed for this study is mixed research approach. This approach,
according to Burke (2007), is the only method that fully combines methods of different
types (quantitative and qualitative) providing a more elaborated understanding of the
phenomenon of interest (including its context) and, as well gaining a greater confidence
in the conclusion generated by the evaluation of the study.
Patton(2000) also stated that mixed method is the type of research approach in which
researchers combine elements of quantitative and qualitative approaches (e.g., use of
quantitative and qualitative viewpoints, data collection, analysis, inference techniques)
for the purpose of breadth and depth of understanding and corroboration.

Mixed research approach minimizes some of the limitations of using single method
because quantitative or qualitative research methods are not sufficient to address the
complex social phenomena when they are treated separately. In other words, qualitative
methods suffer from the limitations of generalizing the results beyond the specific
research area and go through subjectivity during data collection and analysis. The
quantitative method on the other hand, always fails to capture an in-depth understanding
of issues (Tsegaye, 2012). Accordingly, for this study the researcherused quantitative
method to assess Factors Affecting women’s political participation in the study area. On
the other hand, qualitative method used to supplement the quantitative method.

3.1 Research Design

Research design is a plan on how the study will be undertaken (Berg, 1995). The research
design indicates whether to use one type of method or a combination of two or more
methods. Accordingly, in this study the researcher implemented /used explanatory mixed
research design in which qualitative is pre dominant.

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The reason why the researcher mainly used qualitative method is because the quantitative
methods enable the researcher to put facts and human behaviors in numeric terms so that
there is an accurate measurement (Alan 1988).
As Beth and Lisa (2011) pointed out, in the explanatory research design the qualitative
data used to supplement, explain, triangulate, to enhance, and in some cases follow up the
qualitative findings. Therefore, for this study, the researcher used qualitative method to
assess the role of women’s association in enhancing women’s political participation and
the qualitative method also will be used to supplement the quantitative result. Finally, the
Researcher is triangulating the data obtaine from quantitative and qualitative data during
data analysis.

3.2 Population, Sample and Sampling Techniques

3.2.1 Study population

According to the report of Ethiopian Statistical Agency (2007) ,the total population of the
study area is 80,000 from this total population, 36,281 males, and 43,719 were females.
(own survey , 2016). The researcher used all women’s from the woreda as sample
frame. Among the women in the woreda, the researcher used only three Keble’s as the
research settings and selecte participants for the research and the left one is non-
participants of this research due to lack of financial and time constraints.

3.2.2 Sample Size and Sample Technique

The study area will be limited to Axum Town. In Axum Town, there are five Keble’s.
From this, the researcher selected three Keble using simple random sampling techniques.
From the sample 30 women (10 from each) selected for this study. Using simple random
sampling technique from the lists available at each kebele. On the other hand, the

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researcher use purposive (non probability) sampling technique to select 5 participants
from woreda administration office, women’s office andother concerned bodies .

For interviewee mentioned that, purposive sampling is a form of sampling in which the
selection of the sample is based on the judgment of the researcher as to which subjects
best fit the criteria of the study. In this case, interviewee and key informants will be
selected when they are believed to be a source of relevant data for the study. Due to this
fact, sampling in this study will be a process of activity seeking from those highly
informed persons for the aforementioned objectives of the study. The selected
participants and key informants will be people who are well informed about the issue to
provide the information (Roger, 2003).

3.3 Data Source, Data Gathering Tools and Data Analysis Techniques

3.3.1 Data source

For this study, the researcher primarily used both primary and secondary data sources in
order to gather the targeted information from research participants and written
documents.
Primary data source:-The primary source of data will be gathered from interviewee ,
questionnaire, respondents and key informants.
Secondary data source:-The secondary data source were gathered from Books,
Magazine, Newspaper, Journals and article s and other related research out puts.

3.3.2 Data Gathering Tools

Data collecting instruments are tools that are used by the researcher to collect reliable and
valuable data. According to Seale (2004) combining more than one data collecting
instruments in looking at a particular research questions is used to crosscheck results for
consistency and enhance confidence in the research findings. For this reason, the

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researcher will use 2 types of data collecting instruments. i.e. Questionnaire and
interview.

3.3.2.1. Questionnaire
According to Marshal and Rossman (1995), the aim of administering a questionnaire is to
Gain knowledge about the quantitative distribution of characteristics, attitudes and
beliefs. Remenyi (1998) noted that, the use of questionnaire survey helps to get opinion
and Attitude information not easily observed or is not already available in written or
computerized form. Accordingly, for this study, the researcher will be used open and
close ended questionnaire to get valuable data on the Factor that Affect women’s
politicalparticipation. The research questionnaire will be prepared in Amharic. Because
of It’s carefully articulated to ensure clarity, to avoid bias, to avoid language ambiguity
and to get reliable data.

3.3.2.2. Interview
Interview will be conducted with the higher official of Axum women’s bureau office in
Axum Town.Interview is serving as important source for the researcher to collect
pertinent and relevant data about their participation in politics in Axum Town.

3.3.3 Data Analysis Techniques

Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques will be used in this study. The
quantitative data analysis is a process of tabulating, interpreting and Summarizing
empirical and numerical data for the purpose of describing or generalizing the population
from the samples. Upon completion of the data collection, the data will be analyzed using
descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and tables. On the other hand,
summarizing what is heard during the discussions in to words, phrases or patterns were
the major tasks that could be accomplished in qualitative data analysis. Hence, the
information that could be collected through interviews, will be documented and analyzed

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textually to substantiate the statistical results from the structured questionnaire. In
general, the collected data will be analyzed through narrations and description.

3.3.3.4 Data Presenting Technique

The finding of the study will be presented using data presenting techniques like
frequency distribution table and percentages.

3.4 Ethical Issues

According to Marshal and Rossman (1995), ethical considerations are needed tobe
ensured that the participants and respondents of the research were informed about the
whole research process. Accordingly, in the study all respondents, interviewee and key
informants will be well informed about the nature and purpose of the study. Apart from
this the researcher will approach them in good manner to get the required data by
apologizing them to cooperate their time until the researcher finished his data
collection.Therefore, the researcher will not encountered as such serious problem in
creating trustful relations with research participants and respondents that helped her to
easily gain permission to conduct interviews and discussion.

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Time budget

Jun
No Activity Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar App May

1 Specifying the X
area of the study

2 Title selection X

3 Literature review X

4 Preparing the X
proposal

5 Data collection X X

6 Data editing X

7 Data analysis X

8 Conclusion of X
the finding

9 recommendation X
X
10 Submission and
presentation of
the study

3.4.2 Budget schedule

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No Task description Number of unit Unit of cost Total
1 Pen 4 8 32
2 Paper ½ packet 200 100
3 Binding 2 10 20
4 Transport 4 times in month 7 56
5 Flash 1 190 190
6 Print 51 1.5 76.5
Total 474.5

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14
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