Women Empowerment through Access to Information: The Strategic Roles of Non-Governmental Organizations in Nigeria

Autor/inn/en	Oyelude, Adetoun A.; Bamigbola, Alice A.
Titel	Women Empowerment through Access to Information: The Strategic Roles of Non-Governmental Organizations in Nigeria
Quelle	3 (2013) 2, S.103-115 (13 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2161-6248
Schlagwörter	Females; Access to Information; Information Needs; Womens Education; Foreign Countries; Nongovernmental Organizations; Economic Status; Socioeconomic Status; Information Centers; Resource Centers; Empowerment; Case Studies; Financial Support; Technological Advancement; Libraries; Information Technology; Nigeria + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Weibliches Geschlecht; Information need; Informationsbedürfnis; 'Women''s education'; Frauenbildung; Ausland; Socio-economic status; Sozioökonomischer Status; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Finanzielle Förderung; Technological development; Technologische Entwicklung; Library; Bibliothek; Informationstechnologie
Abstract	In the last few decades, there has been steady increasing awareness of the need to empower women in order to improve their socioeconomic status to be able to cope and also contribute effectively in this period of economic crisis. ATI (access to information) provision is a vital factor in empowerment, thus, many organizations, such as library, resource centres, and NGOs (non-governmental organizations), have been involved in empowering women in Nigeria. The paper examines the various programmes/services of the libraries, resource centres, and NGOs in meeting the socio-economic and political information needs of women. It ascertains how women actually access the information provided by the NGOs (especially those that have information or documentation centres) and its impact on their socio-economic status. It also identifies the challenges of the NGOs face in providing information to empower the women. The case study research method was adopted and data for the study collected from the women (users) and management and staff of the NGO centres through questionnaire and interview, while qualitative data gathered were reported. Majority of the women using the centres had to be taught how to use new technologies like computers, laptops, ipads, and smart phones. The most used means of accessing information by the women was the radio and television, and person-to-person communication either by word of mouth or by telephone. The NGOs were discovered to be slowly but steadily gaining ground in educating the women and creating awareness among them of their potentials to do better, to be empowered, and to stand up for their rights and themselves anywhere. Constraints faced by the NGOs were mostly funding and getting enough materials, equipment, and other media needed to further empower women. They were found to be a great source of inspiration to the women especially in the rural or less urban parts of the country. Gendered information was provided in the documentation units of the NGOs and efforts were ongoing in a few of them to translate some relevant materials to local languages. (Contains 3 figures.) (As Provided).
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10