Mary Eteng

Socio-cultural Imperatives and Women Empowerment: the Nigerian Rural Women Experience Mary Eteng

The struggle for women empowerment in Nigeria dates as far back as the colonial era, with the colonialist redefinition and consequent reduction of the status of women. Having been exposed to, and impacted upon by such modern social forces and agents of social change and institutions as education, urbanization, increasing westernization, etc, with its attendant hopes, aspirations and new lifestyles, the women would like to assume the responsibility and roles associated with their new statuses in order to be relevant in the affairs of their communities. In Unwana, our study area, changes have occurred in the lives of the women. This study focuses on the extent to which the socio-cultural factors within Unwana (a typical rural Nigerian community), impede or facilitate the empowerment of Unwana women.