Socio-Cultural Barriers to Women’s Participation in Community Development Projects in South Sudan: A Case Study of Ikwoto County, Eastern Equatoria State
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Abstract
Women’s active engagement is widely recognized as a prerequisite for effective and sustainable rural development, yet in post-conflict South Sudan their participation remains limited. This study examines the socio-cultural barriers that constrain women’s involvement in community development projects across the six payams of Ikwoto County. Using a mixed-methods design, the research combined a household survey of 398 women with focus group discussions and interviews. Guided by gender and development theory, empowerment theory, feminist theory, social capital theory, and the capability approach, the analysis reveals that socio-cultural norms, educational constraints, limited access to information, communication and technologies, networks, institutional barriers, and a lack of training and skills development significantly reduce women’s ability to initiate or influence development activities. A statistical test confirms a strong association between these socio-cultural factors and low participation levels (p<0.05). Comparative insights from rural India, Bangladesh, and Rwanda show that legal reforms and gender-responsive governance can help overcome such challenges. The study concludes that dismantling socio-cultural barriers is not merely a gender-equality imperative but a critical strategy for achieving inclusive and resilient rural development in South Sudan.
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