PARTICIPATION OF RURAL WOMEN IN SOME DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS

The main objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the par‌ticipation of rural women in some developmental projects and programs, (2) identify the sources of information about these projects, (3) deter‌mine the independent variables affecting the participation of rural wom‌en in some projects and programs, and (4) determine the constraints hindering their participation. Data were collected by personal interviews using a presented questionnaire from a random sample amounted 185 rural women in two villages in Egypt, Mahalt-Marhoum village, Tanta district, Gharbia Govern‌orate and El-Rawcla village, Tamia district, Fayoum Governorate. Simple correlation coefficient and multiple correlation and regres‌sion analysis (step-wise) were used to analyze data statistically, in addi‌tion to frequencies and percentages. The main results of this study revealed that: - 14.05% of the respondent rural women, their participation in some de-velopmental projects and programs were relatively high, while it was moderate for 40% of the others. The level of participation was low for 46% of the respondents. - The most important source of information about some developmental projects and programs were mass media (T.V. and Radio), next rural pi‌oneer, neighbors and female extension worker. - Significant and positive relationship at 0.01 level between the degree of participation of rural women in some developmental projects and programs and the following independent variables: age, husband age, period of marriage, the degree of respondent education, the degree of her husband education, informal social participation degree, mass me‌dia exposure degree, and leadership degree. - From multiple correlation and regression analyses (step-wise), three variables had significant contribution in explaining 25% of the total var‌iance in participation of rural women in some developmental projects and programs. They were leadership degree, period of marriage and so‌cial participation degree. - The most important constraints given by (70.25%) of rural women and hindering their participation was that they do not have enough spare time