PROBLEMS OF MARGINALIZATION OF WOMEN IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN ITEM, BENDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ABIA STATE

The study investigates problems of women’s marginalization in community development in Item, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. The need for the study arose because of noticeable problems of women’s marginalization hindering effective community development in Item. A four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. A 38 item questionnaire was developed and administered to 32 registered members of Item development union (women’s wing). The data collected were analyzed with respect to each research question using means scores. A mean of 2.50 was adopted as the cut of point. The t-test statistics was used to test the two hypotheses formulated for the study. The researcher found out that the factors that lead to marginalization of women included religious belief, poverty. Illiteracy unemployment early marriage, Gender sterotypes and Deprivation. The research found out also the consequences of women’s marginalization as it affects community development which included Abandonment of project, Disunity in community development, A project taking long time than necessary, lack of trust, mismanagement of community development fund, lack of access to land and other properties among others. It was found out that the ways of eliminating marginalization of women included access to education, access to ownership of land and other properties by women, Democracy in community development, support from government and other NGOs, public enlightenment about the consequences of marginalization in community development, women empowerment, making the women functionally literate for community development projects and introduction of good policies that will improve the well fare of women in community development. The study also found out that the various ways of promoting gender equity in community development include incorporating women in community development planning Raising consciousness of women about their rights and responsibilities in area of economic and political development, improvement of women’s educational status through literacy programmes, Abolish laws that marginalize women’s access to property and inheritance, and also incorporating women in decision making process in community development.