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Bridging the Divide: The
Transformative Aftermath of NGO Mediation on the Social Status of Urban Slum
Women |
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| Paper Id :
18994 Submission Date :
2024-05-10 Acceptance Date :
2024-05-21 Publication Date :
2024-05-25
This is an open-access research paper/article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.12732080 For verification of this paper, please visit on
http://www.socialresearchfoundation.com/researchtimes.php#8
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| Abstract |
In contemporary times
and throughout history the societal status of women has been extensively
discussed and debated. They are a pronounced part of the society and their
holistic well-being is a matter of paramount importance and cannot be
disregarded. The diverse facets of women empowerment that have been examined in
this study distinctly indicate that it has a profound impact on societal
frameworks. In today’s scenario women empowerment is being facilitated by
various agencies, particularly by the NGOs (Non-governmental organizations)
through various avenues such as self-help groups, health awareness initiatives
and educational programs. Drawing upon scholarly insights, accountability of
NGO interventions and the challenges faced by them such as maintaining
effectiveness and leadership continuity are certain aspects that exist and need
to be effectively countered for beneficial outcomes. The NGOs effectively
strive to address undernutrition and global health disparities among women
particularly from marginal communities and stress upon the collaborative effort
of local and global endeavours in advancing women rights to further improve
women societal status. The complexities of gender inequality across historical
and contemporary contexts, foregrounding the enduring obstacles faced by women
also shapes the focus of the study. A questionnaire in form of a quiz was
administered to slum-dwelling women in Bhopal city (N=300). The participant responses
were compared with a hypothesized mean and relevant statistical method has been
applied to ascertain shifts in women social status, depicting the crucial
function of NGOs in fostering the stand of women in the society. |
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| Keywords | NGO, Women, Social Status, Urban Slums. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduction | The swift pace of industrialization has spurred individuals to migrate to metropolitan areas in search of job opportunities, with the goal of mitigating their underlying struggles with poverty. As a result, this occurrence has facilitated the development of urban settlements commonly referred to as slums. Residents residing in these areas contribute to the advancement of urban areas; however, their individual development is often eclipsed by enduring challenges. Furthermore, a commonly disregarded reality within the urban environment pertains to the obstacles encountered by women inhabiting these impoverished regions. Notwithstanding their remarkable resilience and determination, these women are faced with numerous obstacles impeding their societal and economic advancement. As per the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, approximately 384 slums are situated within the city, being 28.6% of the overall population. The inhabitants of these localities, particularly women, encounter demanding situations. They are involved in a variety of unskilled occupations for sustenance, carrying an unequal burden of duties and encountering obstacles in obtaining education, healthcare and economic autonomy. These difficulties are deeply rooted, originating from structural disparities and cultural norms (Panda, 2000). Apparently, non-governmental organizations transpire optimism in this context, recognizing that women participationis substantialin the progress of humanity as they constitute almost 50% of the population. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as the name suggests work independently of the government and have no profit motives. However, sometimes they may be funded by the government. These entities, part of civil society, are committed to enhancing society, with a particular emphasis on the empowerment of women (Panda, 2000). NGOs perform a pivotal role which is of vital importance for establishing equality on the basis of gender and legitimizing the status of womenincluding facilitation of livelihood opportunities and participation in advocacy for education, consciousness-raising and promotion of self-sufficiency (Mirza & Nisa, 2019). The primary objective of this investigation is to examine the transformative impacts of non-governmental organization initiatives on the social status of female residents in the impoverished areas of Bhopal urban center. Specifically, the study aims to evaluate the efficacy of such initiatives in enhancing women's ability to exercise their autonomy and take autonomous actions in relation to their individual and familial affairs. The significance of the study lies in emphasizing that marginalized women need to be brought at par to facilitate urban development. It also analyses the efforts undertaken by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) thereby deepening our understanding of effective strategies to reduce the gender disparity in urban slum areas. An investigation was carried out by personally visiting selected slums in Bhopal city and administering a questionnaire, in the form of a quiz, to 300 women living in slums. Additionally, a relevant statistical analysis was applied to the participants' responses to determine the impact of NGO interventions.Therefore, this study functions as a supplementary reservoir of information concerning the status of women in impoverished urban regions and the degree to which their circumstances have progressed. The mortifying hurdles encountered by women residing in
urban slums forms the beginning of the paper. The contextualization of their
difficulties within the broader context of gender inequality, lack of essential
services and violations of human rights comes next. It then portrays the significant role of NGOs
in addressing the above issues. It then defines the specific goals of the
research and the methodologies utilized to achieve them. Subsequently, it
consolidates the conclusions drawn from previous studies and evaluates their
implications for policy development and practical application. In conclusion,
the paper offers suggestions for future interventions while emphasizing the
necessity of ongoing efforts to empower women in slum communities. |
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| Objective of study | To examine how NGO interventions, influence the social status of women residing in urban slums concerning decision-making authority within their family and personal spheres. |
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| Review of Literature | Women in Indian society face social, political, religious and economic marginalization and deprivation. They experience inequality and limited participation in democratic processes compared to men. For democracy to retain its meaning and effectiveness, it is imperative that half of the population engages fully in decision-making and actively participates in economic, social and political spheres. Thus, sustaining democracy necessitates equal involvement of both women and men in development initiatives (Mandal, 2013). To begin with, women need to empower themselves in personal and familial decision making. Various organizations, they being NGOs or governmental bodies, collaborate on rural and urban development initiatives. NGOs address the needs of marginalized groups like small farmers, agricultural laborers, women and minorities, while also focusing on infrastructure development such as schools and hospitals, healthcare, nutrition, vocational training, and elderly care. Their areas of focus span disabilities, water, education, children, housing, microfinance, renewable energy, poverty alleviation, vocational training, and women empowerment.As NGOs have been working for women empowerment for long, for the purpose of this study we have reviewed only the recent literature of past two decades. Women empowerment initiatives, facilitated by NGOs, aim to elevate women from domestic roles to active contributors in society (Gupta, 2021). Self-help groups foster social empowerment (Sharma, 2013), while health awareness programs contribute to social and educational empowerment (India CARE, 2012). Accountability relationships between NGOs and marginalized women are pivotal for empowerment ie.“a voluntary reversal of the power relationship between NGOs and the people to whom they are providing services is required if high levels of empowerment are to occur”(Kilby, 2010). Challenges in NGO sustainability post-leadership change (Baviskar, 2001), undernutrition among women and children in slums (India CARE, 2012), and implementation hurdles for educational reforms (Reza, 2022) are notable. Despite government schemes, challenges persist for girls’ safety and literacy (Pandey & Pandey, 2018). The underlying role of NGOs mounts the social status of women (Panda & Gope, 2023). Gender inequality stems from various sources, and NGOs provide protection to women rights (Hiremath, 2021). NGOs contribute to global health and tackle gender inequalities exacerbated by globalization (Anbazhagan & Surekha, 2016). NGOs intervene in socio-economic empowerment and health awareness (Margaret & Kala, 2013). They conduct impact assessments among skilled youth (Uma, 2022). As NGOs educate the marginalized section of the society on various aspects such as social, economic and health issues they contribute to improving their living standards (Adamuthe& Mishra, 2017). A multidimensional approach of the NGOs through CSR programs can be framed in such a manner that it rules out all the aspects that hamper growth of marginalized women(Smriti, 2020). Self-help groups (SHGs) bring women together, which helps them feel more confident, become better leaders, improve their communication skills, and make better decisions. Because of this, women in SHGs are generally better off mentally, socially, economically and politically compared to women who are not in these groups(Sangeetha et al. 2013). While NGOs are proactive, they may inadvertently marginalize women (Dabhi, 2009). Critical analysis and collaboration are essential for effective response to human development challenges (Dabhi, 2009). It's important for NGOs to review and question their origins, motivations and beliefs about development and empowerment. They need to better understand and analyze these aspects to effectively address the human development challenges in India. NGO leaders should also examine their religious and cultural influences and make sure these align with efforts for gender justice and women empowerment. The deeply ingrained patriarchal mindset also limits women opportunities (Panda & Gope, 2023). NGOs’ areas of work include differently-abled support, education, housing and poverty alleviation (Cardoza & Vidya, 2023). They play a significant role in primary education through advocacy and awareness (Nummenpää, 2012). NGOs empower women through decision-making (Panda & Gope, 2023) and contribute to framing women's social status (Panda & Gope, 2023). It can therefore be claimed affirmatively that NGOs play a foundational role in women empowerment. |
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| Methodology | To study the effect of the efforts, NGOs put in to bring a difference in the social status of women in urban slums an empirical study was conducted by way of questionnaire in form of quiz. The present research has been conducted in selected slums of Bhopal city where NGO’s have been working for the betterment of the area. The study sample includes 300 women randomly identified from these selected slums. We developed a simple multiple option quiz comprising twelve questions (Appendix – I) aligned with our research objective and informed by the existing literature. The quiz was prepared in Hindi language as it being native to the slums. These questions were strategically designed so that they can be comfortably asked to slum dwelling women to explore their social status in terms of decision-making power within both their family and personal domains. These questions were personally asked by the researcher to the slum women and their responses were noted. The responses were then entered into an MS-Excel sheet. Subsequently, data sourced from these processed worksheets facilitated relevant statistical analyses using MS Excel and SPSS. |
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| Sampling |
Rigorous data processing included visual validation of submission accuracy and consideration of submission timestamps within the designated timeframe to ensure impartiality. Prior consent was secured from participants, emphasizing the voluntary nature of their involvement, and no incentives were offered. About 189 women of total 300 were 31-55 years of age and the rest belonged to 15-30 years of age. About 286 women were married, 3 unmarried, 2 divorced and the rest were widowed. Most of the women were non-graduates and were either house wives or worked as maids in local households. A very few did stitch work at home or run grocery shops, parlours, tea corners etc. |
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| Result and Discussion |
After collecting responses
from women in the urban slums of Bhopal, we checked if the data followed a
normal distribution. The graph (Fig-1) shows that it does. Then, we tested the
questionnaire to make sure it was reliable, Table-1. The reliability (Cronbach
alpha) was found to be 0.279 which is too low. So, an item total statistic was
conducted (Table-2). This showed that question 1 and 2 had negative correlation
with research objective and hence when these were omitted from assessment then
reliability (Cronbach alpha) improves significantly from 0.279 to 0.427
(Table-3). The item total statistics was conducted again (Table -4).
Fig-1 The above graph shows that the data is normally distributed. VAR00001 is the social status of women in slums of Bhopal city. Table-1
Table - 2
As we improved the reliability of the instrument by omitting the negative questions (question 1 and 2) it was found that no significant changes in final results were found. Following shows the results with both reliability factors of 0.279 and 0.427 respectively. Results with Cronbach alpha 0.279
The above table description is as follows. 1. N: This tells us how many pieces of information or data points we have in our sample. Here, we have 300 observations or data points. 2. Mean: This is the average value of the variable in the sample. For the social status of women in slums of Bhopal city, the mean is 8.81. 3. Std. Deviation (Standard Deviation): This tells us how spread out the data is, showing how much each value differs from the average. For the social status of women in Bhopal's slums, the standard deviation is 1.558. 4. Std. Error Mean (Standard Error of the Mean): This gives us an idea of how much the average of our sample might differ from the average of the whole population. A smaller standard error means our sample average is a better guess for the population average. For the social status of women in Bhopal slums, the standard error of the mean is 0.090. These numbers tell us about the social status of women in Bhopal slums based on our sample. They show that, on average, the social status score is 8.81, with individual scores typically varying by around 1.558 from this average. The standard error of 0.090 suggests how accurate our average guess is. Overall, these stats give us a good idea about both the typical score and how much scores tend to differ from it. Table-7
1. The table above shows the outcomes of a one-sample test. This type of analysis compares the average of one group of data with a known value or an expected average. 2. Test Value: This is the number we are comparing our sample average to. Here, we are checking if our sample average is different from 8.4. 3. t: The t-value tells us how much the sample average differs from what we expected from the whole population. A bigger t-value means a bigger difference between the sample average and the expected average. 4. df: This shows the degrees of freedom, which tells us how much flexibility there is in the data to vary. Here, it's 299, meaning there is a lot of variability in our sample. 5. Sig. (2-tailed): This is the significance level, also known as the p-value. It shows the chance of seeing our data if there is actually no difference between our sample average and the expected average. A smaller p-value means stronger evidence that there is a difference. Here, the p-value is very tiny (0.000), showing strong evidence against the idea that there is no difference. 6. Mean Difference: This is how much the average of our sample differs from the expected value. Here, it is 0.413, meaning our sample average is a bit higher than what was expected. 7. 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference: This range gives us a good idea of where the actual difference between the sample average and the expected value might fall. It goes from 0.24 to 0.59, meaning we are quite confident that the true difference lies somewhere in this range. From these findings, we have good reason to dismiss the idea that there is no important difference in the social status of women in slums when it comes to their power in family and personal decisions. We can say that the average score of 8.81 in our sample is notably different from the expected 8.4. This suggests that NGO involvement has led to an improvement in the social status of women living in urban slums. Table-8
The table above tells us about the size of the difference seen in the one-sample test. Effect size measures how big the difference is between the sample average and the expected value, regardless of how many observations we have. 1. Standardizer: This shows how the effect size is adjusted to make it easier to compare across different studies. Here, two common adjustments are mentioned: Cohen’s d and Hedges’ correction. 2. Point Estimate: This number shows how big the difference is between the sample average and the expected value. For Cohen’s d, it is 1.558, and for Hedges’ correction, it is 1.562. 3. 95% Confidence Interval: This range gives us an idea of where the actual effect size might be. It goes from 0.150 to 0.380 for both Cohen's d and Hedges’ correction, meaning we're quite confident that the true effect size falls somewhere in this range. Cohen’s d and Hedges’ correction are ways to measure how big the difference is between the averages, but they're adjusted to make comparisons easier. Cohen’s d divides the difference by a shared standard deviation, while Hedges’ correction adds a correction factor, especially useful with small groups, to make sure the result isnot biased. In this case, both Cohen’s d and Hedges’ correction show big effect sizes, which means there's a significant difference between the sample average and the expected value. This indicates that the difference we observed isnot just statistically important but also has a practical impact. Results with Cronbach alpha 0.427 Table-9
Table-10
Table-11
So, we see that the results in Table 6, 7 and 8 are identical to those in Table 9, 10 and 11, but the instrument’s reliability has improved. |
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| Conclusion |
From ancient times to the present day, women have grappled with gender inequality, malnutrition, identity crises and challenges in decision-making, particularly in marginalized communities. In contemporary society, NGOs are tirelessly striving to empower women, particularly in their familial and personal spheres, by facilitating decision-making autonomy. The research indicates that NGO interventions have notably enhanced women awareness regarding education, nutrition, health, and overall well-being. Women have become more assertive and receptive to learning and prioritizing the education of their offspring. While they actively participate in family decision-making, they still encounter hurdles in asserting their autonomy on personal matters. Insufficient support in household chores limits their time for self-discovery and grooming, exacerbating gaps in knowledge and skills. Thus, while NGO interventions have yielded significant progress, there remains considerable ground to cover. The study’s limitations include its reliance on a limited sample population from a specific area. The paper also aims to remind readers of a clear definition of empowerment, based on what is been found in existing literature. “The definition encompasses a few key elements such as power, autonomy and self-reliance, entitlement, participation, awareness development and capacity building, a seven-step process of assessment of women empowerment is discussed within the systems framework. The steps are-assessments of the macro-environment, the external agency environment, the external agency, the target group environment, the target group, the development programme/ project and lastly integration of the assessment process. Such a framework will help the organisations involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of development projects from the point of view of understanding, incorporating and assessing empowerment related issues at the grassroot level” (Panda., 2000). |
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