Accessibility of information to rural women in access and control of land resources in Muheza district, Tanga region, Tanzania
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
In Tanzania and elsewhere around the developing world, rural women are socially, economically and politically marginalized. This marginalization is a result of inadequate rural women development policies, inadequate formal education and lack of access to adequate information in access and control of land resources for sustainable livelihood. The objective of this study was to examine the accessibility of information to rural women on access and control of land resources in Muheza District, Tanga Region, Tanzania. This study adopted the communication model of Shannon and Weaver (1949) which is based on examining problems associated with information accessibility. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. The data was mainly collected through the use of interview, focus group discussions and the questionnaire. The study findings show that most of the rural women have a low level of education and earn the below poverty line. Rural women lack information on access and control of land resources and other various economic, social, cultural and political issues in their communities, as a result the majority of them suffer from severe poverty. Rural women need information about the Law of land, the Law of Inheritance, the rights of women on land issues, division of land and Law of Marriage. The study concluded that information is considered to be strategic resource to rural women that can make them gain access and control of land resources as the result of their sustainable development. In order to meet the rural women’s needs information must be acquired, processed, stored and retrieved and disseminated according to the rural women needs. Multiple sources of information must be used to disseminate information. The study recommended that education and training should be provided to the rural women on how to access appropriate information in order to gain access and control over land resources. Also the government must support the information sectors by providing adequate funding for improving information infrastructure. Both government and non-government organizations should work together to ensure that the socio economic environment among rural women communities is made conducive for effective information systems to operate.
Description
Available in print form
Keywords
Rural women, Land resources, Information needs, Muheza District - Tanga Region, Tanzania
Citation
Omary, T. J (2010) Accessibility of information to rural women in access and control of land resources in Muheza district, Tanga region, Tanzania. Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx