Pushing the Boundaries: Understanding women’s participation and empowerment

Seeing that the meaning of women’s empowerment had been diluted over time, Trócaire undertook a three-year multi-country study on women’s participation in decision-making organs on a grassroots level. The study focused on three countries: DRC, India, and Nicaragua. In these countries, Trócaire partnered with local partner organisations to implement governance and gender equality programme with the aim of getting a better understanding of how participation contributes to empowerment and a reduction in oppressive power. 

The resulting research findings show that participation and empowerment can help women gain power, as well as encourage them to create new spaces of influence. Yet, certain barriers persist that come in the way of women’s participation and empowerment, including gender norms and structural disenfranchisement.