Role of self-help groups on socioeconomic development and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)among rural women in Cooch Behar District,India

This study examines the transformative role of self-help groups(SHGs)in the socioeconomic development of rural women in Cooch Behar District,India,and their contribution toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)of the United Nations.In this study,we explored the effect of SHGs on rural women by specifically addressing SDGs,such as no poverty(SDG 1),zero hunger(SDG 2),good health and well-being(SDG 3),quality education(SDG 4),and gender equality(SDG 5).Given this issue,a cross-sectional survey and comparison analyses are needed to assess the socioeconomic development of rural women and their awareness level before and after the participation of rural women in SHGs.The survey conducted as part of this study was divided into three sections,namely,demographic characteristics,socioeconomic development,and awareness level,with each focusing on different aspects.A group of 400 individuals who were part of SHGs completed the questionnaire survey form.The results showed that the participation of rural women in SHGs significantly improved their socioeconomic development and awareness level,as supported by both mean values and t test results.Memberships in SHGs and microcredit programs were the major elements that boosted the socioeconomic development of rural women,which also achieves SDGs 1,2,3,4,and 5.This study revealed that participation in SHGs and related financial services significantly aided rural women in economically disadvantaged communities in accumulating savings and initiating entrepreneurial ventures.Moreover,participation in SHGs was instrumental in enhancing the self-confidence,self-efficacy,and overall self-esteem of rural women.Finally,doing so enabled them to move more freely for work and other activities and to make family and common decisions.

Are gender inclusiveness and rural transformation interlinked?The case of Bangladesh

Gender inclusiveness is important in the rural transformation process of Bangladesh as rural women play key roles in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.Gender inclusiveness also leads to gender equity.We empirically evaluate relationships between rural transformation and gender inclusiveness in Bangladesh.We consider three rural transformation indicators:high-value commodities’share in agricultural output values,non-farm employment’s share in rural labor employment,and non-agricultural GDP’s share in total GDP.Indicators capturing gender inclusiveness include the per capita rural income of males and females,ratio of investments into gender programs,female access to education,access to healthcare,employment participation,land ownership,and asset ownership.We test the effect of the difference in per capita rural income of males and females and the ratio of their incomes and check for the robustness of the gender variables across different model specifications.Analyzing 128 district-level observations from 32 districts of Bangladesh across four time periods(2000,2005,2010 and 2016),we use both ordinary least squares and fixed effects panel regression models.We find that female land and asset ownership and access to education and healthcare are robust determinants of various stages of rural transformation.Thus,our results suggest that improving women’s ownership of land and assets and investing in women’s education and healthcare will likely contribute to a more inclusive rural transformation.

Women Awareness on the Importance of Agriculture Technologies Using ICT-Based Training Programs

Awareness policy intended to contribute to changing rural women realities to urgent needs of information and gain knowledge was to be demonstrated through in-depth information and communication technology-based(ICTs-based)training program that focused on the importance of advanced agricultural technologies in the production chain in developing countries like Egypt through access and use of the ICTs.Women are becoming well trained on the detailed steps of improved technologies applied in supply chain.Their increased awareness of the necessity of quality management to be followed during their work in the postharvest handling system helped them to produce high-quality products to meet the export requirements of foreign markets and add value to the export quality.Women have been able to reduce the extremely high losses that occurred due to improper handling in particular.The outcomes of proper and healthy procedures,precautions and personal protection were gained by rural women and technicians working in the supply chain.Moreover,women themselves became more confident in their know-how and more comfortable in transgressing cultural norms that inhibited their progress.

HPV Infection among Uygur Women in a Rural Area of Hetian Prefecture,Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China

It is not clear how HPV infection is prevalent among Uygur women in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China and whether the distribution of HPV infection is related with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia （CIN） incidence among them. A study including 883 Uygur women were conducted from 2006 to 2007 in Hetian Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.

Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Left-Behind Children in Impoverished Rural China:A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study of First Grade Junior High School

Objective:To investigate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems and related factors of left-behind children in impoverished rural China(mainly in thefirst grade of junior high school).Methods:A cross-sectional survey of rural households in 27 poverty-stricken counties in 12 provinces across China was conducted using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ).Results:The prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in left-behind children was 11.7%,and that of non-left-behind children was 8.9%.There was statistical difference between the two groups(P<0.01).There are no differences between the two groups in terms of the various factors of SDQ.The incidence of insomnia in the left-behind group was 58.3%,which was higher than that in the non-left-behind group 50.9%(P<0.01);loneliness(62.1%vs.51.8%,P<0.01);running away from home(23.1%vs.18.8%,P<0.01),and self-injury behavior(16.8%vs.12.2%,P<0.01).Left-behind children are more likely to have negative psychological feelings including insomnia,loneliness,self-injury,and run away from home.They also experienced more bullying including maliciously teased by peers,intentionally excluded or isolated,physically threatened or intimidated.All of these factors are associated with their abnormal emotional and behavioural development.Conclusion:The incidence of emotional and behavioral problems of left-behind children in rural areas in poverty-stricken areas is significantly higher than that of non-left-behind children;Logistic regression analysis showed that bullying behavior and abnormal psychological characteristics are significantly associated with left-behind adolescents abnormal emotional and behavioral development.

Parental Migration’s Effects on the Academic and Non-Academic Performance of Left-Behind Children in Rural China

This study investigates the impact of parental labor migration on the academic achievements and non-academic growth of left-behind children in fourth and seventh grades. Employing survey data collected from rural China in 2014, 2015, and 2016, we examine the effect of parental absence on children's academic achievement using Propensity Score Matching(PSM) and Difference in Difference(DID) methods. The results demonstrate that left-behind children whose parents have migrated for one year have statistically significantly lower academic scores. Academic scores drop lower for fourthgrade students and students from higher-income families. There are also adverse effects on left-behind children's confidence, teacher-student relationships, subjective well-being, and educational expectations if parents migrate for one year. Surprisingly, if parental migration lasts longer(totaling two years), these adverse effects disappear, and student's educational expectations even improve. These results may be because, over time, the adverse effects that occur immediately after parental migration are offset by the positive effects of migration(i.e. higher income). These conclusions can inform migrant parents on ways to utilize their resources to improve the academic performance of their left-behind children.

Dietary Behaviors and Influencing Factors among Rural Left-behind Children Aged below 7 Years in China

Left-behind children comprise a special population inChinese rural areas. According to the 2007 China Census,the number ofleft-behind children aged≤14 years was estimated at 58 million which suggested that these childrencon stituted a

Gender and rural transformation:A systematic literature review

Rural transformation can improve poverty reduction,living standards,and health outcomes in developing countries.However,impacts associated with rural transformation vary by region,household,and individual trait(including gender).While research on rural transformation has been increasing over the last decade,there has been no comprehensive review conducted on the relationships between gender and rural transformation.Here,we conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the impacts of rural transformation on gender and the influence of gender inclusiveness on rural transformation.We reviewed 82 studies from 1960-2021 that explore the relationships between rural transformation and gender.We then developed a framework that captures incidences and flow directions between indicators.Results show that most studies examined the impacts of rural transformation on women and between gender indicators.Few investigated the role of women and the influence of gender inclusiveness on rural transformation.Overall,studies showed that rural transformation typically leads to positive outcomes for women regarding employment,income,and empowerment.However,negative impacts on women’s control over income,stability of new income sources,and access to healthy food are also common.Tailoring future development policies and programs to explicitly account for gender inclusiveness can lead to more successful rural transformation.

Rural Women Transfer from the Perspective of Family Migration

At first,this article gives an overview of previous researches on family migration,the pulling force and drag force of the rural residents' behavior of going out. On the basis of questionnaire survey of rural woman's behavior of going out in Anhui Province,conducted in early 2011,this article studies the pulling force and drag force of rural woman's behavior of going out,their will to settle in the city,and the obstacles to settlement. Finally,I derive three pulling forces of rural woman's behavior of going out,and three major factors influencing settlement in city.

Rural elderly women: The sweat of their bodies and the work of his hands. The paradigms of the Greek polis still present in the current days

Background: In Brazil between 1960 and 1990 there established the hegemony of young people between 15 and 24 years old, a phenomenon known worldwide as “youth wave”. Forty years later, with continued declining levels of fertility and mortality, in the first decade of this century, the young country came to bear white hair with the continued growth of the aging rate. Official census data show the growth of the elderly population, above sixty years, predominantly female, and population growth increasingly urbanized [1, 2]. This article reports the findings from a recent study of elderly women, in the contexts of “rurality”. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the social construction of gender division of work and retirement of older rural women. Comprehending through historically dialectical materialism, the process of exclusion of rural elderly women, some public policies and programs aimed at elderly populace. Ethnographic Method: fieldwork and interviews (one-to-one and in groups), field notes, participant observation, photography, and archival review. Sample: 27 women aged between 68 to 92 years. Findings: Only four receive retirement as peasant, three owners of land and a former employee;the other receive her husband’s pension or are included in the Provision of Continued Benefit (PBC). Conclusion: Non-receipt of retirement for these women, as citizen’s peasant, it is a violation of her rights recognized under the Federal Constitution of 1988, and reveals how the Aristotelian paradigm persists in their activities: That sweat of her bodies and the work of her hands, it is not considered as work;it is labor.

Assessment of the knowledge, attitude and practice of rural women of northeast Nigeria on risk factors associated with cancer of the Cervix

Cervical cancer is the leading cancer-related cause of death among women in Nigeria. An estimated 70,700 new cases occur each year, representing one quarter of all female cancers in sub Saharan Africa. The magnitude of the problem has been under recognised and under prioritised compared with the competing health priorities of infectious diseases such as HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Studies in the United States and Nigeria have indicated that the disease has the highest incidence among the lowest socio-economic groups especially residing in rural areas. The peak age for the disease has been shown to be within 35-45 years age group. Knowledge of the risk factors of the disease is deemed important in its early detection and prevention. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of rural women with cancer of the cervix. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 1600 rural women aged 15-55 years (randomly selected from 28 villages) who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire between April and June, 2010. The majority (82.2%) were married before the age of 20 years and 19.3% before 15 years, 40% in polygamous union, 22.6% have had 2 or more sexual partners, 71.3% were primi and grand multiparous, 7.5% have had previous treatment for STIs and 10.1% were on various types of contraceptive. 454 (28.4%) have heard of Ca cervix, 358 (22.4%) knew the location of the cervix. 2.3% had Pap smear test of which 72.6% were within 2 years. The majority (89.9%) will avail themselves for screening.

Preliminary Study on Crime Prevention of Left-behind Children in Rural China

In the process of social and economic development in China,there appears the inevitable problem of crime of left-behind children.Extensive researches and disputes prove that it is,to a greater extent,a social phenomenon resulted from social factors. It is recommended to improve the treatment of migrant workers and solve the problem of school admission for their children,provide effective legal education for those left-behind children whose problem can not be solved in a short term,and supplement the guardianship role to control the crime rate of leftbehind children. Another more effective method is to resume effective control of people's social life through the rural cultural tradition,to fundamentally prevent crime of left-behind children.

Psychological Capital Status of Left-Behind Rural Children in China and Its Relationship with Mental Health

Background:The mental health of left-behind rural children of China has become a prominent social problem.At the same time,psychological capital has become a positive psychological resource to promote personal growth.However,the relationship between psychological capital and mental health of left-behind rural children has not been explored.Method:A total of 332 left-behind rural children were investigated using a questionnaire of psychological capital and mental health scale.The psychological capital status of left-behind rural children and its impact on mental health were analyzed.Results:(1)Left-behind rural children were found to have a psychological capital score of was 3.16±0.56;Gender,age,grade,and school style had no significant effect on psychological capital.(2)Left-behind rural children obtained a mental health score of 2.21±0.5 G and gender,age,grade,and school style had no significant effect on mental health.(3)A significant negative correlation is found between psychological capital and mental health scores of left-behind rural children.Regression analysis shows that psychological capital is negatively correlated with mental health scores.Conclusion:The psychological capital of left-behind rural children can positively predict their mental health,and thus developing the former can promote the latter.

A Survey on English Reading Status of Left-behind Children in Rural Areas of Northern China

Taking Suining County in Xuzhou city of Jiangsu province as the survey subject,this paper is to study the current English reading situation of the left-behind children based on a questionnaire survey of 472 respondents from 4 primary and middle schools in rural areas.The result indicated that there are serious problems in the current situation of English reading among left-behind children in rural areas,which are as follows:insufficient reading time and books,few access to having books,increased digital reading,many reading disabilities,poor reading environment,etc.This paper analyzes the reasons and gives corresponding countermeasures for society,school and family,to improve the English reading condition of rural left-behind children and to better promote their reading ability and habits.It also provides the reference for narrowing the disparity gap of reading resources services between urban and rural China.

Forest Dependent Survival Strategies of Rural Women in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State

This study was conducted in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. The major objective is to ascertain the forest dependent survival strategies of rural women in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. The specific objectives are to ascertain the socio- economic characteristics of the women, find out the forest based activities of the women, identify what they do with products collected from the forest, establish how much income they make from such products weekly and identify the challenges of these women in exploiting forest for survival. Ten villages were selected and from the selected communities, 15 women were randomly selected in each community to give 150 respondents. From the result of the survey about 96.0% of the respondents had household sizes of between 6-10 persons. Women collect many forest products which include seeds, herbs, honey, mushroom, fuel wood, snails, stimulants, bitter kola, pear, raffia leaves （fronds）, edible worms, wrapping leaves, spices, bush mango, locust beans, wild fruits, leaves, fuel wood, snails, mushrooms and fruits. Some of the forest products are used for income generation only, some for household use, while others are used for both income generation and household use. The major constraint is the decline in the availability of forest products as a result of deforestation, over exploitation, bush burning and long distance to available forests. The study shows that forest products play a significant role in improving the livelihood of rural people. Rural development and future forest conservation strategies and interventions should pay attention to the contribution of forest products to people＇s livelihood and environmental sustainability.

Research on The Social Assistance of Left-behind Children in Rural Areas under The Policy of Precise Poverty Alleviation

With the development of economy, a large number of surplus labor force in rural areas has been transferred to cities, resulting in the increasing number of left-behind children in rural areas. Left-behind children are in a critical period of ideological enlightenment, accepting obligation education, outlook on life and world outlook, and the absence of parental care and education has a negative impact on their growth. It is an important problem to solve this problem in every aspect of society.

Rural Women's Aspirations through Art Work

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