L’engagement associatif féminin et son impact sur l’autonomisation économique de la femme : cas de l’association NAWE-NUZE de la zone Cibitoke en commune Ntahangwa

Abstract

This Master's thesis in Socio-Anthropology examines a women's association called NAWE-NUZE. This association advocates for women's economic empowerment. Indeed, studying women's involvement in associations and its impact on women's economic empowerment is of great importance in the Burundian context, where women often face problems related to gender inequality observed in various areas of life in the country. Thus, research on the contribution of the NAWE-NUZE women's association to women's economic empowerment is essential for informing development policies and improving the living conditions of women and their families. In many underdeveloped countries around the world, and particularly in Burundi, women and girls remain victims of economic, social, and political discrimination. They are exposed to poverty and represent 70% of the world's poor. And when they do work, they are most often relegated to informal sector jobs that do not provide them with access to social security, health insurance, paid leave, or decent employment (CASAF international, 2020). According to the Burundi-Echo newspaper (2020), the November 2016 report on poverty assessment in Burundi indicates that women are particularly disadvantaged in the labor market. Nearly 90% of unpaid work is performed by women, and less than 49% of public sector employees are women. More than 92% of women work primarily in agriculture, compared to 7% of men, and less than 4% have paid employment in the non-agricultural sector. Furthermore, many women face specific obstacles that isolate or marginalize them due to various factors in addition to gender-related issues. They cannot exercise their fundamental rights, lack the right or opportunity to access vocational training, employment, housing, and economic independence, and cannot participate in decision-making processes. Furthermore, women are often denied the opportunity to fully contribute to the general life of their community (Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1995: 15). Thus, the NAWE-NUZE association aims to support its female members in their economic empowerment. But it is necessary to understand how it actually contributes to improving these women's living conditions. This thesis therefore focuses on women's involvement in associations and its impact on women's economic empowerment, using the NAWE-NUZE women's association as a case study. Regarding the overall objective, this study aims to highlight the contribution of the NAWE-NUZE association to women's economic empowerment. Regarding the methodological approach, qualitative research provides the framework for our methodology. In our research, we made extensive use of semi-structured interviews to gather the information necessary to test our hypotheses. The sociology of Alain Touraine was a great source of inspiration for us. Concerning the survey results, the research showed that the activities carried out by the NAWE-NUZE association for its female members are of great importance to their economic empowerment, given that they have brought about socio-cultural and economic changes. Furthermore, the results obtained demonstrate the significant impact on the improved living conditions of these women members and their families. In addition, these results also reveal difficulties arising from reconciling domestic work with productive activities outside the home; this is why some women members of the association employ a domestic worker to manage household tasks, allowing them to dedicate themselves fully to their productive and income-generating activities. In conclusion, this study has highlighted the positive impact of women’s associative engagement on women’s economic empowerments as illustrated by the case of the NAWE-NUZE association. The finding show that the association’s activities have helped improve the living conditions of its female members and their families, enabling them to gain greater autonomy and financial security. However, challenges remain, particularly in balancing domestic work and productive activities outside the home. It is therefore essential to strengthen efforts to support women in their economic empowerment and promote gender equality. The results of this study can inform development policies and contribute to improving the living conditions of women and their families.