Evaluating Women’s Empowerment in Rural Cameroon through the Abbreviated – Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index

Amartya Sen a Nobel laureate stressed the fact that empowering women and girls with more choices and more freedom is crucial to achieving a better future for all. This study evaluates the level of women’s empowerment in agriculture by assessing the empowerment gaps between male and female decision makers; and by comparing the level of women’s empowerment in agriculture across household types. Empowerment is assessed through the Five Domains of Empowerment (5DE) of the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI). Using data collected from 600 rural households in the West region of Cameroon, the outcomes from the 5DE show that empowerment gaps between men and women exist in all domains of empowerment. The empowerment gaps between men and women are more severe in the resource and income domains. Also, group membership, excessive workload and access to and decision about credit contribute the most to disempowerment for both men and women. The study shows more women in dual headed household (DHHs) achieve adequacy in terms of input in productive decisions, access to and decision about credit, group membership and workload as compared to other household types. Also, women’s empowerment in the production, resource and income domains depend on the household type. The results of the study highlight the need for the creation of governmental and non-governmental organisations that will promote women’s empowerment in agriculture and other aspects life.