IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/cdiwps/halshs-01958755.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Community mills and women's empowerment in Burkina Faso

Author

Listed:
  • Claudio Araujo

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UCA [2017-2020] - Université Clermont Auvergne [2017-2020] - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Catherine Araujo-Bonjean

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UCA [2017-2020] - Université Clermont Auvergne [2017-2020] - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Victor Beguerie

    (FERDI - Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International, CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UCA [2017-2020] - Université Clermont Auvergne [2017-2020] - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

The Multi-Functional Platforms program consists of setting up powered community mills managed by women in rural areas. By strengthening women's capacities in areas traditionally reserved for men, the program places women at the core of local development and places emphasis on the empowerment of women. To assess the impact of community mills on women's empowerment, which is by its very nature a non-observable variable with multiple dimensions, we propose an original operational framework based on Sen's capability theory. We argue that community mills participate in women's empowerment by giving them more control over the decision-making process in all spheres of their life (agency freedom), and by expanding their capability set (well-being freedom). We use structural equation modeling to explore the relationship between these two unobservable latent variables, and to assess the impact of community mills. The database is taken from a survey of 2,400 women living in 200 villages in Burkina Faso. The results are consistent with a positive impact of the program on women's empowerment. The results also confirm the validity of the approach for evaluating a potentially important, but hard-to-value, intangible outcome of a development program like individual empowerment.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio Araujo & Catherine Araujo-Bonjean & Victor Beguerie, 2018. "Community mills and women's empowerment in Burkina Faso," CERDI Working papers halshs-01958755, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cdiwps:halshs-01958755
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01958755
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01958755/document
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:qeh:ophiwp:ophiwp004 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Ingrid Robeyns, 2005. "The Capability Approach: a theoretical survey," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 93-117.
    3. Deepa Narayan, 2002. "Empowerment and Poverty Reduction : A Sourcebook," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15239.
    4. Basu, Kaushik & Kanbur, Ravi (ed.), 2008. "Arguments for a Better World: Essays in Honor of Amartya Sen: Volume I: Ethics, Welfare, and Measurement," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199239115.
    5. Deepa Narayan, 2005. "Measuring Empowerment : Cross Disciplinary Perspectives," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7441.
    6. Ledyard Tucker & Charles Lewis, 1973. "A reliability coefficient for maximum likelihood factor analysis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 38(1), pages 1-10, March.
    7. Ruth Alsop & Mette Bertelsen & Jeremy Holland, 2006. "Empowerment in Practice : From Analysis to Implementation," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6980.
    8. Solava Ibrahim & Sabina Alkire, 2007. "Agency and Empowerment: A Proposal for Internationally Comparable Indicators," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(4), pages 379-403.
    9. Trommlerová, Sofia Karina & Klasen, Stephan & Leßmann, Ortrud, 2015. "Determinants of Empowerment in a Capability-Based Poverty Approach: Evidence from The Gambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 1-15.
    10. Jaya Krishnakumar, 2007. "Going Beyond Functionings to Capabilities: An Econometric Model to Explain and Estimate Capabilities," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 39-63.
    11. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Clarke, Shannon & Johnson, Katie & Crafton, Meredith & Eidsness, Jay & Zoppo, David, 2013. "The energy-enterprise-gender nexus: Lessons from the Multifunctional Platform (MFP) in Mali," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 115-125.
    12. repec:qeh:ophiwp:ophiwp009 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. David A. Clark & University of Manchester, 2005. "The Capability Approach: Its Development, Critiques and Recent Advances," Economics Series Working Papers GPRG-WPS-032, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    14. Krishnakumar, Jaya & Ballon, Paola, 2008. "Estimating Basic Capabilities: A Structural Equation Model Applied to Bolivia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 992-1010, June.
    15. Alsop, Ruth & Heinsohn, Nina, 2005. "Measuring empowerment in practice: structuring analysis and framing indicators," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3510, The World Bank.
    16. Naila Kabeer, 1999. "Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 30(3), pages 435-464, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ramzi Mabsout, 2011. "Capability and Health Functioning in Ethiopian Households," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 101(3), pages 359-389, May.
    2. Klein, Elise, 2014. "Psychological Agency: Evidence from the Urban Fringe of Bamako," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 642-653.
    3. Pratley, Pierre, 2016. "Associations between quantitative measures of women's empowerment and access to care and health status for mothers and their children: A systematic review of evidence from the developing world," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 119-131.
    4. Alkire, Sabina & Meinzen-Dick, Ruth & Peterman, Amber & Quisumbing, Agnes & Seymour, Greg & Vaz, Ana, 2013. "The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 71-91.
    5. repec:qeh:ophiwp:ophiwp010 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Marya Rozanova-Smith & Embla Eir Oddsdóttir & Andrey N. Petrov, 2025. "‘They Say There’s More Equality…’ : Women’s Perspectives on Progress and Setbacks in Gender Equality in Northern Iceland During Times of Crisis," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-30, July.
    7. Sato, Mine, 2016. "Empowerment through Enhancing Agency:Bridging Practice and Theory through Crystallizing Wisdom of a Third-Country Expert," Working Papers 129, JICA Research Institute.
    8. Yevessé DANDONOUGBO & Esso-hanam ATAKE & Djinta LITAABA-AKILA & Dédé KOUEVIDJIN, 2023. "Closing the income gap between male and female agricultural workers: the role of women empowerment in Togo's rural areas," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 57, pages 63-80.
    9. Ronelle Burger & Camren McAravey & Servaas van der Berg, 2017. "The Capability Threshold: Re-examining the Definition of the Middle Class in an Unequal Developing Country," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 89-106, January.
    10. Leon, Dorian, 2017. "Differential Approach and Capabilities: An Analysis for the Colombia's Population Displaced," MPRA Paper 82085, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Mohammad Abu-Zaineh & Maame Esi Woode, 2018. "Investigating the Dimensions of Youth Wellbeing: An Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling Approach Applied to Palestine," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(1), pages 57-78, February.
    12. Joseph Deutsch & Jacques Silber, 2017. "Does women's empowerment affect the health of children?: The case of Mozambique," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-211, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    13. Adnan M. S. Fakir & Naveen Abedin, 2021. "Empowered by Absence: Does Male Out-migration Empower Female Household Heads Left Behind?," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 503-527, June.
    14. repec:qeh:ophiwp:ophiwp069 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Trommlerová, Sofia Karina & Klasen, Stephan & Leßmann, Ortrud, 2015. "Determinants of Empowerment in a Capability-Based Poverty Approach: Evidence from The Gambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 1-15.
    16. Roy, Sanchari & Morton, Matthew & Bhattacharya, Shrayana, 2018. "Hidden human capital: Self-efficacy, aspirations and achievements of adolescent and young women in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 161-180.
    17. Maiorano, Diego & Shrimankar, Dishil & Thapar-Björkert, Suruchi & Blomkvist, Hans, 2021. "Measuring empowerment: Choices, values and norms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    18. Francis Tsiboe & Yacob A. Zereyesus & Jennie S. Popp & Evelyn Osei, 2018. "The Effect of Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture on Household Nutrition and Food Poverty in Northern Ghana," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(1), pages 89-108, July.
    19. Jeni Klugman & Francisco Rodríguez & Hyung-Jin Choi, 2011. "The HDI 2010: new controversies, old critiques," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 9(2), pages 249-288, June.
    20. Tomasz Panek & Jan Zwierzchowski, 2022. "Examining the Degree of Social Exclusion Risk of the Population Aged 50 + in the EU Countries Under the Capability Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(3), pages 973-1002, October.
    21. Wole Kinati & Elizabeth C. Temple & Derek Baker & Dina Najjar & Reta Hailu, 2024. "Understanding Agency Within Context: The Case of Breeding Cooperatives Program for Transforming Small Ruminant Value Chain in Ethiopia," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, April.
    22. Md. Wakilur Rahman & A. B. M. Mahfuzul Haque & Tasnuva Zaman & Md. Salauddin Palash & Md. Nahiduzzaman & Tanzina Nazia, 2024. "Women Empowerment Status in the Coastal Fishing Communities of Bangladesh," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hal:cdiwps:halshs-01958755. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Contact - CERDI - Université Clermont Auvergne (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.