Rural women and their role in the expanded public works programme in Modimolla village, North West Province : an assessment

Abstract

In the past, rural women were looked upon as being physically weak and were assigned the main role of child-bearing and child-rearing. In recent times, however, there has been recognition that women's roles go beyond the immediate household domestic and reproductive spheres into economically productive public spheres. Women are therefore recognized as agents of development as they play a vital role in society and contribute to socio-economic development. The main aim of this research was to focus on this sphere of life and examine the contribution of women through the case study of the EPWP project in Modimola village, North-West Province of South Africa. A qualitative research approach was used in this study in the form of in-depth interviews with a sample of the women who participated in the project. This was done to establish the role, benefits, and challenges women encountered in the fore-mentioned EPWP project. It was found that women had a very productive and active toile in the project, and contributed positively towards its effectiveness and success. This was however not sustainable largely due to failure by the Department of Public Works' officials to provide continuous leadership, as well as monitoring and evaluation of the project to ensure continuous improvement and sustainability.