Perceived Influence of Community Education Programmes on Mitigating Harmful Traditional Practices against Women in Akwa-Ibom

Abstract

This study examined the perceived influence of community education programmes on mitigating harmful traditional practices against women in Akwa-Ibom State. Three research questions were answered to guide the study. Descriptive research survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 2,028 respondents. The sample size of the study was 811 respondents comprising both 712 members and 248 women leaders of the 24 community-based women organizations used for the study. This sample size represents 40% of the study population. Multistage sampling technique was adopted in the study. Six Local Government Areas and 24 community-based women organizations were randomly selected. The proportionate sampling technique was used to select the sample size used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a closed-ended structured questionnaire. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Statistics (PPMC) was used to established the reliability index at 0.82. The responses to the questionnaire were analyzed with mean and standard deviation statistic. The findings from the study revealed that cultural education programme, health education programme, and literacy education programme, all have positive influence as perceived by the respondents on mitigating harmful traditional practices against women in the study area. It was recommended among others that Government at all levels and Non-governmental Organisations interested in women education and wellbeing should partner with agency for adult and non-formal education to adequately fund literacy education, health education programmes in communities to promote community awareness on the need to shun such traditional practices that are harmful against women