Assessment of Self-esteem and Perception towards Gender Role and Responsibility among women residing in Tribal area in Raigad District

 

Smruti V. Parkar¹, Jyoti Chaudhari²

¹PG Scholar, MGM New Bombay College of Nursing, Navi Mumbai.

²Associate Professor, MGM New Bombay College of Nursing, Navi Mumbai.

 

ABSTRACT:

Introduction: Empowerment of Women is about helping them to stand on their own feet, help them take decisions in their life without any restriction. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are two sides of the same coin. Hence the aim of this study was to assess the self-esteem and perception towards Gender Role and Responsibility among women residing in tribal area in Raigad district, Maharashtra. Methodology: The study adopted survey method design to collect data from 81 participants. Total enumeration method was used. Likert scale had been used to collect data. Data was analysed by using measurements of univariate and bivariate descriptive statistics. Result: The result revealed that majority (65%) of women belong to the age group of 19-28years, early married life. Self-esteem score among illiterate women was better than the literate. 82.7% women were having good self-esteem. Age group and personal income had a significant association with self-esteem. Majority (69.1%) of participants found with satisfactory score of perception towards gender role and responsibility. There was significant association between self-esteem and gender role and responsibility among women. Discussion: Age and personal income had a significant association with self-esteem among women residing in Dodhani tribal area in Raigad district. Higher the education level achieved women more likely to have good perception towards gender role and responsibility. Also, women who had female children were more likely to have better perception towards gender role and responsibility score than those who do not or with only male child. There was significant association between self-esteem and gender role and responsibility among women. The study forecast with age arise maturity and financial independence which leads to self-esteem and perception towards gender role and responsibility can be improved. They need to be empowered with motivational speech and help to develop self-esteem. Long term multi-strategy action-oriented studies are recommended for improvement in perception of gender role and responsibility among men and women in different settings.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Women are an important section of our society. The year 2001 had been declared by the Government of India as “Women’s Empowerment Year” to focus on a vision where women are equal partners like men”.¹

 

Over the past decade, gender equality and women empowerment have been explicitly recognized as key not only to the health of nations, but also to social and economic development. Additionally, the promotion of gender equality and empowering of women is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals to which India is a signatory.² Women of India are relatively disempowered and they enjoy somewhat lower status than that of men in spite of many efforts undertaken by government. Gender gap exists regarding access to education and employment. It is found that acceptance of unequal gender norms by women are still prevailing in the society. Rural women are more prone to domestic violence than that of urban women. A large gender gap exists in political participation too.³ The women empowerment programmes improving the education and media exposure of women can influence the sex-preference of the new-born as well as family-size among couples and families.⁴ Perception of gender from the adults’ viewpoints propose that girls may have restricted opportunities when compared to boys whereas girls show up to have more noteworthy gender flexibility than boys.⁵ Self-esteem is one of the important factors in emotional dimensions of health and may cause threat to physical and psychological threat too. Unbiased perception of gender role and responsibility provides supportive environment to boost the self- esteem and positive environment.⁶

 

METHODS:

A qualitative research approach was used. Total enumeration method was used to select 81 Women residing in Dodhani village, Raigad District. Likert scale to assess self-esteem and to assess the perception towards gender. Data was analysed by using measurements of unvariate and bivariate descriptive statistics. Frequency, percentage, mean, median, mode association with socioeconomic variable. Chi square test used to examine association between demographic variables and self-esteem.

 

Item analysis of self-esteem questionnaire and questionnaire on gender role and Responsibility was done. In the self-esteem analysis higher score demonstrate better self-esteem; whereas in gender role and responsibility lower score represents favourable perception towards gender role and responsibility.

 

RESULTS AND FINDINGS:

Data has been collected from 81 women participants on age, education, occupation, marital status, personal income, family income and sex of their children, self -esteem and perception towards gender role and responsibility residing in tribal area in Raigad district. Data was coded, transferred in excel sheet, classified and tabulated.Descriptive and bivariate statistics used for data analysis.

 

A: Sociodemographic data of the women participants:

Majority of women (65%) women were participated from the age group of 19-28 year. Only 1.2% of women perceived higher education and 40.7% women was illiterate. Though all married, one woman was widow. Ninety seven percentage of families were having less than 10,000 income per year, whereas only 1.2% family had more than Rs 25,000/- income per year. Only 23(28.4%) women were paid for their job. Another two women were helping in husband’s business without pay. Majority of women (71.6%) women were not having any personal income were totally dependent on husband for the purchase. 23.46% women were having male child whereas 6.17% women are having female child; whereas 61.73% women were having children of both gender and experience of upbringing of both their male and female child; whereas 8.64 were childless during the study period, (Table 1).

 

Tabel 1: Distribution of demographic data of women (n=81) residing in Dodhani village, Raigad District.              n=81

 

B: Self Esteem among women:

Total mean self-esteem score was 72.06. Majority 67(82.7%) women had good self-esteem. Overall high self-esteem was seen in 53(65.4%) women; whereas moderate self-esteem was seen in 28(34.6%) women. Age group and personal income had a significant association with self-esteem. (Table 2)

 

There was total 20 of items to calculate self-esteem score. Each item was carrying maximum 5 score to know agreement and minimum 1 score to know disagreement. Item analysis of self-esteem questionnaire was done.

 

 

Table 2: Association of demographic variables with level of self-esteem among women (n=81) residing in Dodhani village, Raigad District

* Significant

 

From that satisfied with self, has good qualities, have friends to help, satisfied with job/role and get respect from others were the first five items of self-esteem who scored highest mean suggestive of good self-esteem. Whereas get annoyed, worried about future, able to earn money, able to meet family needs and, able to do something, were the last five items who scored lowest mean suggestive of poor signs of self-esteem.(Table:3)

 

Table 3: Item wise analysis of Self Esteem Score

Table 4: Item wise mean score of Gender Role and responsibility.

 

Sec. C: Perception towards gender role and responsibility among women.

There was total 20 items to detect gender role and responsibility. Each item has maximum score of 4 to know agreements which denoted poor perception towards gender role and responsibility and minimum of 1 score to know disagreement which denoted the excellent perception towards gender role and responsibility.

 

Table 4 shows that ‘Boys are owner of property than girls’, ‘Men only paying back barrowed money’, ‘sex and gender are same’, ‘responsibility to take care for children’, and ‘men have more responsibility than women’ were top five items on gender roles and responsibility who scored high mean score. Whereas ‘boys are better in study than girls’, ‘birth of boys is important than girls’, ‘girls are appearance matter less than boys’, ‘Women and men running executive boards together causes problems,’ and ‘Women rights cause less status of men in society’ the last five items who scored low mean score. (Table 4)

 

Total mean score for gender role and responsibility was 44.9 out of 80.Majority 69.1% women had satisfactory perception towards gender role and responsibility. Women who had female children were more likely to have better perception towards gender role and responsibility score than those who do not or with only male child. Also, women with both gender child had good perception towards gender role and responsibility. None of women had poor perception towards gender role and responsibility.

 

Table 5: Item wise mean score of Gender Role and responsibility.

 

Sec. D: Association between self-esteem and perception about gender role and other sociodemographic variable.

 

Table 6: Association between Gender role responsibility and self-esteem among women (n=81) residing in Dodhani village, Raigad District.

*Significant

 

Table 6 depicts that there was significant association between self-esteem and gender role and responsibility among women (Table 6).

 

DISCUSSION:

The result revealed that majority (65%) of women belong to the age group of 19-28years, early married life. Only 59.3% found to be literate and 28.4% women found paid for their job either on daily basis or on a monthly basis. 2.5% women still found working as an unpaid worker. 69.1% of women were housewives and found financially dependent on their husband. Majority (78%) of women’s family income was less than Rs. 10,000/- per month. Age group and personal income had a significant association with self-esteem. 23.46% women were having male child whereas 61.7% women were having female child, 61.73% women were having both gender children. Other study reported that three-fourth women wanted to have their third baby as boy after two baby daughters and 6% wanted to a boy even after two baby boys.⁷

 

Total mean self-esteem score was 72.06. Though 82.7% women had good self-esteem. Overall high self-esteem was seen in 53(65.4%) women. Other study indicated that women with higher quality of life score rank also higher on hardiness, self-efficacy, and self-esteem and vice versa.⁸

 

Majority (69.1%) of participants found with satisfactory score of perception towards gender role and responsibility but none of women were having excellent perception towards gender role and responsibility.

 

There was significant association between self-esteem and gender role and responsibility among women. Illiterate women were more likely to have good self-esteem than educated women. Also, women who had female children were more likely to have better perception towards gender role and responsibility score than those who do not or with only male child. The study forecast the low self-esteem and perception of gender role and responsibility will cause delay in decision making and indirectly it will affect health, wellbeing and productivity among the tribal women in Dodhani village.

 

CONCLUSION:

This study shows that there was significant association between self-esteem and gender role and responsibility among women. Formal education has not shown any association with self-esteem. However, age and financial independence has found to be associated with self-esteem. Hence it is recommended to increase the age of marriage and gain financial impendence by giving vocational education to the young women which will enhance her self-esteem and perception towards gender role and responsibilities. It also emphasis the need to study the present formal education system and its role on improving gender role and responsibilities among the population.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude to Dr. (Mrs.) Jyoti Chaudhari, Professor and Research guide, MGMNBCON, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai for her continuous support, guidance, valuable comments, meticulous suggestions benefited me in the successful completion of this study.

 

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Received on 02.05.2022         Modified on 23.06.2022

Accepted on 05.08.2022      ©AandV Publications All right reserved