Women's empowerment in Bangkok urban poor areas

Abstract

Women’s empowerment is viewed as a valid contributing factor for development at a household, community, and countrywide level. NGOs around the world and in Thailand often develop projects and activities to encourage women’s empowerment. This study has two purposes. One is to determine if Duang Prateep Foundation (DPF), a Thai NGO in Bangkok is successful in empowering women in Khlong Toei Urban Poor Area; and the second is to determine how poor women define empowerment.The Literature Review was conducted with the aim of evaluating the current literature on the topic; to uncover a Knowledge Gap and to define Key Concepts. After a review of the current literature it was discovered that there is a lack of studies pertaining women’s empowerment in Urban Poor Areas in Thailand. Thus, this study seeks to fill this gap. To determine how women view empowerment, and if DPF is successful in empowering women, a questionnaire was administered to seven women in Khlong Toei Urban Poor Area, who have been involved in activities and projects initiated by DPF. Questionnaires were administered with the aid of a Thai translator After an evaluation of the data, it was found that DPF’s projects and activities generally increase empowerment for the women are involved with them. However, this study did not establish any new ways of defining empowerment