Barriers to Men’s participation in Community Development Projects: The Experiences from Okatana Constituency of Oshana Region, Namibia.
Keywords:
Community Participation, Community Development, Development Projects, Men ParticipationAbstract
The study draws on the experiences of Okatana Constituency of the Oshana Region in Namibia. The purpose of the study was to: (i) investigate the leading barriers of men’s participation in community development projects and (ii) discover strategies to promote the participation of men in community projects. A total number of eight [8] participants were interviewed through a semi-structured interview. An observation sheet was used to augment data from interviews. Collected data were analysed using a thematic content analysis method. Three major categories of barriers to men's participation in projects including Structural, administrative as well as socio-cultural and political barriers were identified and discussed. Lack of resources, restrictive legal requirements, Low levels of education, negative attitudes and behaviour, alcohol abuse as well as political interference were some of the barriers to men’s participation in community projects indicated by participants. The study further recommends strategies to promote men's participation in community projects such as enhancement of community education, the involvement of traditional leaders, the formation of community development committees, and the improvement of service delivery.
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