A Social Study of Some Factors Affecting the Empowerment of Rural Women: "A Field Study on a Sample of Rural Women in Two Villages in El-Rahmaniya District, Beheira Governorate"

The research was conducted to identify the most important factors that influence the empowerment of rural women, through exploring various manifestations of marginalization which rural women suffering from and their impact on achieving sustainable rural development. It also aimed to examine the effect of rural women's empowerment on their familial and social relationships. The research was conducted in El-Rahmaniya district in Beheira Governorate. A sample size was 260 respondents. Data was collected through a questionnaire administrated through face-to-face interviews. A pre-test was conducted on 30 women outside the research sample. Some statistical methods were used to describe and analyze data such as percentages and frequency distribution tables to present and describe the data. Pearson and Spearman Correlation Coefficient was used to identify potential simple correlation relationships between variables. And Multiple Regression analysis through using of statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). The results of the research revealed that independent variables: the educational level of the respondent, the household monthly income, the degree of participation in family decision-making, the woman’s contribution to improving family income, and consolidation with rural development and family advise contributed in, 82% of the total variance in the level of rural women’s empowerment. The research concluded with some recommendations, the most important of which is to pay attention to all educational and training aspects for rural women, confirming the importance of educating rural women, as education and training are the key components of empowering rural women and preparing them for the labor opportunities.