Determinants of rural women’s bargaining power at the house hold level: - a survey study at western hararghe

In developing countries, women play a vital role to the welfare of the family. They are basically viewed as the potential mothers and homemakers. Hence, bargaining power of women within the family has been looked upon as one of the important factors which may effect on well-being of the family.Thus, this study was designed to make assessment on determinants of rural women bargaining power in the house hold level at western Hararghe. The objective of the study was to measure and identify determinant factors that affects rural women bargaining power. The study employed mixed (qualitative and quantitative) approaches to collect the desired data using cross sectional research design. Both primary and secondary sources were deployed to collect data from targeted respondents and prepare data gathering instruments. The researchers used purposive and simple randomsampling techniques to select 350 sample respondents from the study areas respectively. The data collected from sample respondents were analyzed using SPPSS version 22 and descriptive research methods using simple statistical tools like mean, Standard deviations, maximum and minimum, percentage, frequency tables and graphs and charts were used to present the data and besides binary logit model was applied to identified and measure determinant factors. In relation with major determinant factors ethnic background of respondents, marital status, utilization of family planning service, right of land inheritance and average annual income are identified as major factors that affects rural women bargaining powerin the study area. Based on the study findings the researchers recommend that government and non-government organizations should arrange short term trainings to improve rural women bargaining power.