Women Empowerment: Unravelling the Association between Woman, Husband and Household Characteristics on Women’s Empowerment in Eastern Uganda

This cross-sectional study investigated women's empowerment and its associated covariates with 445 women from Iganga and Bugiri districts in eastern Uganda.Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and the principal component and logistic regression analyses were applied.The results indicate a concerning trend, with almost all (97.3%) of women failing to achieve empowerment, revealing a prevalent state of disempowerment.Women on average were inadequate in six out of ten empowerment indicators.While no significant differences were found in head count results, an examination of inadequacy head count ratios revealed pronounced insufficiency, such as input on productive and credit decisions, group membership, and control over income.Land and assets ownership, visiting important locations, and work balance were major contributors to women's disempowerment.From the regression analysis, women's literacy, participation in training, and household financial situation were positively associated with empowerment, whereas self-employment in agriculture and agreement with redefining women's roles were negatively associated.Marital years positively impacted empowerment, while husband's literacy and residence status had negative associations.Household characteristics, including the number of males, financial situation, and distance to produce markets, also demonstrated significant associations with women's empowerment.The aforementioned findings highlight various complex factors that have an impact on the empowerment of women.This underscores the necessity for focused interventions that address specific indicators and socio-economic factors.The research presents noteworthy perspectives that are beneficial for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners who are dedicated to advancing women's empowerment in comparable situations.