Most significant changes from women’s economic empowerment and pathways from Ugandan women in the agro-value chain

Traditional evaluation models often rely on predefined indicators set by program designers, limiting the ability to capture emerging and lived outcomes. This study examines the impact of Women’s Economic Empowerment from beneficiaries’ perspectives using the Most Significant Change approach. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in Kampala and Wakiso, Uganda, utilizing focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews among adult women who had waned off WEE support, supplemented by a literature review. Thematic analysis identified (5) significant domains of change at the waning of women’s economic empowerment support, including increased responsibility, community respect, improved mental health, stronger family relations, and enhanced confidence and agency. Challenges such as polygamous relationships, competitive dynamics, and the effects of COVID-19 hindered women’s empowerment outcomes. Pathways to significant change were: goal setting, peer and family support, resilience, and self-recognition of progress. Findings suggest that women’s empowerment should not focus solely on economic empowerment but must also address social and political dimensions of power, participation and inclusion. Women valued respect over power. Sustainable empowerment requires the active inclusion of men to mitigate adversarial gender dynamics. These findings reflect the need for inclusive development approaches to attain lasting societal progress.