The Role of Women on Economic Growth in Dire Dawa Administration: The case of Micro and Small Enterprises Agency

This study examined the roles of women in economic growth in Dire Dawa Administration. In order to answer the above objectives, a mixed research design using a quantitative and qualita tive research with survey research method were employed. The variables used in the study were sourced from different secondary and primary data were used to meet the intended specific ob jectives. Representativeness of the sample respondents was assured by using proportional and random sampling design technique. In order to collect data, primary sources of data were ques tionnaire, personal interview and FGD were used, whereas secondary sources of data were used using document analysis that consisting of Journals, Articles and CBE and other written materi als. World Bank data (2019-2020) and DDSMID Agency and DDSME Agency‘s‘ 4 years data (2018-2021) of the Dire Dawa Administration were used to measure economic growth of women operated enterprise. The questions items in the questionnaire were presented based on the Likert scale and SPSS 21 software was used for analysis- using both descriptive statistics and inferen tial statistics. The descriptive result showed that using RGDP growth rate measures, 29.2% re ported that employment opportunities was regarded as the first measure rate that could describe women operated MSME on the regional economic growth, whereas 27.9% said that income crea tion was regarded to be the second most RGDP growth rate measure that was considered to de scribe women‘s role on regional economic growth. The next RGDP growth rate measures select ed to describe women‘s role on RGDP growth was Capital creation, which was chosen by 24.2% of the respondents. However, capital creation was most favored by male, which was 25.2%. The inferential atavistic result indicates that agro-processing have the smallest contribution (1,763,794.00) of value-added per person engaged as compared to other enterprises. While petty trade has the largest contribution (491,502,443.32) of value-added per person engaged, manufac turing has the second largest contributor for women operated enterprise (440,460,526.01). Con sidering MSMEs overall contribution, gross value added per person, gross employment creation, and gross total asset contribution to the regional economy are slightly above 309,254,299 mil lion. The Dire Dawa Administrative city has to promote the growth female trade and service un der legal status. In this regard, creation of awareness of the owners/managers to follow a related diversification strategy through using opportunities and key assets that are underutilized within the enterprises. And also it is advisable to give special attention and support for enterprises that are owned/managed by female. 9