Political Empowerment of Women through Literacy Education Programmes in EDO and Delta States, Nigeria

The study examined the political empowerment of women through literacy education programmes in Edo and Delta States in the South-South Geopolitical zone of Nigeria. A sample of 1022 women was randomly drawn from the different levels of literacy classes organised by the Agency of Adult and Nonformal Education and non-governmental and private organisations in the area under investigation. Psychological empowerment scale and socio-political scale were used for data collection. These were complemented by four sessions of Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The results of the study revealed that literacy education programmes correlated with women participation in political activities and leadership roles. Women were able to participate more actively in decision-making processes and social interactions at home, in a public gathering and in the community at large. The FGD result showed that women gained self-esteem and self-confidence as a result of their participation in literacy programmes.