Publication:
Measuring Empowerment in Practice : Structuring Analysis and Framing Indicators

dc.contributor.author Alsop, Ruth
dc.contributor.author Heinsohn, Nina
dc.date.accessioned 2012-06-22T20:10:42Z
dc.date.available 2012-06-22T20:10:42Z
dc.date.issued 2005-02
dc.description.abstract This paper presents an analytic framework that can be used to measure and monitor empowerment processes and outcomes. The measuring empowerment (ME) framework, rooted in both conceptual discourse and measurement practice, illustrates how to gather data on empowerment and structure its analysis. The framework can be used to measure empowerment at both the intervention level and the country level, as a part of poverty or governance monitoring. The paper first provides a definition of empowerment and then explains how the concept can be reduced to measurable components. Empowerment is defined as a person's capacity to make effective choices; that is, as the capacity to transform choices into desired actions and outcomes. The extent or degree to which a person is empowered is influenced by personal agency (the capacity to make purposive choice) and opportunity structure (the institutional context in which choice is made). Asset endowments are used as indicators of agency. These assets may be psychological, informational, organizational, material, social, financial, or human. Opportunity structure is measured by the presence and operation of formal and informal institutions, including the laws, regulatory frameworks, and norms governing behavior. Degrees of empowerment are measured by the existence of choice, the use of choice, and the achievement of choice. Following the conceptual discussion and the presentation of the analytic framework, this paper illustrates how the ME framework can be applied, using examples from four development interventions. Each example discusses how the framework guided analysis and development of empowerment indicators. The paper also presents a draft module for measuring empowerment at the country level. The module can be used alone or be integrated into country-level poverty or governance monitoring systems that seek to add an empowerment dimension to their analysis. en
dc.identifier http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/02/5642253/measuring-empowerment-practice-structuring-analysis-framing-indicators
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10986/8856
dc.language English
dc.publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseries Policy Research Working Paper; No. 3510
dc.rights CC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holder World Bank
dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subject ADULTS
dc.subject COMMUNITIES
dc.subject COUNCILS
dc.subject ELECTIONS
dc.subject EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject EMPOWERMENT
dc.subject EMPOWERMENT/
dc.subject ENDOWMENTS
dc.subject FINANCES
dc.subject GENITAL MUTILATION
dc.subject GIRLS
dc.subject HOUSEHOLDS
dc.subject INCOME
dc.subject INTERVENTION
dc.subject JURISDICTION
dc.subject LAWS
dc.subject LIVING STANDARDS
dc.subject MANAGERS
dc.subject MOTHERS
dc.subject PEACE
dc.subject POLICY RESEARCH
dc.subject POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
dc.subject POLITICAL PARTIES
dc.subject POVERTY REDUCTION
dc.subject PROCUREMENT
dc.subject RURAL COMMUNITIES
dc.subject RURAL PEOPLE
dc.subject RURAL WATER
dc.subject SANITATION
dc.subject SCHOOLS
dc.subject SERVICE DELIVERY
dc.subject SEXUAL HARASSMENT
dc.subject SOCIAL CAPITAL
dc.subject SOCIAL NETWORKS
dc.subject SOCIAL NORMS
dc.subject SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
dc.subject SOCIAL SERVICES
dc.subject SOCIAL STATUS
dc.subject URBAN AREAS
dc.subject VIOLENCE
dc.subject WASTE
dc.title Measuring Empowerment in Practice : Structuring Analysis and Framing Indicators en
dspace.entity.type Publication
okr.crosscuttingsolutionarea Gender
okr.doctype Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctype Publications & Research
okr.docurl http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/02/5642253/measuring-empowerment-practice-structuring-analysis-framing-indicators
okr.globalpractice Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience
okr.globalpractice Governance
okr.globalpractice Health, Nutrition, and Population
okr.identifier.doi 10.1596/1813-9450-3510
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum 000090341_20050306094734
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum 5642253
okr.identifier.report WPS3510
okr.language.supported en
okr.pdfurl http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2005/03/06/000090341_20050306094734/Rendered/PDF/wps3510.pdf en
okr.topic Health Monitoring and Evaluation
okr.topic Rural Development :: Regional Rural Development
okr.topic Governance :: Non Governmental Organizations
okr.topic Rural Development :: Community Based Rural Development
okr.topic Public Sector Development :: Decentralization
okr.topic Health Economics and Finance
okr.topic Health, Nutrition and Population :: Public Health Promotion
okr.topic Gender :: Gender and Social Development
okr.unit Development Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume 1 of 1
relation.isSeriesOfPublication 26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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