A sociological inquiry into the contribution of community development programs to women's empowerment - කාන්තාවන් සවිබලගැන්වීමෙහිලා ප්‍රජා සංවර්ධන වැඩසටහන්හි දායකත්වය පිළිබඳ සමාජවිද්‍යාත්මක විමසුමක්

Women’s empowerment aims to improve their quality of life and secure a rightful place in society by reducing the adverse effects imposed on them due to gender. The research problem here is to what extent community development programs aimed at empowering women are effective. The primary purpose of this research is to evaluate the utility of these programs in enhancing women’s empowerment.
The study focuses on identifying the nature of the community development programs implemented to empower women, understanding the role of women in society, and examining how these programs impact women’s social status and household economy. Additionally, the research seeks to identify the successes and failures of these community programs. A positivist methodology was used to achieve the research objectives, relying on qualitative data. The study includes an analysis of data collected through interviews, as well as secondary information related to community development projects. Most participants in these programs were women aged between 35 and 50. It was found that awareness of issues such as violence against women and related laws was insufficient, and although women were contributing economically, their status within their families remained moderate. The research revealed several challenges: the programs were outdated, government funding was inadequate, and some communities were not actively participating. While the programs helped women become economically stronger, their social empowerment remained minimal. The study suggests several strategies to improve the effectiveness of these programs: designing initiatives that empower women socially as well as economically, providing political awareness, educating women about their rights and the issue of violence, increasing government funding, and updating programs regularly. By implementing these strategies, the utility of community development programs can be significantly enhanced to further empower women.