Abstract:
While women and girls make a relative high number of rural populations compared
to men, researches show than few women than male engage in the CSOs initiated
Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) at the district level to evaluate the local
government use of financial resources for education sector. Based on such grounds,
this study investigated factors contributing to gender gap in women access to
opportunities for civic engagement in Kilosa district. The study utilised the
descriptive case study design, conducted using both qualitative and quantitative
approaches to research. Also, a sample of 120 study participants sampled for this
study from Kilosa District was utilised and approached through the use of structured
questionnaires and interview schedules. The study relied on descriptive analysis of
primary data through the use of the SPSS, and secondary data analysis. The findings
of the study show several factors that contribute to gender gap in women engagement
for PETS in education sector. The acquired low level of education and multiple
responsibilities were found the leading factors that contribute to gender gap in
women engagement for PETS. Also, women were found to possess low levels of
knowledge on PETS, and this creates fear in women engagement for PETS. Further,
officials from CSOs who implement PETS perceived women to lack confidence in
the PETS process. This can be possibly explained by the fact that women especially
those living in rural areas have been socialized in a non-masculinity tendencies
which limit their aggressiveness in the practice of PETS. The study concludes that
the gendered type of socialization in rural settings generates factors that determine
engagement in PETS. In this light, the study ends up by advancing several
recommendations to CSOs and CBNs coordinating PETS and policy makers as
women in the rural set ups. The key recommendations were seldom need to prepare
strategic interventions to engage women and girls, there was need to institutionalize a
gender lens at the local council level. There is a need to feminize the decentralization
process in order to bridge the reform gaps. The local council enough planning
department together with CSOs, should create a platform which could enhance
visibility of rural community members the process of policy.
