Ma’rof Redzuan

The Role of NGOs in Promoting Empowerment for Sustainable Community Development

Abstract This paper attempts to illustrate the contribution of NGOs towards sustainable community development. NGOs have many programs, functions and roles which assist community to become empowered, and eventually attain sustainable development. This paper reviews some of these roles, functions and programs of NGOs, such as microfinance, capacity building and self-reliance. Microfinance programs improve the economic well-being of communities by job creation and income generation. In the long run, this economic empowerment will contribute to sustainable community development. NGOs, through capacity building, develop community capacities such as ability, skill and knowledge of mobilizing resources, planning and evaluating community initiation and solving problems to gain the mastery over their lives. It also motivates the community to participate in the projects and help them to improve quality of their lives. Participants are expected to coordinate meetings, plan community activities, and be practical in community initiatives. In this way, NGOs contribute towards sustainable community development. Furthermore, NGOs mobilize the communities to be self-reliant. It assists the communities to discover their own potentials and rely on their own resources. In short, this paper demonstrates that all these programs and functions of NGOs could contribute towards the realization of sustainable community development.

Community capacity building for tourism development.

Abstract Community capacity building is widely acknowledged as an important tourism development strategy. Building capacity of communities to effectively address our problematic issues and planning of community development is often required to analyze current status of community development with respect to tourism development. Community capacity building is a necessary ingredient for success of community development. Tourism development and building the capacity for local communities need to progress hand in hand. Community capacity building programs help underdeveloped communities to improve their ability to participate in the tourism decision-making processes. They encourage community involvement, and provide the tools that enable them to do so. The purpose of this paper is to explore the contributions of community capacity building to achieving tourism development. In this study, community capacity building represents the potential of a community to act in tourism development.

Assessing community leadership factor in community capacity building in tourism development: a case study of Shiraz, Iran.

Abstract The main purpose of the study is to assess the level of community leadership for community capacity building in tourism development. Six indicators were used to measure community leadership at the community level in the context of tourism development. Findings show that the level of community leadership as a factor of community capacity building is low. However the level in the old district is higher than the new district of Shiraz. t-test also shows that there is a significant difference between the level of community leadership in local communities in new Shiraz and the old Shiraz.

Predictors of Mammography Screening among Iranian Women Attending Outpatient Clinics in Tehran, Iran

Mammography utilization is low in Iran compared with other countries. Here a cross-sectional survey design was used to investigate psycho-social and individual factors associated with mammography among 400 women asymptomatic of breast cancer. The study was carried out at the four outpatient clinics of Tehran during the period from July through October, 2009. We found that mammography screening was related to higher self-efficacy and womens occupation. Future tailored interventions on potential psycho-social determinants and specific demographic factors are critical in increasing mammography screening rates among Iranian women.

Community leaders' perceptions towards socio-cultural impacts of tourism on local communities.

Abstract This paper illustrates the community leaders’ perceptions toward socio-cultural impacts of tourism in Shiraz, Iran. Particularly, it focuses on the differences in leaders’ perceptions between the Old and New Districts of Shiraz. The study proves that there are broadly similar views among the community leaders from both districts of Shiraz. However, a distinct minority believes that some cultural problems arise from tourism development.

The Influence of Psycho-social Factors on Participation Levels in Community-based Breast Cancer Prevention Programs in Tehran, Iran

Background: Although significant consideration has been devoted to women participation in breast cancer prevention programs, our understanding about the psychosocial factors which influence participation remains incomplete. Method: The study applied a quantitative approach based on the cross-sectional survey design and multistage cluster random sampling. A total of 400 women aged 35-69 years, were surveyed at 4 obstetric and gynecologic clinics affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran: the participation levels of 86 women who have had a mammogram were analyzed based on their self-efficacy, belief, social influence, and barriers concerning mammography utilization. Results: Consistent with the study framework, in bivariate analysis, the higher level of women’s participation in breast cancer prevention programs was significantly related to more positive belief about mammography (p< .05), greater social influence on mammography (p< .01) and fewer barriers to mammography (p< .01). Self efficacy (p= .114) was not significantly related to the higher level of participation. Conclusion: Results suggest that women’s participation levels in breast cancer prevention programs might be associated with the specific psychosocial factors on breast cancer preventive behavior such as mammography screening.

The Effect of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)’s Approaches on Women’s Empowerment in Shiraz, Iran

Abstract The paper attempts to determine the impact of Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) approaches on the empowerment of women in Shiraz, Iran. Through empowerment, women become able to organize themselves, to increase self-reliance and to assert their independent right to make choices and control resources. In this study, empowerment is conceptually defined and analyzed at two levels, that is, ‘individual’ and ‘community’. The study based on 195 women participants in NGO’s activities showed that their level of empowerment is moderate. This means they are neither disempowered nor empowered sufficiently. Various approaches were adopted by the local NGOs such as top-down, partnership and bottom-up to help women to achieve the empowerment. The result indicated the bottom-up approach is the most effective approach on the empowerment of women.

Relationships between Socio-demographic Variables and Psychological Empowerment among Members of Fadama User Groups (FUGs) in Kankara Local Community, Katsina State, Nigeria

This empirical research was designed to focus on the relationship between Socio-demographic variables and psychological empowerment among Fadama User Groups (FUGs) in Kankara Local Community, Katsina State Nigeria. The total of 285 respondents was selected through random sampling techniques. And the instrument use for data collection was structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics and chi-square in cross-tabulation form to describe the respondent background through descriptive analysis. Meanwhile cross tabulation was to find out the relationship between Socio-demographic variables and psychological empowerment among Fadama members.

Relationship between PaternalParenting Stylesand Antisocial Behaviours among Adolescents of Geidam Metropolis, Yobe State, North-Eastern Nigeria

-The present paper aimed was to study paternalparenting styles and its relationship with antisocial behaviours among adolescents. The research was carried out on the sample of 339 males’ adolescents’ age between 15 to 18 years of Government Science and Technical College and Government Science Secondary School of Geidam Metropolis area of Yobe State in North Eastern Nigeria. Parental Styles Questionnaire (PAQ) of Buri (1991) was administered on adolescents to rate the behaviours of their parents. While, self-youth report questionnaire of Achenbach (1991) was assessed the adolescents antisocial and externalizing behaviours. The results of the study showed that there is a significant positive relationship between paternal authoritarian and permissive parenting styles with antisocial behaviours. Meanwhile, there is significant negative relationship between paternalauthoritative parenting styles with adolescent’s antisocial behaviours among adolescents of Geidam Metropolis. Moreover, one-way ANOVA test revealed that parent’s education levels has a greater influenced on adolescent’s antisocial behaviours. In conclusion, perceived paternal authoritarian and permissive parenting styles have significant positive relationship with antisocial behaviours while, perceived paternal authoritative parenting styles have negative significant relationship to antisocial behaviours among adolescents of Geidam Metropolis.