Adult Education Skills Acquisition and the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women in Southern Ethiopia

This study investigates the role of adult education in economically empowering rural women in Southern Ethiopia, focusing on the Sidama and Central Ethiopia regions. Despite national strides in gender equity, rural women continue to face systemic barriers including limited access to education, financial resources, and entrenched socio-cultural norms. Employing a mixed-methods approach with an explanatory sequential design, the research integrates quantitative data from 316 women and qualitative insights from 46 facilitators, 2 coordinators, and 36 community representatives. Findings reveal that adult education significantly enhances women's economic agency by equipping them with literacy, entrepreneurial and financial management skills. Participants reported notable improvements in income generation (68%), access to microloans (52%), and decision-making power within households and communities (73%). However, challenges such as geographic inaccessibility, resource constraints, patriarchal resistance, and weak policy enforcement limit program effectiveness. The study recommends culturally responsive curricula, expanded rural education infrastructure, vocational integration (e.g., agribusiness and handicrafts), and multi-sectoral collaboration to strengthen outcomes. These insights contribute to global discourse on gender-inclusive development and underscore adult education as a strategic tool for poverty reduction and social equity in rural Ethiopia.