SOCIAL CAPITALS AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION AMONG WOMEN IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

       Social capital refers to networks of relationship among people why live and works in a particular society and enabling that society to function effectively. Increasing evidence suggests that the well-being of the poor and others is interdependent. Average household incomes and income disparities among women are inversely related.

       The social capital paradigm can help to explain the inverse connection. Moreover, the social capital paradigm can help as to improved economic outcomes. Social capital deserves attention because its roles in development have been so long ignored. The result has led to the development of policies that have sometimes failed to archived their predicted results from our past developed policies have resulted from our failure to account for and manage the important resources of social capital. The transmission effect that connects, Social capital to poverty alleviation can be easily explained. First, social capital alters the terms and levels of trade. Since the level and terms of trade influence the distributions of benefits from economic activity, then the distribution of household income among women and other citizens.

       Social capital has the capacity to internalize changes in the well-being of those who have social capital. As a result, those who have potential advantages sometimes receive preferential treatment that increase their likelihood of participating in favourable exchanges.

       A number of people are slipping unnoticeably into situation in which their incomes are no longer adequate to cater for their basic needs and those of their dependents. This is referred to as poverty. In the international standard any family that cannot boost of an income of 2.5 dollars a day is poor (World Bank, 2013) It is a state of deprivation from the basic necessities of life. It means not having enough of the amenities and resources needed for sustainable or comfortable living According to (Townsand 1992) in (Chikere, 2002) Poverty is lack of resources to obtain basic needs namely food, clothing, housing, education etc. and is a major problem of our time which goes along with environmental threats (Chikere, 2008). The portion of house hold living below the poverty line in four cities of Lagos, Ibadan, Kano and Onitsha where poverty is closely linked with shortage of certain vital resources. Poverty alleviation is undoubtedly one of the highest ranking issues in the national strategies of many less developed countries, of which every tiers of government in Nigeria is tailored with the programme of all availing it especially local government areas as citadels for grassroots development. (Durkin, 2010) This seminar intends to look into social capital and poverty alleviation among women in Uyo Local Government Area.

1.2 Statement of Problems

Poverty praised a serious concern to every society,   developed or an under-developed country of the world come out with several strategies and programmes to combat poverty. However, the issue of poverty keeps raising its ugly face especially in developing countries. Poverty humiliates and dehumanizes its victim especially women. It effect is worrisome; it makes women compromise on moral values or abandon. These values completely, it creates frustration, loss of meaningful life, purpose and disbursement about morality.

In order words, poverty retards development, growth and industrialization in Uyo Local Government Area. The many strands of poverty intertwine and pull people into down spiral. In an attempt to lift women out of poverty and effective alleviating strategy must attack poverty on all traits at the same time. But these are abysmal on assessing social capital of its role in alleviating poverty.