Strategies for rural women participation in development projects

Rural women participation in development projects often remains a motto due to the lack of attention to its subtleties and complexities. This study was aimed to investigate the appropriate strategies for real participation of rural women in development projects. To achieve this goal, women's participation in three stages of access, benefit and empowerment was elaborated. In this study, which was conducted in the years 2020-2021, due to the limitations created as a result of the Corona virus pandemic, the Internet survey method was used. The statistical population (N= 71) included students and graduates of universities, faculty members, experts and managers of the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture who were randomly selected from the list of members of the Agricultural Extension and Education Scientific Association. Data collection instrument was a questionnaire whose validity and reliability was confirmed. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software 22.The results showed that there are six main strategies for achieving women's participation in development projects, including planning based on women's individual characteristics, planning based on cultural and social issues, planning for the development of education, media content and ICT, Forming special women's groups and networking, access to financial resources, the possibility of participating in micro-credit schemes, and finally promoting government policies and the performance of organizations. Prioritizing strategies for achieving women's participation in development projects can vary in three stages. Formation of special groups for women and networking had high priority in all three stages of participation.