Pathways to Empowerment:Case Studies of Positive Deviances in Gender Relations in Ethiopia

Abstract Development efforts have increased women’s perceived empowerment and freedom, yet failed to sustainably alter gender norms. There is a lack of research investigating reasons for this anomaly. This study, departing from the conventional approach, tries fill gap by employing an interpretative phenomenological approach assess how women managed achieve expanded agency while living within constraining normative environment. We argue that capacity deviate intentions lead new behaviors emerge not only individuals’ attitudes, subjective norms, behavioral control, as suggested Theory Planned Behavior, but also in combination with demographic economic factors. Individuals need make decisions three areas ―self-conviction (attitude control), norms (within household community), structures (state non-state institutions). The results shed light on alternative pathways could potentially inform design transformational interventions.