ABSTRACT

This study examines the “critical evaluation of women and rural development”, a case study of Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo state. Rural development can be viewed generally as a process by which the efforts of the people concerned are united with those of governmental authorities to improve the standard of living in the rural area. This is enhanced through full participation of the people concerned to develop their rural area. In doing this, the researcher based her study on how to ascertain the women and rural development, to investigate the level of consultation with women and rural development, eight (8) autonomous communities were used in carrying out the research, primary and secondary data were used. Related literature were reviewed and questionnaire were equally prepared and administered to two hundred and fifty (250) rural dwellers is the autonomous communities, thirty five (35) were not returned and fifteen (15) were not properly filled. The researcher made use of two hundred (200) properly filled question.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The essence of this work “a critical evaluation of women and Rural Development” is to review the process by which the efforts of the people are united with those of the governmental authorities to improve the standard of living in the rural communities. It is also reviewed “development” as a charge from primitive way(s) of doing things to advance way(s) of doing things in the Rural Development.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The aim for carrying out this research and rural development is to understand the ways in which the women living in the rural communities can participate and achieve meaningful and sustainable development.
Putting into consideration the population and the enormous (large) load for government to handle, it is important to involve women in rtural communities in the work of their own affairs. It is also important to note that since the government at the grass roots has failed, the government has no option than to incorporate women at the rural communities in the administration of their areas. Although it is good for women in the rural communities to be part of their domestic development but this trends has been observed globally which the government in the developing world have not fully embraced.
Olewe Iwu (1996) observed that the resources for development at the command of government in developing countries are very limited, scarce and as much, the government used the involvement of the communities financially, materially, and otherwise to contribute to the programmes that benefit them.
This research therefore, vews and appraises (estimate the value) the women in Rural Development of the Ideato North Local Government area of Imo state in the development of its environment.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF IDEATO NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF IMO STATE
Ide means “solidness or great” while do means “three”. KIdeato is only a conjunctive coinage conceived by one Eze Mbanaso-Ejimaku from Urualla to encapsulate the three (3) large clans than then comprised of the defunct Ideato LGA. The three (3) clans where: Arondizuogu, mbanasa and nwaboshi.
Ideato North is a local government Area in Imo state Nigeria. It was created in the year 1976 as Ideato North Local Government it was later divided into ideato North and Ideato South belonging to the community of Arondizugu are located in this area.
Its administrative headquarter is in Urualla, it is made up of eight (8) main autonomous communities, they are: Urualla, Oboduvimous, Ozii, osina, Umualaoma, Izuogu, Akaokwa and Akpuru with prominent men like late Chief Dr. Ferdinand Anaghara, Late Chief Peter Okwute Ochiehi, Bar Fedlis Ilobi, Chief Sylvester Aladi etc.
The council (Ideato North) has three (3) judiciary setup namely: customer court which is located at Izuogu and Urualla, magistrate court is also located at Izuogu and Urualla and High Court which is also located only in Urualla. Ideato north LGA has common boundary with Aquata and Onumbra South LGA in Anambra state at the North, at the south is with Ideato South LGa at the east is with Orsu LGA and at the west Okigwe and Onuimo LGA all in Imo state.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS 
Our aim in this study is to investigate and appraise what extent the women and rural development has thrived in the development of Ideato north Local Government Area of Imo state, have to see how it mobilize human and material resources for development of rural communities. 
1. The inability of government to ascertain women and rural development: It has created a lot of problems the mobilization of the women and Rural Development to affect their own development. The study will therefore unravel this problems explain the level of women and Rural Development can be measured.
2. Lack of consultation with women kin rural development: At community level, women have traditionally been excluded from direct participation in deision making, in most cases women are not consulted at the planning stage of Rural Development to know their felt needs in the rural community.
3. Poor women participation in Rural Development: The inability of the women agents in the Rural Development to participate, in Rural Development has grossly affected Rural Development in Nigeria 
4. In recent times: it has been surprisingly observed that women in the rural community do not like to have challenges in the midst of development activities. This is a problem that has to be solved in this research work.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The essence of women and Rural Development is to bring about the following:
1. To ascertain women participation in Rural Development
2. To investigate the level of consultation women in Rural Development.
3. To critically determine ways of enhancing Rural Development in Ideato North 
4. To identify the challenges I confronting women participation in Rural Development in ideato North.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 
1. What is the impact of women participation in Rural Development in Ideato North?
2. What is the level of consultation of women in Rural Development in Ideato North?
3. To what extent can women participation in Rural Development be enhanced?
4. What are the challenges militating against women participation in Rural Development in Ideato North?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The research work shall be relevant in various ways:
1. The students of public administration will also find this research useful.
2. The research work will be useful for policy makers in making future policies for the development in rural communities in Imo state and beyond.
3. The research would also help other rural community to know the importance of women and Rural Development.
4. The research work shall serve as a reference material to other researches wishing to exmie the finding of this research work.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The research work is aimed at studying “a critical evaluation of women and Rural Development” in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo stat.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 
In the process of researching this project work, there are some challenges or difficulties which the researcher encountered. They are as follows:
1. Time factor: The problem of time observed the researcher from carrying out a comprehensive study of this project work.
2. Lack of cooperation from the librarians: There was a problem of cooperation which hindered the researcher from gathering enough information required to carryout the research work.
3. Financial problem: There was a great challenge of finance that prevented the researcher from gathering more information that was needed for research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
It is important to give a brief definition of the following terms, in order to know the meaning of the key concept and some words in the research work.
1. Development: It can be defined as a change from primitive ways of doing things to advance or mechanize ways of doing things.
2. Rural development: It can be viewed as a process by which the efforts of the people are united with those of the governmental authorities to improve the standard of living in the rural communities or areas.
3. Rural areas: we can see rural areas so an area that is background In terms of social amenities and other materials found in urban areas.
4. Women: It can be defined in my own view as an adult female person or marked women in the society.