Impact of Extension Training Courses on Economic Empowerment of Rural Women in the Semnan Province

The purpose of this research was to analysis the Impact of Extension Training Courses on economic empowerment of rural women in the Semnan province in Iran. The statistical population of the study consisted of all members of rural women's microfinance funds in the province of Semnan that 112 of them were selected according to Cochran formula as sample and stratified random sampling method. This research was a survey and a researcher-made questionnaire was used to data collection. Reliability of the questionnaire by calculating Cranach's alpha (α= 0932) and validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts. The results of ranking the determinants of economic empowerment of rural women showed, suitable use of leisure for income-generating activities, Interesting and active pursuit of job and production affairs and continuous acquisition of knowledge, technical and professional skills in the first to third ranks and there are the most important factors of the economic empowerment of rural women in the Semnan province. Also, according to the results of exploratory factor analysis the most important explanations for the economic empowerment of rural women in the Semnan province submitted in 5 factors included: Independent and sustainable employment, access to financial and credit facilities, participation in social and professional affairs, expansion of communication in the purchase, marketing and sales, and leadership and management of business group. These factors, in total, were able to explain 73.29% of the total variance. There is a meaningful positive correlation between participation in educational extensions and four factors explaining the economic empowerment of rural women. The results of regression analysis also showed that the number of extension education courses is the most important factor affecting the economic empowerment of women, which in total explains 32 percent of dependent variable.