Mitullah (1994) study showed an extensive participation by women but only at
grassroots level. At the grass root level, women had formed community-based
organizations that catered for their local basic needs such as water, energy and
income-generating activities. Mitullah (1994) asserted that these organizations did not
help women to access the source of power instead they were manipulated by politicians
for their own interest. This aspect of political interference into the WGs activities is
examined in this study. Mitullah further argued that the whole array of bureaucratic
processes including the umbrella women’s organizations such as MYWO kept women
at grass roots level.