Consisting of nine chapters, this book seeks to identify the conditions that lead to the marginalisation of rural women from effective participation in the development process and the role of programmes such as Social Mobilisation and Janashakthi Programmes to help women overcome these constraints. This study is based on an extensive field study carried out by the author in two villages in the Hambantota district. By comparing women’s participatory role in grassroots level organisations in two selected villages, the author identifies the supporting and hindering factors of participation. The study assumes much significance as it seeks to meet the shortfall in evaluation studies to an extent. The cases selected for the study are from two important poverty alleviation programmes. This book is useful to those concerned about the development processes in Sri Lanka.