Abstract: Effective rural governance necessitates the active participation of various stakeholders. While left-behind women possess the potential for such participation, their capabilities remain insufficient. This paper proposes the concepts of “governance-empowerment” and “empowerment-governance” to illustrate the reciprocal relationship between “governance” and “empowerment” in rural governance, wherein both serve as objectives and methods of realization. Integrating the scenario-based, interpersonal, and process-oriented aspects of governance and empowerment, we propose an analytical framework for “governance-empowerment” and “empowerment-governance”. Based on the case study of Village L in Fujian Province, this paper illustrates the intervention pathways of social work: in terms of scenarios, governance should enter the daily life scenarios and achieve empowerment through participation for left-behind women; in terms of interpersonal relationships, governance may achieve group empowerment through organization. Additionally, in terms of process, governance should be carried out step by step to achieve hierarchical governance and gradual capacity enhancement. “Governance-empowerment” and “empowerment-governance” provide a theoretical framework and practical guidance for rural social work.

Key words: governance-enhancement, empowerment-governance, left-behind women, social work