Showing papers on "Gender and development published in 2004"

Globalization and the gender wage gap

Abstract: There are several theoretical reasons why globalization will have a narrowing as well as widening effect on the gender wage gap, but little is known about the actual impact, except for a number of country studies. The author provides a cross-country study of the impact of globalization on the occupational gender wage gap, based on the rarely used but most far-ranging survey of wages around the world, the International Labour Organization's October Inquiry. This annual survey was started in 1924 and contains a wealth of information on wages and the gender wage gap. For the period 1983-99, there is information on the gender wage gap in 161 narrowly defined occupations in more than 80 countries around the world. The author finds the following: (i) The occupational gender wage gap appears to be narrowing with increases inGDP per capita; (ii) There is a significantly narrowing impact of trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows on the occupational gender wage gap for low-skill occupations, both in poorer and richer countries, and for high-skill occupations in richer countries; (iii) There is no evidence of a narrowing impact of trade, but there is evidence of a widening impact of FDI net inflows on the high-skill occupational gender wage gap in poorer countries; (iv) Wage-setting institutions have a strong impact on the occupational gender wage gap in richer countries.

Social Provisioning as a Starting Point for Feminist Economics

Abstract: The past decade has seen a proliferation of writing by feminist economists. Feminist economists are not identified with one particular economic paradigm, yet some common methodological points seem to be emerging. I propose making these starting points more explicit so that they can be examined, critiqued, and built upon. I use the term “social provisioning” to describe this emerging methodology. Its five main components are: incorporation of caring and unpaid labor as fundamental economic activities; use of well-being as a measure of economic success; analysis of economic, political, and social processes and power relations; inclusion of ethical goals and values as an intrinsic part of the analysis; and interrogation of differences by class, race-ethnicity, and other factors. The paper then provides brief illustrations of the use of this methodology in analyses of US welfare reform, gender and development, and feminist ecological economics.

Foreign direct investment and its role in economic development: do we need a new agenda?

Abstract: Despite globalisation, the essential role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in economic development has not changed. However, many mechanisms and dynamics of FDI-assisted development have changed: there is greater variation in the kinds of FDI, the benefits each offers, and the manner in which each interacts with the host economy. This introductory article attempts to place the discussions and issues raised in this special issue of The European Journal of Development Research within the wider literature on FDI and development. The articles here analyse the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in industrial development in a ‘learning system’ perspective. They also analyse the policy tools available for using FDI for economic development in a liberalising, post-World Trade Organisation world, and the constraints to doing this. While this is a nascent debate, this special issue points to a variety of ‘soft’ policy options that provide a pragmatic response to the complexities of globalisation.

Gender and development in the Middle East and North Africa : women in the public sphere

Abstract: This book identifies the economic and social obstacles that women in the Middle East and North Africa face in seeking employment. It also analyzes the potential economic benefits of engaging women in the workforce and suggests a plan of action that would help expand their role in the formal economy and public sphere. The book urges policymakers to pursue an agenda that will promote equity and offer women greater access to economic opportunities and security. It also acknowledges the central role of the family in the Middle East and North Africa as a common cultural asset, and calls for a supportive environment that will allow women to play multiple roles to support their families. Per capita income in the Middle East and North Africa could have grown substantially more had women had greater access to economic opportunity. This would have significantly enhanced the development and welfare of countries and families in the region, according to the authors of the Gender and Development in the Middle East and North Africa. The situation of women in the region presents a unique paradox: decades of heavy investments in social sectors have improved women's health and education; above all they have reduced illiteracy and brought down fertility rates. However, these have not translated to higher employment and empowerment for women. Less than one-third of women participate in the labor force, the lowest among all regions. This is due to persistent social and economic barriers that limit women's access to economic opportunities. In a global economy that values mental power, the region's new comparative advantage could well be its large, educated and, increasingly, female workforce. Economic growth relies increasingly on a country's quality of human resources, and women remain a largely untapped resource. Therefore, gender issues need to be viewed as central in policy design and implementation. Gender equality is not only for the sake of women. It promotes growth and aids the welfare of society in general.

Mainstreaming Gender or “Streaming” Gender Away: Feminists Marooned in the Development Business

Abstract: This article is about taking stock of experiences of mainstreaming gender. It addresses two related concerns. First, that after three decades of feminist activism in the field of development — both at the level of theory and practice — most development institutions have still to be constantly reminded of the need for gender analysis in their work, policymakers have to be lobbied to “include” the “g” word and even our own colleagues need convincing that integrating a gender analysis makes a qualitative difference. Second, by constantly critiquing their own strategies, feminist advocates have changed their approaches, but institutional change continues to be elusive (except in a few corners). Gender and development advocates cannot be faulted for their technical proficiency.1 Making a case for gender and development, developing and implementing training programmes, frameworks, planning tools and even checklists, unpacking organizational development and change from a gender perspective, have all contributed to building technical capacity and pushed forward technical processes for the integration of gender equality concerns in development. The literature also acknowledges that gender equality is as much a political as a technical project and efforts have been directed towards creating “voice” and influence, lobbying and advocacy.

Gender, conflict, and development

Abstract: This book highlights the gender dimensions of conflict, organized around major relevant themes such as female combatants, sexual violence, formal and informal peace processes, the legal framework, work, the rehabilitation of social services and community-driven development. It analyzes how conflict changes gender roles and the policy options that might be considered to build on positive aspects while minimizing adverse changes. The suggested policy options and approaches aim to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by violent conflict to encourage change and build more inclusive and gender balanced social, economic and political relations in post-conflict societies. The book concludes by identifying some of the remaining challenges and themes that require additional analysis and research.

Gender and climate change: giving the "latecomer" a head start.

Abstract: This article first seeks to illustrate the different strands of the gender and climate debate and offers possible suggestions of why gender was almost perceived as an afterthought in the climate discussions. Second it looks at three climate sensitive areas: agriculture water and energy and how adaptation strategies could be crafted to help women and men in these sectors. Third the article looks at the general discourse on gender and development and identifies lessons that could be learnt by gender and climate change activists. (excerpt)

Creating Voice and Carving Space: Redefining Governance from a Gender Perspective

Abstract: “For us politics is about hunger homelessness the lack of education for our children violence against women. Everyday life is thus politics. Women in our town first thought that participation in politics was only for men and not for women. Now that they have seen that they can participate in any political activity they believe they can become councillors and governors. They cannot only be there to produce children to cook mieliepap to be battered or only to become teachers or nurses.” While it is clear for Thekla the Namibian woman quoted above that politics and power play a central role in decisions governing her life and that of people like her international development agencies supporting the good governance agenda in the 1990s largely failed to acknowledge this in their approaches. The ‘good governance’ agenda focussed on administrative reform of the state and not on the political arena. The international development establishment and the Gender and Development (GAD) sector of this establishment have mainly steered clear of engaging with the political arena of governance. The GAD policy prescriptions to increase women’s presence in the state and exert policy influence focused on ‘including’ women in the bureaucratic architecture of the state. Setting up dedicated bureaucratic machineries such as women’s commissions and ministries and gender focal points in important ministries has been the main strategy. But as studies have pointed out starved of resources and isolated from the arena of politics these machineries have had little influence on policy making. This approach has been characterised by researchers as an anti-political discourse of inclusion. (excerpt)

Political Fiction Meets Gender Myth: Post‐conflict Reconstruction, “Democratisation” and Women's Rights

Abstract: In her summary of important points to retain from the Gender Myths and Feminist Fables workshop Anne Marie Goetz made a useful distinction between the politics of development with a capital P and feminism as micropolitics that aims among other things to push for institutional changes that further greater equity An overriding preoccupation expressed throughout the workshop concerns the nature of the varied obstacles standing in the way of a feminist practice in development. It was argued that these obstacles range from selective appropriations of gender concepts by various international aid bureaucracies to the "domestication" of feminist agenda (and of "technologies" such as gender training) to the effects of global neo-liberal policies that have altered the terrain upon which claims to rights and entitlements could be articulated. It is possible to detect two parallel strands running through these discussions: one is an "internal critique of how various concepts and approaches generated in the course of scholarly engagement with gender and development issues have fared in practice the other is an evaluation of how changing global economic and political conjunctures are modifying the very terms of the debates we engage in. I would like to situate this brief intervention into the latter strand namely an interrogation of the effects of politics with a capital P. (excerpt)

Gender, identity, and diversity: learning from insights gained in transformative gender training

Abstract: This article aims to stimulate critical thinking around gender, identity, and power in development organisations. It focuses on two insights from gender and development training: first, an individual's identities are always multiple and interconnected, so that you cannot talk about gender in isolation; and second, all identities are gendered. There are power dynamics between different identities, and these give privileges to some and make others vulnerable. The aim of transformative gender and diversity training is to acknowledge these power dynamics, to demystify them, and to find strategies that will promote equality for all involved. I discuss four insights from training that have important implications for organisational transformation in relation to gender and diversity. This article is hosted by our co-publisher Taylor & Francis. For the full table of contents for this and previous issues of this journal, please visit the Gender and Development website.

Zambia: strategic country gender assessment

Abstract: The Zambia Strategic Country Gender Assessment (ZSCGA) is the principal means by which Zambia and the Bank, and other development partners, participate in a collaborative process to: (i) analyze the gender dimensions of development in the country; (ii) identify gender-responsive policies and actions important for poverty reduction, economic growth, human well-being, and development effectiveness; and (iii) integrate these policies and actions into policy dialogue and country assistance programs. The ZSCGA identifies culture, in this case patriarchy, and socialization as key to gender relations, whether social/power or economic. To better articulate this, the SCGA first looks at economic relations from the standpoint of the roles that women and men play in both household and market economies where it is shown that both men and women are active in the market economy, although the benefits from this are controlled by men despite that women provide the bulk of labor for technology strapped small-holder agriculture where majority Zambians operate.

Texts in context: Afro-Colombian women's activism in the Pacific Lowlands of Colombia

Abstract: This paper speaks across the divide between feminist theorists and praxis-oriented gender experts to argue for a more enabling reading of postcolonial feminist critiques of gender and development. Drawing on the activism of Afro-Colombian women in the Pacific Lowlands of Colombia – most especially Matamba y Guasa, a network of black women's organizations from the state of Cauca – it brings attention to the independent ability of women in these locations to reflect and act on their own realities and claims.

Gender and Exceptionality in North-South Interventions: Reflecting on Relations

Abstract: In this article I share my reflections on a normative research dilemma that has led to my journeying towards greater awareness of the ways in which white, feminist subjects participate in the perpetuation of racial domination on a global scale To this end, I offer a reflection within a reflection, beginning with a choice that arose regarding undertaking part of my doctoral research in Africa Drawing on my earlier experiences in a Women’s Programme in Zambia over a period of several years, I examine the origins of assumptions underlying both my more recent research dilemma and my previous engagement with gender issues in Africa These are: a sense of entitlement on my part, and presumed availability on the part of African people in respect to my interventions I then consider whether a more nuanced, situated feminism as articulated in Gender and Development theory would have changed these assumptions In conclusion, I propose that, while feminism does not offer a ‘passport’ through the imperial relations

A Coming of Age? Re-Conceptualising Gender and Development in Urban Botswana

Abstract: Feminist research has debated whether Gender and Development (GAD) discourse should be re-conceptualised to include both women and men as gendered beings. While the arguments for and against such a re-conceptualisation are now fairly well established in the theoretical realm, empirically grounded work that has explored the sheer complexity of integrating men into what has hitherto largely been a women-only discourse is much more recent. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with NGO activists, government officials and focus group discussions with mixed groups of men in Gaborone, Botswana, this article explores the case for the inclusion of men in localised Gender and Development discourse, policies and programmes. The research evidence presented here is contradictory, suggesting both the potential for a marginalisation of women’s rights if men are embraced and the necessity of integrating men so as to further the struggle to achieve gender equality. The article concludes by arguing that, while the case for the...

Gender equality and economic development: the role for information and communication technologies

Abstract: The author focuses on the role that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can play in improving gender equality, so as to enhance long-term economic growth. Employing OLS and IV panel regressions with country fixed-effects, he shows that increases in the level of ICT infrastructure tend to improve gender equality in education and employment. In addition, the author shows that education among the general population is important for improving gender equality. The results provide evidence indicating that gender equality in education is an important contributor to gender equality in employment. Lastly, the results show that economic development tends to lead to some improvements in gender equality in the labor market. Hence, the use of ICTs to improve gender equality in education and employment may initiate a continuous cycle of positive reinforcing feedback effects between gender equality in employment and economic development, leading to further improvements in both.

Integrating Gender in Energy Provision Case Study of Bangladesh

Abstract: Energy sector projects and women's empowerment are crucial to poverty reduction efforts, sustainable development, and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Energy-related issues are often assumed to be gender neutral. However, energy scarcity can have disproportionately negative effects on women in the developing world. A large proportion of the world's poorest are women, and approximately 70 percent of the energy sources in developing countries come from biomass fuels, which are overwhelmingly the responsibility of women. Historically, this link has not been acknowledged in energy planning and projects, whether governmental or nongovernmental. Similarly, energy as a crucial input to other sectors, such as agriculture, has a myriad of implications when analyzed through a gendered lens with respect to specific times and places. Approaching energy planning in a manner that accounts for changing gender relations can do much to transform the situation of women and their relations to men.

Gender in the 21st century : Caribbean perspectives, visions and possibilities

Abstract: For more than two decades, feminist activists in the Caribbean have been researching, teaching, writing and collaborating with organisations and groups at all levels to improve the status of women, and to protect and advance their rights. This volume, Gender in the 21st Century , commemorates the pioneering work of feminists, scholars and activists by reflecting on some of the major issues which have engaged them and influenced their scholarship and work since the early 1980s. It also addresses issues at the cutting edge of Gender and Development Studies, adopting a strong policy focus for treating current social and gender inequity. Finally, the volume looks to the future and speculates on the place of gender in the academy, as well as its outreach, and provides a unique opportunity to explore, with highly respected and renowned scholars, aspects of the present state of Gender Studies and prospects for the future of this dynamic area of scholarship.

Tanzania: strategic country gender assessment

Abstract: This Strategic Country Gender Assessment (SCGA) summarizes relevant gender issues in Tanzania to support dialogue with Government and civil society and to inform the World Bank's work program. Specifically, the SCGA aims to support the Government of Tanzania (GOT) to integrate gender issues more systematically into the ongoing revision and update of the country's Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS II). Tanzania has long been at the forefront of gender analysis and practice, and has often articulated the importance of gender equality.

Em-power-ment : a paradigm shift within women, gender and development studies

Abstract: The concept of empowerment has since the mid-1990s become a buzzword within both mainstream and alternative development theories and policies. But what does empowerment actually mean, both as a concept and practice? What is it one wants to achieve with empowerment? In this article the notion of empowerment is discussed, with particular attention being paid to the deconstruction of the notion of power. A paradigm shift in the theorising of power implies that empowerment is not a simple property or product that can be transferred from one person or group to the other. On the contrary, it is argued that empowerment is a concept that refers to complicated processes and relations that can mean many different things for different people. Theoretical developments within women, gender and development studies are presented to demonstrate this shift in thinking about power and to discuss the implications for the meaning of empowerment.

S ocial p rovisioning a s a s tarting p oint for f eminist e conomics

Abstract: The past decade has seen a proliferation of writing by feminist economists. Feminist economists are not identified with one particular economic paradigm, yet some common methodological points seem to be emerging. I propose making these starting points more explicit so that they can be examined, critiqued, and built upon. I use the term ‘‘social provisioning’’ to describe this emerging methodology. Its five main components are: incorporation of caring and unpaid labor as fundamental economic activities; use of well-being as a measure of economic success; analysis of economic, political, and social processes and power relations; inclusion of ethical goals and values as an intrinsic part of the analysis; and interrogation of differences by class, race-ethnicity, and other factors. The paper then provides brief illustrations of the use of this methodology in analyses of US welfare reform, gender and development, and feminist ecological economics.

Women, Gender and Development in the Brazilian Amazon: Prospects for an Action Oriented Anthropology

Abstract: Although missionaries, explorers and naturalists wrote extensively about Amazonian women, especially in regard to their roles in agriculture, extractive economies, domestic work (food preparation, house cleaning, child rearing) and arts and crafts, only recently have Brazilian academicians started to think, research or write about them. Much of what recently has been written about women, gender and development in the Brazilian Amazon focuses on issues such as women and politics, infanticide, and women as victims of violence. Progress has been made in developing a literature discussing the complex relationships between women, gender and development in this part of the world.

Annotated Bibliography: Women and Literacy

Abstract: Books, Articles, and Reports Breen, M. J., & Hall, L. (1999). So many changes: Women, health, and midlife. Toronto, Canada: Lawrence Heights Community Health Centre Press. The thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences of 35 women interviewed by the authors are woven throughout the text, which is written at a fifth-grade reading level. Chapters on stress, menopause, and relationships will appeal to midlife and older women and will serve as a springboard for discussion. Appropriate for group or one-on-one instruction. Castle, J., Attwood, G., & Smythe, S. (2001, June). Are women-targeted programs women-positive? In R. O. Smith et al. (Eds.) Proceedings of the Adult Education Research Conference, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Full text available at http://www.edst.educ.ubc.ca/aerc/2001/2001castle.htm. The authors distinguish between women-targeted and women-positive programs, citing examples of unsuccessful education programs in South Africa that were targeted at women. They question the educational and political aims of these initiatives and suggest that women-positive programs foreground gender within a broader context of transformation involving both men and women. Cottingham, S., Metcalf, K., & Phnuyal, B. (1998, July). The REFLECT approach to literacy and social change: A gender perspective. Gender and Development, 6(2), 27-34. The authors look at the opportunities offered by REFLECT, a participatory approach to adult literacy and social change, to promote women's rights and gender equality, outlining the principles on which the REFLECT process is based and analyzing the learning points arising from an evaluation of three pilot projects using the approach. Cuban, S. (2001, April). "Oh, so lucky to be like that, somebody care": Five case studies of selected midlife women learners seeking care in a literacy program. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, WA. The author reports on a study that problematizes the role of caring in women's persistence in literacy programs. Ten midlife, multiethnic adult basic education and English as a second language women learners and their lifelong experiences of literacy, schooling, and learning formed the basis for the research. It was found that literacy programs can help learners persist through paying attention to their histories, their relationships, and the deeper meanings of what they say. Cuban, S. (2003, Spring). "So lucky to be like that, somebody care": Two case studies of women learners and their persistence in a Hawai'i literacy program. Adult Basic Education, 13(1), 19-43. Case studies of two female literacy learners reveal how their caregiving roles at home and work influenced their literacy practices and persistence. Through participation they sought community and relationships. There was a gap between the program's skills-based computer-assisted literacy education and their holistic needs. Daniels, D. (1998, August). Gender, race, and the literacy experience: A study of South African women in an adult basic education program. South African Journal of Education, 18(3), 167-174. The author presents results of a study on South African women in an adult basic education program and discusses the impact of program participation on everyday lives and approaches to life, factors influencing women's access to education, and the roles of teachers and participants within society. Dighe, A. (1998). Women and literacy. In N. P. Stromquist (Ed.), Women in the Third World: An encyclopedia of contemporary issues (pp. 418-426). Garland Reference Library of Social Science (Vol. 760). New York, Garland. This essay includes examples of projects and strategies that reflect what kind of literacy fulfills women's needs and empowers women in developing countries. UNESCO estimates that there were 873.9 million illiterate adults in developing countries in 1990, of whom 65% were women. …