Gender and the Woman Question

Introducing Feminist Theory Feminism: a movement dedicated to womens political, social, economic equality Feminism: "a political project to understand and, therefore, change women's inequality, exploitation, or oppression". Feminist theory: goal is to explain why women are subordinated No separation between knowledge and political practice -> should help improve womens lives

Introduction- Feminism or the Woman Question? Sex - is biological and physiological Gender (Credited to Ann Oakley, 1972) is distinct from sex. It is a social and cultural construction, and gender relations describe the social meaning of male and female In other words, gender is a set of socially constructed characteristics that define masculinity and femininity and determines status and role in society Gender is a system of social hierarchy in which masculine characteristics are more valued than feminine ones which signifies unequal power relationships between women and men

Introduction- Feminism or the Woman Question?

It is a movement dedicated to political, economic, social economic equality; Feminists seek gender equality employment equity, pay equity, equity in the various institutions of government, and equity in the family setting Fight against Patriarchy and physical and sexual violence perpetrated against women presented in the form of social institutions variables (family code; physical integrity, civil liberties and ownership rights)

Women and Development

The Impact of Colonialism:

It introduced Victorian and masculine ideology It mistreated women or treated less equitably than traditional institutions had. In some Western African societies, women served as chiefs or held other important position. But, this was altered under colonial rule. The post-colonial state continued this patriarchal and masculine ideology
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Women and Development The commercialization of agriculture reduced womens economic power as well. The land was transferred to men. Also, in commercial agriculture men were likely to be hired than women. Women excluded from aid, credit and technical training. Modernization and the spread of the culture of capitalism contributed to widen a gap and disadvantaged women.

Women and Development

But the transition to modernity produces particular hardships for women. Women work long and contributed a significant proportion to the GDP although this remains unacknowledged. High growth nations have narrowed their gender gaps in education and literacy.

Forms of Gender Inequality Gender inequality and exploitation exist in many societies and the problems are most severe in many parts of the Third world. This includes but not limited to: Genital mutilation (female circumcision in part of Africa) The sale of child brides for dowries wife beatings in Zambia and Andes, etc.

Forms of Gender Inequality

the murder of 5000 Indian women annually committed by husbands; The UN estimates the number of women disappearing every year at 100 million. courts that condone honor killings of women suspected of extramarital relations;

Forms of Gender Inequality

The clandestine trafficking industry feminization of HIV; honor killings, forced marriages and dowry-related violence including domestic violence Economic deprivation that forces large number of women into prostitution. In the case of rape, in some cultures women had to produce witness.

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Forms of Gender Inequality

Divorce laws that favor husbands. Lack of access to commercial credits for small business. Restricted opportunities for women to get jobs or better paid job, and blue collar jobs One common and widespread problem in LDCs has the lower literacy rates

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Feminist Waves

The First Wave Late 19th Century to early 20th Century)- suffrage (Political rights and civil rights including the right to education The Second Wave A period of rebirth of the feminist movement that lasted from 1960s until the 1980s- social and economic rights corresponded with the counter movement of the 1960 The Third wave It began in the 1990s and lasts until this day. It is to tackle some 'unfinished business' of the first two waves reproductive freedom, ending violence against women, and incorporate women into politics

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Feminist theories and strategies

Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1949 (theoretical)

Betty Friedan, The Feminine mystique, 1963 (populist)

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Feminist theories and strategies Feminist perspectives include: Liberal Feminists Socialist Feminists Cultural Feminists Neo-Marxist Feminists Radical Feminists Black/Third World Feminists Post-modern Feminists Muslim Feminists, etc

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Gender in the International Political Economy Gendered division of labour disadvantages women Dates back to 17th century Public-private division

Women are home-based, or work in garment, service or agricultural fields Double burden of household labour

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Policy and Practice NGOs and social movements have facilitated gender equality UN and Gender Development Index Theory informed by belief in emancipatory effect of knowledge Gender mainstreaming: how will a policy impact gender equality?

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The UN Global Campaign to empower Women

1946 The Commission on the Status of Women 1975 International Womens Year 1975 Mexico Womens Conference 197685 UN Decade for Women 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women 1980 Copenhagen Womens Conference

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The UN Global Campaign to empower Women

1985 Nairobi Womens Conference 1993 Vienna Human Rights Conference 1993 UN General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development 1995 Beijing Womens Conference

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The UN Global Campaign to empower Women

The Introduction of the Gender Empowerment measures as an integral part of Human Development Index) Gender Equality as one of key goal of (MDGs) (UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) and Biennial Report on Progress of the Worlds Women

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The impact of globalization on Women Liberalization and Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) -Negative Globalization (Positive and negative side) Democratization and the increasing role of women in Politics(The case of developing nations)

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MDGs Goal 3 Gender Equality TARGET -Education Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015 In the developing regions as a whole, 95 girls were enrolled in primary school for every 100 boys in 2007, compared to 91 in 1999. However, the target of eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 was missed. In 2007, only 53 of the 171 countries with available data had achieved gender parity MDGs 2009 (see the link
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MDGs Goal 3 The gender gap is more evident in secondary school enrolment Many factors have contributed to progress, including increased primary school enrolment and completion for girls and falling poverty rates. Girls outnumber boys in higher education, except in the poorer regions there are more young women than men enrolled in tertiary education. Girls from poor and rural households face higher barriers to education

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Employment Paid employment for women continues to expand slowly and remains meagre in many regions Women remain more vulnerable on the job front, assuming the largest share of unpaid work The global financial crisis is creating new hurdles to womens employment Although men were hit hardest by the financial shock, women may be more profoundly affected over the long term Womens political representation is slowly growing, with Latin America and the Caribbean leading the way among developing regions MDGs 2009 (see the link
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