gender issues iii

7/31/2019 Gender Issues III

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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

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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 anddetermines status and role in society

Gender is a system of social hierarchy in which masculinecharacteristics are more valued than feminine ones whichsignifies unequal power relationships between women and men

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Introduction- Feminism or the Woman Question?

It is a movement dedicated to political, economic, socialeconomic equality; Feminists seek gender equality employment equity, pay equity,

equity in the various institutions of government, and equity in thefamily setting

Fight against Patriarchy and physical and sexual violenceperpetrated against women presented in the form of socialinstitutions variables (family code; physical integrity, civilliberties and ownership rights)

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Women and Development

The Impact of Colonialism:

It introduced Victorian and masculine ideology

It mistreated women or treated less equitably thantraditional institutions had.

In some Western African societies, women served aschiefs 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 womenseconomic 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 capitalismcontributed to widen a gap and disadvantaged women.

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Forms of Gender Inequality

Gender inequality and exploitation exist in many societiesand the problems are most severe in many parts of theThird 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.

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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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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 educationThe Second Wave

A period of rebirth of the feminist movement that lasted from1960s until the 1980s- social and economic rights -

corresponded with the counter movement of the 1960The 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, andincorporate 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

1976 85 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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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 andDevelopment

1995 Beijing Womens Conference

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The Introduction of the Gender Empowerment measures asan 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 WorldsWomen

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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

The gender gap is more evident in secondary school enrolment

Many factors have contributed to progress, including increasedprimary school enrolment and completion for girls and fallingpoverty 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 developingregions MDGs 2009 (see the link

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gender issues iii

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