Gender and Development – Practical approaches

1. Gender and Development – Practical approaches - a presentation by Mona Dahms Department of Development and Planning Aalborg University

2. Overview • What goes wrong? • Frameworks for Gender Analysis • Harvard • Moser • Social relations DIR - F03

3. Learning Objectives • After this lecture you should be able to: • recognise the importance of gender analysis for project planning, implementation and evaluation, • list tools for gender analysis as part of development interventions. DIR - F03

4. Summary of lesson 1 • Gender is a social construction depending upon time and culture. • Therefore, gender roles are neither universal nor unchangeable. • There is a global gender imbalance in favour of men. • It is necessary to include gender planning in development interventions DIR - F03

5. 1. What goes wrong?

6. Gender and project planning • Three levels of gender integration: • Gender blindness – gender is not considered, • Gender neutrality – gender is considered and equal opportunities are secured, • Gender planning – gender is considered and equity impacts are secured. DIR - F03

7. Equal Opportunities?? To secure a fair selection you all get the same exercise: You must climb the tree. DIR - F03

8. Assumptions?? (Implicit) assumptions about the household: • The household consists of a nuclear family ofhusband,wife and 2 – 3 biological children. • Within the household there is a clear division of labour based upon gender. The man is the breadwinner and the woman is the mother and housewife. • Women’s work is unpaid housework, not crucial to the survival of the family DIR - F03

9. Further assumptions?? (Implicit) assumptions about data collection: • All techniques for data collection are equally valid for women and for men • Conventional conceptual categories (ex. work) hold the same meaning for all people. Also other factors, such as: Timing of interviews, length of the reference period and language, influence data collected. DIR - F03

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11. Exercise 1: Assumptions?? • How can we as researchers ensure that assumptions made are in accordance with the reality researched? • Buzz with your nearest neighbours for a few minutes and present your thoughts to the plenary. DIR - F03

12. 2. Gender Analysis Frameworks Source: UNDP Gender in Development Programme, Learning and Information Pack; Gender Analysis

13. Gender Analysis Frameworks • Gender roles framework (Harvard) • Triple roles framework (Carolyn Moser) • Web of institutionalisation framework (Caren Levy) • Gender analysis matrix (GAM) • Equality and empowerment framework (Sara Longwe) • Capacities and vulnerabilities framework (CVA) • People oriented planning framework (POP) • Social relations framework (SRF) • The multiplicity of frameworks indicates the activities – but also the frustrations! DIR - F03

14. Information provided by GA • Specific gender disaggregated statistics • Understanding of gender relations • Analysis of the gendered impact of sexual division of labour • Needs and interests of both women and men DIR - F03

15. Harvard framework - 1 Three main tools: 1. The socio-economic activity profile – • who does what, when, where and for how long? DIR - F03

16. Tool 1: Activity profile DIR - F03

17. Harvard framework - 1 Three main tools: 1. The socio-economic activity profile – • who does what, when, where and for how long? 2. The access and control profile – • who has access to resources (ex. land, equipment, capital etc.)? • who has access to benefits (ex. education, health services, political power etc.)? • who has control over resources and benefits? DIR - F03

18. Tool 2: Access and control profile DIR - F03

19. Tool 3: Influencing factors 3. A list of factors which determine the gender differences identified – • Charts the factors (political, economic, cultural etc.) which affect the gender differentiations identified in the profiles • Past and present influences • Opportunities and constraints DIR - F03

20. Harvard framework - 2 • Strengths: • Collecting and organising information about gender division of labour, • Making women’s work visible • Distinguishes between access and control • Useful for projects at micro-level • A gender-neutral entry point for discussions on gender issues DIR - F03

21. Harvard framework - 3 • Weaknesses: • Focus on efficiency rather than equity • Focus on material resources rather than on social relations • Can be carried out in a non-participatory way DIR - F03

22. Exercise 2: Bumpy roads • Use the Harvard framework to analyse the case study (Exercise 3 – Bumpy roads) handed out. • Discuss why and how the mixed results were achieved. • Please present your answers to the plenary. DIR - F03

23. Moser framework - 1 Two main tools used: • Gender roles identification - women’s triple role: productive, reproductive, community. • Gender needs assessment: Practical gender needs, strategic gender needs. DIR - F03

24. Productive work • Production of goods and services for consumption and trade (farming, fishing, employment, self-employment) Often carried out alongside the reproductive work. Women’s productive work is often less visible and less valued than men’s. DIR - F03

25. Reproductive work • Care and maintenance of the household and its members (bearing and caring for children, food preparation, water and fuel collection, shopping, housekeping, family health care) Seldom considered ’real work’. Usually unpaid. Almost always the responsibility of girls and women. DIR - F03

26. Community work • Collective organisation of social events and services (ceremonies, celebrations, community improvement activities, participation in groups and organisations, local political activities etc.) Involves volunteer time. Normally unpaid. Men undertake community work, too but often at political level, giving prestige. DIR - F03

27. Women’s Work DIR - F03

28. Practical gender needs • A response to short-term, immediately perceived needs arising from concrete conditions • Mainly arising from and reinforcing particular women’s reproductive and productive role • Do not challenge the subordinate position of women (Ex. Clean water, health care, housing, food provision) Women’s needs differ from men’s needs because of their different tasks and responsibilities. DIR - F03

29. Strategic gender needs • Response to long-term needs arising from women’s subordinate position • Challenge the nature of the gendered relationship between women and men • Women involved as agents of change • Lead to a transformation of gender division of labour for all women (Ex. access to resources (land, credit, etc.), measures against male violence, control over own body) Women’s needs differ from men’s needs because of their different positions in society. DIR - F03

30. Moser framework - 2 • Strengths: • Can be used for planning in a variety of settings • Challenges unequal gender relations • Supports the empowerment of women • Recognises institutional and political resistance to transforming gender relations • Needs concept useful for evaluating impact of development interventions • Triple roles concept useful for revealing women’s work • Alerts planners to the interrelationship between productive, reproductive and community work DIR - F03

31. Moser framework - 3 • Weaknesses: • Looks at separate activities rather than interrelated activities of women and men • Other forms of inequality (race, class etc.) not addressed • Strict division between practical and strategic needs often unhelpful in practise • Moser does not include strategic needs of men – have been included in the Levy framework DIR - F03

32. Exercise 3: Moser framework • Read the case study provided (case study one) and discuss it with your nearest neighbours. • Using the Moser framework identify: • Roles emphasised (intended and in practise), • Gender needs met (intended and in practise), • Fill in the accompanying chart • Please be prepared to present your group results to the plenary. DIR - F03

33. Social Relations Framework (SRF) - 1 • Five essential concepts: • Development as increasing human well-being • Social relations • Institutional analysis • Institutional gender policies • Underlying and structural causes DIR - F03

34. Concept 1: Development • Development as increasing human well-being – not just economic growth. • Core elements: • Survival • Security • Autonomy DIR - F03

35. Concept 2: Social relations • Social relations are understood as the way in which different groups of people are positioned in relation to material and intangible resources. • SR determine people’s roles, responsibilities, claims, rights and control • SR include gender, class, ethnicity, race etc. • SR change overtime, influenced by changes at macro-level DIR - F03

36. Concept 3: Institutional analysis DIR - F03

37. Concept 3: Institutional analysis • Five aspects of an institution: • Rules: How are things done? • Activities: What is done? • Resources: What is used, what is produced? • People: Who is in, who is out, who does what? • Power: Who decides, whose interests are served? DIR - F03

38. Concept 4: Institutional gender policies • Three categories of gender policies: • Gender- blind • Gender-aware • Gender-neutral • Gender-specific • Gender-redistributive DIR - F03

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40. Concept 5: Underlying and structural causes • Examines: • Immediate, underlying and structural factors responsible for problems • Effects on those involved DIR - F03

41. Causes and effects DIR - F03

42. Social Relations Framework (SRF) - 2 • Strengths: • Used at different levels for planning and policy development • Presents a broader picture of poverty • Focus on structural analysis and processes of powerlessness and marginalisation • Links micro- and macro-level analysis • Emphasises gender relations and puts gender at the core of the analysis DIR - F03

43. Social Relations Framework (SRF) - 3 • Weaknesses: • May give an overwhelming impression of large institutions • Overlooks the potential for people to effect change • Women may get subsumed into other social categories • Appear to be complicated DIR - F03

44. A word of caution!! • Gender analysis should not be used as a rigid neutral technical tool imposed by outside ’experts’ ! • Women and men must be accorded an active decision-making role in their own development ! • Gender analysis can never replace empathy and sensitivity in development work! DIR - F03

45. Exercise 3: Mini-case studies • Read the 4 mini-case studies and discuss the following questions: • How does this project affect the workload and/or status of women? • How, if at all, could this project be sustained? • How, if at all, does this project contribute to the equality of women? • Please feed back your answers to the plenary. DIR - F03

46. This was all for today – thank you for your attention – it has been a pleasure!