HISTORY OF GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

Summary

The history of Gender and Development (GAD) traces its evolution through various phases, beginning with the welfare approach (1950s-1970s) focused on women's reproductive roles. The Women in Development (WID) phase (1970s-1980s) integrated women into economic development but treated them as a homogeneous group. GAD emerged in the 1980s, emphasizing gender relationships and power structures. The 1990s saw feminist theories pushing for empowerment and structural change. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2015 continue to highlight gender equality as essential for global progress, addressing issues like gender-based violence and economic disparities.

Takeaways

• 📈 Early development efforts (1950s-1970s) focused on economic growth with little attention to gender, viewing women primarily in reproductive roles.
• 💡 Women in Development (WID) approach (1970s-1980s) critiqued the welfare model, emphasizing women's role in economic development and their integration into development processes.
• 📊 The WID approach often treated women as a homogeneous group, without recognizing diversity among women.
• 📚 Gender and Development (GAD) emerged in the 1980s, focusing on the social and power structures that create gender inequalities and the relationships between genders.
• 👩‍🔬 GAD highlights the systemic nature of discrimination and incorporates feminist theories and intersectionality, addressing the ways gender intersects with other identities.
• 💪 The 1990s saw a shift towards empowerment, participation, and structural change, with the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action calling for comprehensive strategies for gender equality.
• 🌍 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2015 have emphasized gender equality (SDG 5) as essential for achieving all other global goals.
• 🔍 Key themes in GAD include empowerment of marginalized groups, recognition of intersectionality, and linking gender equality with sustainability.
• 👊 GAD continues to evolve, addressing issues such as gender-based violence, economic disparities, and women's rights across various contexts.
• 🌀 GAD remains a dynamic and evolving field, adapting to contemporary challenges and aiming for more inclusive development practices.

Q & A

What is the 'Welfare Approach' in the context of gender and development (1950s-1970s)?

The Welfare Approach primarily focused on economic growth with little attention to gender. Women were viewed in terms of their reproductive roles, and development policies emphasized welfare services like healthcare and education to improve maternal and child health.

What led to the emergence of the 'Women in Development' (WID) approach in the 1970s-1980s?

The WID approach emerged as a critique of the Welfare Approach. It recognized that women could contribute to economic development and should be integrated into development processes, advocating for better access to resources like education and employment.

How does 'Gender and Development' (GAD) differ from WID?

GAD, developed in the 1980s, goes beyond WID by emphasizing the need to understand the social and power structures that create gender inequalities. It focuses on the relationships between genders and the systemic nature of discrimination.

What role did feminist theories play in shaping the GAD approach?

Feminist theories influenced GAD by introducing ideas like intersectionality, which highlights how gender intersects with other identities and systems of oppression, promoting a more nuanced understanding of inequality.

What was a significant outcome of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing?

The conference produced The Beijing Platform for Action, which called for comprehensive strategies to achieve gender equality and empower women globally. It was a key moment for addressing structural change in gender dynamics.

How do the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2015 relate to gender and development?

The SDGs include a dedicated goal (SDG 5) for gender equality, emphasizing that gender equality is essential for achieving all other goals. It integrates gender issues like economic disparities, gender-based violence, and women’s rights into the broader development agenda.

What are the key themes that have shaped the evolution of gender and development?

Key themes include empowerment (participation of marginalized groups in decision-making), intersectionality (understanding how various identities and oppressions intersect), and sustainability (linking gender equality with broader social, economic, and environmental goals).

What is the significance of intersectionality in GAD?

Intersectionality in GAD acknowledges that gender inequality cannot be understood in isolation. It considers how various identities, such as race, class, and ethnicity, intersect and shape experiences of oppression and development outcomes.

How did the GAD approach respond to the limitations of the WID model?

GAD responded to WID’s limitations by addressing not just women's inclusion but the broader social structures and relationships that create inequality. It aimed to transform these structures rather than just integrating women into existing frameworks.

In what ways is the field of gender and development still evolving?

The field is continuously evolving to address contemporary challenges, such as gender-based violence, economic disparities, and sustainability. It remains dynamic, incorporating new frameworks like the SDGs and expanding its focus to include broader global issues.