Gender and Development WIDGAD HEALTH SHD Gender and

Gender and Development WID/GAD HEALTH SHD

Gender and Development Sue Ellen M. Charlton, Ph. D. Professor of Political Science Colorado State University secharlton@vines. colostate. edu

Gender and Development 4 What is the connection? 4 Why is it important?

Equal Rights for Women

Development Processes Criticized 4 Economists, governments and international organizations (IOs) defined development primarily in terms of traditional measures, such as increased Gross National Product (GNP) and the degree of industrialization.

“Women in Development” The convergence of Women’s issues and Development problems led to the growth of the “Women in Development” (WID) field of study and policy advocacy.

WID advocates sought change: WID advocates sought to change development practices by pushing governments and international organizations to: 4 include women in development projects 4 respond to specific concerns and problems of women,

United Nations Development Decades The FIRST U. N. Development Decade (1961 -70) The SECOND U. N. Development Decade (1971 -1980)

Policy Changes 4 Meanwhile changes in policy came from national governments including Sweden and the United States.

Widespread Acceptance 4 IWY and Decade 4 UN Conferences on Women

“Women in Development”: Decade Catchphrase 4 Lucille Mair, Secretary-General of the 1980 Copenhagen conference summarized the growth of WID:

Contributions of WID Approaches

Critique and Limits of WID 4 The mobilization of women as scholars, policy-makers, activists and practitioners of development led to criticisms of the WID policies of the 1970 s. 4 The limits of the WID approach were emphasized.

Emergence of GAD Approaches Criticism of the limits of WID led to new ways of thinking about development in the 1980 s and 1990 s. The theories and policies that emerged from this rethinking became known as “Gender and Development” (GAD).

Empowerment “Empowerment” is a relatively new term for the long-standing recognition that women and disadvantaged men must be organized to make a difference in the structures of power that confine them to secondary status.

Empowerment from the Local to the Global Levels NGOs

National Governments 4 Women’s Commissions

Gender Empowerment Measure 4 Power over economic resources 4 Participation in economic decision making 4 Access to political opportunities

International Organizations 4 Responded to pressures from NGOs

Major International Conferences 4 Rio Conference 1992 4 Vienna Conference 1993 4 Cairo Conference 1994 4 Beijing Conference 1995

Beijing + 5 4 Reaffirm commitment