Gender Analysis: key conceptual tools

1. Gender Analysis: key conceptual tools

2. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl What is Gender Analysis?Social analysis to distinguish the resources, activities, potentials and constraints of women relative to men in a given socio-economic group

3. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl What is Gender Analysis? We can think of gender analysis as broadly answering a number of key questions:We can think of gender analysis as broadly answering a number of key questions:

4. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender Analysis Concepts There are also a number of gender analysis concepts that help us answer those broad questions and these will each be described in detailThere are also a number of gender analysis concepts that help us answer those broad questions and these will each be described in detail

5. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender Division of Labour Ask for examples from home and workAsk for examples from home and work

6. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender Division of Labour

7. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Productive Role For example, women undertaking subsistence agriculture supplement the family diet by trading, selling or contributing directly to it in order to save money. They are often not considered in agriculture research, extension services or in the provision of agriculture inputs such as credit. Women�s productive roles are often seen as mere extensions of their reproductive role. In the previous example, subsistence agriculture is considered as an extension of assumed women�s roles in providing food for the family. Other examples? For example, women undertaking subsistence agriculture supplement the family diet by trading, selling or contributing directly to it in order to save money. They are often not considered in agriculture research, extension services or in the provision of agriculture inputs such as credit. Women�s productive roles are often seen as mere extensions of their reproductive role. In the previous example, subsistence agriculture is considered as an extension of assumed women�s roles in providing food for the family. Other examples?

8. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Reproductive Role Which are women�s roles? Men�s roles? Which roles are biologically determined? Which are socially constructed roles?Which are women�s roles? Men�s roles? Which roles are biologically determined? Which are socially constructed roles?

9. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Community Role What are examples of where men�s community roles are higher valued? e.g., men as village or community committee leaders that are seen as an extension of men being considered as the �head� of the household. Such roles are given more profile, value, power and privilege than community roles undertaken by women.What are examples of where men�s community roles are higher valued? e.g., men as village or community committee leaders that are seen as an extension of men being considered as the �head� of the household. Such roles are given more profile, value, power and privilege than community roles undertaken by women.

10. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl What is an example of community role that is an extension of a woman�s reproductive/household work? What is an example of community role that is an extension of a woman�s reproductive/household work?

11. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Access and Control of Resources and Benefits

12. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Access and Control of Resources and Benefits Why is it important to make these distinctions? Because of women�s and men�s different roles and, more importantly, status, women and men have different access to resources (e.g., credit) and benefits derived from that resource (e.g., income). When we look at how women and men are supposed benefit from development initiatives, we need to look at how they are accessing these resources as well as who is controlling their usage. Often, development initiatives focus on access of resources (e.g., getting more women to participate in self-help groups) but not who is controlling this access (e.g., the executive committee) as well as who has access to the benefits (e.g., who gets what from participating in the self-help group, whose status and opportunities are increased from being on the executive committee). Women may have access to a resource, but they may not control its accessibility. Other examples? Why is it important to make these distinctions? Because of women�s and men�s different roles and, more importantly, status, women and men have different access to resources (e.g., credit) and benefits derived from that resource (e.g., income). When we look at how women and men are supposed benefit from development initiatives, we need to look at how they are accessing these resources as well as who is controlling their usage. Often, development initiatives focus on access of resources (e.g., getting more women to participate in self-help groups) but not who is controlling this access (e.g., the executive committee) as well as who has access to the benefits (e.g., who gets what from participating in the self-help group, whose status and opportunities are increased from being on the executive committee). Women may have access to a resource, but they may not control its accessibility. Other examples?

13. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Condition and Position

14. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Condition and Position

15. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Condition and Position

16. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Practical Gender NeedsandStrategic Gender Interests 

17. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Practical Needs & Strategic Interests Practical gender needs (PGNs) arise from a person�s condition Strategic gender interests (SGIs) arise from a person�s position in social relations of gender

18. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Practical Gender Needs Practical needs are related to women�s and men�s physical condition and their gender roles in addressing the need related to the condition. We are not just concerned here with physical needs of both women and men (e.g., need for food, water, shelter) but their roles in satisfying these needs (e.g., in most developing countries, women are responsible for providing water and firewood for households. Or both women and men are involved in agriculture but have specific agriculture roles such as men are often involved in cash crops while women are often responsible for subsistence agriculture. If women are involved with cash crops, it is often in such tasks as weeding) Another example, all human need water and in many rural areas, water must be fetched from the nearest water source. This is often the role of women. Hence the need for easily accessible, potable water is a PGN for women. Ask for other examples and ask to explain how it is related to GDOLPractical needs are related to women�s and men�s physical condition and their gender roles in addressing the need related to the condition. We are not just concerned here with physical needs of both women and men (e.g., need for food, water, shelter) but their roles in satisfying these needs (e.g., in most developing countries, women are responsible for providing water and firewood for households. Or both women and men are involved in agriculture but have specific agriculture roles such as men are often involved in cash crops while women are often responsible for subsistence agriculture. If women are involved with cash crops, it is often in such tasks as weeding) Another example, all human need water and in many rural areas, water must be fetched from the nearest water source. This is often the role of women. Hence the need for easily accessible, potable water is a PGN for women. Ask for other examples and ask to explain how it is related to GDOL

19. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Strategic Gender Interests Strategic interests are related to women�s and men�s relative positions in society. e.g., a strategic gender interest for women is decision making because their lack of sharing in decisions or making them is related to their subordinate positions at all levels, household, community, economy and state. Another example is living free of violence. �Therefore men do not share these with women.� What does this mean? What are the implications, especially from a gender perspective? For change strategies? Strategic interests are related to women�s and men�s relative positions in society. e.g., a strategic gender interest for women is decision making because their lack of sharing in decisions or making them is related to their subordinate positions at all levels, household, community, economy and state. Another example is living free of violence. �Therefore men do not share these with women.� What does this mean? What are the implications, especially from a gender perspective? For change strategies?

20. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl PGNs/SGIs An example of addressing SGIs while addressing PGNs is that of literacy. If using a adult-centred (also known as popular education with reference to Paulo Freire) methodologies, such as the REFLECT method, becoming functionally literate, about reproductive health for example, also empowers women to take more control over their bodies An example of addressing SGIs while addressing PGNs is that of literacy. If using a adult-centred (also known as popular education with reference to Paulo Freire) methodologies, such as the REFLECT method, becoming functionally literate, about reproductive health for example, also empowers women to take more control over their bodies

21. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl

22. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl

23. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Discussions concerns gender needs can get bogged down with arguments as to what constitutes and PGN and a SGI. Often, a particular need can be both, depending on how the need is seen and being addressed. e.g., combating domestic violence is both a PGN for women, especially if the intervention concerns removing her from violent situations, but also a SGI, if the intervention is about empowering women to realize their rights to live free of violence. Another example is that of education. If education concerns training girls to be better housewives, it is working at the level of PGN. If, on the other hand, it concerns empowering girls and educating boys to be more gender aware, then it is addressing SGIs. Ultimately, the distinction between PGNs and SGIs is most helpful to help learners think about what their interventions are actually changing: improvements in everyday conditions and/or improvements in the status of women.Discussions concerns gender needs can get bogged down with arguments as to what constitutes and PGN and a SGI. Often, a particular need can be both, depending on how the need is seen and being addressed. e.g., combating domestic violence is both a PGN for women, especially if the intervention concerns removing her from violent situations, but also a SGI, if the intervention is about empowering women to realize their rights to live free of violence. Another example is that of education. If education concerns training girls to be better housewives, it is working at the level of PGN. If, on the other hand, it concerns empowering girls and educating boys to be more gender aware, then it is addressing SGIs. Ultimately, the distinction between PGNs and SGIs is most helpful to help learners think about what their interventions are actually changing: improvements in everyday conditions and/or improvements in the status of women.

24. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Transformatory Potential Changing the unequal power relations between women and men, and improving women�s position, requires transformation (not just incremental improvements). If greater equality is our goal, it is useful to assess the �transformatory potential� of our initiatives. This can be applied to any sort of initiative � a policy, programme or project. Changing the unequal power relations between women and men, and improving women�s position, requires transformation (not just incremental improvements). If greater equality is our goal, it is useful to assess the �transformatory potential� of our initiatives. This can be applied to any sort of initiative � a policy, programme or project.

25. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender Unaware policy Gender Unaware policy design and analyses are those which are implicitly premised on the notion of a male development actor While couched in gender-neutral language, they are implicitly male-biased in that they privilege male needs, interests and priorities in the distribution of opportunities and resources. We can refer to gender unaware or aware policies and programmes. For presentation purposes, �policy� is used here to mean both policy and programmes. Use either or both according to your audienceWe can refer to gender unaware or aware policies and programmes. For presentation purposes, �policy� is used here to mean both policy and programmes. Use either or both according to your audience

26. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender aware policy Gender neutral - accurate assessment of the existing gender division of resources and responsibilities Gender specific - intended to target and benefit a specific gender in order to achieve certain policy goals Gender transformative - interventions designed to transform gender relations more equitably