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Gender Equality in Developing Countries: Initiatives and Challenges

Explore the status of gender equality in developing countries, highlighting initiatives and challenges. Learn about women's political representation, access to employment opportunities, and progress in achieving global gender equality goals.

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Gender Equality in Developing Countries: Initiatives and Challenges

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  1. The Status of Gender Equality in Developing Countries: Initiatives and Challenges in Addressing Inequality. Dr Florence Nyokabi Wachira, MBS Commissioner, National Gender and Equality Commission florence.nyokabi@yahoo.com/fnwachira@ngec.org GLOBAL SAEMAUL UNDONG FORUM May, 2016

  2. 1.0 Introduction “In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world. ”Dunn & Kristof,2008. • Gender refers to social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female, • It is socially constructed, learnt through the socialization processes, • context/time specific and changeable.

  3. 1.1 Gender equality • Achieving Gender Equality and empowering all women and girls is the 5th Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs). • Gender Equality advocates for a development pathway that leads to inclusive growth, and equal rights, opportunities and influence of women and men in all aspects of life. • equal access to social goods, services and resources and goes beyond parity in numbers to also involves recognition of gender-specific challenges and barriers • G.E. supports redistribution of power and control over resources.

  4. 2.0 The Status of Gender equality In 2005, Ms. Mayanja, special UN adviser, Summarised the status of gender equality as follows: “Men have gone to the moon and back, yet women are still at the same place they were — that is, trying to sensitize the world to the unwarranted and unacceptable marginalization of women, which deprives them of their human rights,” 2.1 The Global Gender Gap Index • captures the magnitude of gender-based disparities and tracking their progress/ benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political, education and health criteria. • provides country rankings that allow for effective comparisons across regions and income groups. • There has been improvements in the rankings of developing countries with time. e.g. Kenya in 2014 was number 37 well ahead of India (114), Brazil (71), Russia (75) and China (87). But behind Rwanda(7) and Burundi (17)

  5. Global Gender Gap rankings in selected countries

  6. 2.2 Status of Women’s Political representation • Across sub Saharan Africa, the average percentage of women legislators, senior officials and managers was only 28.7%. (UN,2000) • African Union (AU) has been spearheading empowerment of women at all levels / took a major to promote gender parity in its top decision-making positions (In 2003 five women and five men were elected as AU commissioners). • By 2005, majority of the 53 AU member countries had ratified CEDAW (the international bill of rights for women). • Women in Africa have been able to rise to the highest political levels though in small proportions • H.E.Sirleaf Ellen Jones of Gambia is one woman president of one country out of 53 in Africa who has risen to that level through Competitive politics. • Tanzania’s Hon. SamiaSuluhuHassan nomination as Vice President

  7. Cont. • In Kenya, Total representation of women in Parliament has improved from one woman at independence in 1963 to 63 (19%) in 2013. • This figure is much below that achieved by other countries in the region with Rwanda (56%), Tanzania (36%), Uganda (35%) and Burundi (30%). Women representation in Nstional Assembly in Kenya

  8. Women representation in County assemblies in Kenya No woman was elected as a Governor in the 47 counties,only84 (5.7 %) out of a total 1450 seats available in county assemblies were worn by women through election. An additional 632 women were nominated to meet the two thirds gender rule as provided in Article 177(COK, 2010) NGEC, Database, 2014

  9. 2.3 Women’s access to Employment opportunities • Traditionally, a woman’s place was at home / if she ventured out, then it was to the family farm or to the market. This is what was prescribed by Patriarchy. • Under patriarchy, men are the bread winners and women homemakers • However, traditional delineation between breadwinners and caregivers has gradually gone and dual income households are the norm, • Many women have joined the formal labour force in large and increasing numbers over the last two decades /This has resulted from increased access to education, • The urban labour force participation rate for women in Kenya increased from 30% in the early eighties to 56% in 1995. • But, the majority of them are still concentrated in traditional "female occupations” and the informal sector. • labour policies and business practices have not caught up to ensure full inclusion of women.

  10. Source: Ministry of Gender Children and Social Development Bi-Annual Report, 2010 Representation in the civil service

  11. 2. 4. Women Participation in the Private Sector -Women’s Participation in company boards has been low(12.7%) but is increasing globally -largest gains in countries that have introduced quotas. Gender representation in Boards of registered companies in Kenya Data Source: Capital Market Authority, July 2014

  12. 3.0 INITIATIVES TO EMPOWER WOMEN FOR GENDER EQUALITY Many African countries have gone to great lengths to empower women especially through legal, policy reforms and targeted interventions. 3.1 In Kenya: major policy reforms • Kenya Vision 2030 has specific strategies to increase participation of women in all economic, social and Political decision making processes. • Gender and Development Policy(2007)has guidelines on mainstreaming gender concerns in the national development process to improve the social, legal, civic, economic and cultural conditions of women, men, girls and boys • Sectoral policies on Education, Health, Agriculture have gender mainstreaming guidelines 3.2. Legal reforms • The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 has several articles that stand out as key markers of Kenya’s quest for gender equality and equity in National development. • Article 10 on the national Values and Principles of Governance include Human dignity, equity, social justice, inclusiveness, equality, human rights, non- discrimination and protection of the marginalized.

  13. 3.2 Legal reformscont. -Article 27 (3) on equality and freedom from discrimination provides that women and men have the right to equal treatment including right to equal opportunities in Political, Economic , cultural and social spheres. -Article 27 (6) states that ‘the state shall take legislative and other measures including affirmative action programs and policies to redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups because of past discrimination’. • Article 27 (8) provides that the state shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender. • Article 81 (b) states that ‘not more than 2/3 of members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender’; and • Article 177 (b) and 197 states ‘that gender principles must apply in County Assemblies and the County Executive Committees.

  14. 3.3 A Focus on Women and girl’s Education • Kenya is a signatory to several international treaties and conventions on education including the Jomtien conference resolutions (1995) and the Dakar Framework of Action (2000) that called for ‘Education for all’. • Domesticated through policies in Education • Most of the initiatives are focused on increasing access to education for girls and include: • Establishment and or expansion of boarding facilities for girls; • Affirmative action in bursary allocations; • Re-admission of girls who become pregnant while in school; • Affirmative action on entry points to Public Universities in favour of girls and; • Provision of sanitary pads to girls among others. • By 2003, the EFA global Monitoring Report (UNESCO, 2003) indicated that Kenya had virtually attained gender parity in enrolment at both primary and secondary education levels.

  15. 3.4 Uwezo (‘Ability’) Fund • This is a flagship programme of Kenya Vision 2030, launched on 8th September 2013 • enacted through a Legal Notice No. 21 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2014, and published on 21st February, 2014. It aims to enable women, youth and persons with disability to access finances easily to: • promote businesses and enterprises at the local levels; • generate gainful self- employment for the youth and women; and • model an alternative framework in funding community driven development. • provide mentorship opportunities through its Capacity Building Programme. www.uwezofund.co.ke

  16. 3.5 Women Enterprise Fund • Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) is a Semi-Autonomous Government Agency in the Ministry of Public Service, Youth & Gender Affairs ; • Was established in August 2007, to provide accessible and affordable credit to support women to start and/or expand business for wealth and employment creation.  • The result has been improvement of women’s income together with households’ incomesand improvement of lives www.wef.go.ke

  17. 3.6 Beyond Zero campaign • This programme is the brainchild of the First lady of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta started in January, 2014. • It brings the Private Sector to partner with the Government to improve maternal and child health in the country. • An ambulance is equipped with state of the art medical equipment and medical supplies to act like a level 4 hospital • Moves around to reach grass root women especially in rural areas where dispensaries and hospitals are too far • The aim is to improve women’s health to strengthen their economic empowerment. • The campaign is helping unlock the potential of women, by helping mothers stay healthy during pregnancy and child birth as well as empowering women to continue undertaking crucial activities to improve the lives of their families and the country • This leads to stronger families which in turn will change the economy of the country. • To-date the beyond zero campaign ambulances have been supplied to 37 out of the 47counties. www.beyondzero.or.ke/

  18. 3.7 Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) • Began in 2003 when the government set aside 10% of procurement to be supplied by women, • Reserve set aside was increased to 30% of Government procurement in 2013 • Key objective is to facilitate the target groups to use or establish their own enterprises to participate in government procurement. • Procurement rules amended to allow 30 per cent of contracts to be given to the youth, women and persons with disability without competition from established firms. • The Public Procurement and Disposal Preference and Reservations Amendment Regulations, 2013 developed • Regulations passed by Parliament • The programme enables women to do business with the government to their advantage www.agpo.go.ke/

  19. 3.8 Setting up of anti FGM Board • The board was established by an Act of Parliament in 2011. • Its specific functions include the Designing, supervising and co-ordinating public awareness programmes against the practice of female genital mutilation; and • providing technical and other support to institutions, agencies and other bodies engaged in the programmes aimed at eradication of female genital mutilation. • This was a bold step by government to stop traditional practices hindering effective education of girls across the country where FGM is practiced.

  20. 4.0 CHALLENGES TO ACHIEVEMENT OF GENDER EQUALITY 4.1Theoretical perspective • is based on sex roles of men and women and their socialization. • The fundamental argument is that gender is a major determinant of an individual’s preferences, abilities, skills and behaviours. • There is statistically significant data that show that perception of gender is a powerful determinant of attitudes (Genatet al., 2012). • Attitudes have far reaching impacts on how women are treated and by extension, the opportunities availed to them. • The sex-based assignment of roles has projected the spectre of inferiority even unworthiness, over women while casting the characteristic of superiority on to men. • It proposes that a woman’s traits, cognitions, attitudes and behaviour are not appropriate for e.g. leadership positions - Authority has a masculine voice’.

  21. 4.2 Conceptualization of Gender4.2. Misconception of term “Gender’Often, the concept of gender is defined as referring to women and therefore any proposals for gender equality are wrongly construed to mean a scheme to favour womenRecently, the Kenyan Parliament rejected a bill that was to give direction on how the Constitutional provision on thetwo-thirds gender principle was to be applied for Parliament. It would appear that this rejection was purely on the basis of perception and misinterpretation that women were favoured.

  22. 4.3 Impact of Patriarchy • Under Patriarchy, Women are subjected to male authority and power • Subjected to a variety of cultural practices which in the past were viewed as indicators of recognition of their status as women e.g. FGM, wife beating, early /forced marriage etc. • In the Kenya Demographic and Health survey (KDHS, 2009) 39% of women surveyed said they had experienced physical violence. • KDHS, 2014, indicated a national Prevalence of FGM as 21%. • These rates show clearly that there are big populations whose concerns are going unheeded and who have limited decision making power over issues that affect them directly.

  23. 4.4. Family- related issues • Most Africans place great importance on family and traditional values and responsibilities associated with it. • Division of labour by gender exists where women do up to 80% of work in rural areas. • When the women enter the formal job market, they have to balance between work and family demands making it very difficult for many to progress to senior levels. • The world of work is still a ‘man’s world’. • Family related issues have constrained women’s access to education; control over resources than their male counterparts; • they have been more vulnerable to social, economic and political shocks. • When it comes to elections, gender biases and myopic cultural beliefs have conspired to muscle women out of political leadership.

  24. Women have to maintain a delicate balance

  25. 4.5. Stereotypes • Stereotypes are over-generalizations about character of an entire group based on gender have positive or negative connotation. • The stereotype of women in society is what researchers call “Communal” (Bakan, 1966)-seen as friendly, unselfish, concerned with others and emotionally expressive. • Men stereotype is “Agentic” (Bakan, 1966)-They are independent, masterful, assertive and competent. • Agentic stereotype resembles the stereotype of a good leader - strong leadership is characterized as independent and assertive and competent. • Stereotypingmobilizes bias. • Since men are stereotypically assumed to be more competent relative to women, they (men) are mostly considered for senior level positions

  26. 5.0 Conclusion Sub Saharan Africa’s economies have boomed in recent years. But the headline figures often mask longer term problems not least an over reliance on Natural resources and chronic inequalities. Inclusive sustainable growth is achievable but only by tapping the continents greatest reserve of energy and creativity: African women and girls.Joachim Chissano-former President of Mozambique(2014) • Gender inequality is a reality globally and more so in the developing world. • An appreciation that inequality between men and women is a relational issue and cannot be solved by focusing on women only is essential so that men are roped in as partners to address inequality. • Promoting gender equality is essentially a political issue and should be addressed through political responses.

  27. Conclusion cont. • Without committed leadership and political will, there can never be gender equality anywhere. • Entrenching gender equality requiresa mix of top level commitment and leadership capacity; Government willingness; Clarity of strategy and objectives and capacity to engender processes. • Achieving gender equality requires changes at many levels, including changes in attitudes and relationships, changes in institutions and legal frameworks, changes in economic institutions and changes in political decision making structures. The End

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