UGS Unit -3

Unit 3: Mainstreaming Gender

Inequality in the public arena often starts with discriminatory attitudes and practices and the resultant unequal power relations between women and men, within the family community and society at large.
Development has traditionally been seen as male-driven, initiated in the activities of the public sphere. But the recognition of the importance of what has been perceived as women’s role in powering this development helps cement the inevitability of the inclusion of women in developmental processes.
With the spread of feminist thought and an increased participation of women in the workforce, many new ideas of approaching gender empowerment and gender mainstreaming have arisen.
By mainstreaming of gender in development, we not only see women as central to development, we also realise how the conventional development discourse has been gender-blind – enabling one half of the population (males) by disabling the other (females).
This unit will help the learner to:

  • Understand gender concerns in development discourse;
  • Explore position of women in development approach;
  • Comprehend the notions of gender analysis and gender mainstreaming.
Last modified: Tuesday, 24 June 2014, 2:11 PM