Riza C.

Camacho

1211114

Theory 4 (Social Dimensions of Education)

Saturday, 1:00-4:00PM

Gender and Development

Women long time ago were neglected in the society, they were not given importance, attention,

and position. Only men were allowed to study, to work and provide for the family, to hold a

position in politics and other field, and the only duty of a woman is to rare the kids and do the

household chores. The mentioned scenarios are somehow different to the stand of women

nowadays. Despite the dominancy of men in the society, women paved their way in taking part

in the system. Having said that, still up to this date, development has impacted differently on

women as they have not benefited as much as men.

Based on the reading text provided to us, Gender and Development by Valerie Duffy, in

societies with low life expectancy and widespread poverty women have lower literacy and less

access than men to mass media, women may know relatively little about almost everything.

Here included the fact that men are valued more than women. Women received less nutrition

and health care than boys. Due to lack of education, women are more likely illiterate as

compare to men. The results are, men mostly succeed whereas women are left behind. To

address the issues on gender inequality and to be able to meet the demand of the changing

world it is important to focus on the gender leading in development. Below are some benefits
from focusing on gender in development:

• Positive changes in gender relations and more respectful social attitudes towards

women

• More decision-making and political participation by women in the community

• Women’s increased knowledge of their legal rights

• Greater likelihood that girls would stay in school

• Reduced violence against women

• Improved communication and mutual support between men and women on family

planning, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections

• Increased knowledge by men of women’s health care issues

• Shifts in attention about shared roles and responsibilities between men and women

in childrearing, labour, and reproductive health issues

- Source: UNFPA: State of the World Population 2005

Approaches in relation to men's and women's involvement in and with development.

The Women in Development approach (WID) dates back to the 1970s when

the belief was that women had not only been left out of development but had also become

even more disadvantaged as a result.

The WID calls for greater attention to women in development policy and practice, and

emphasizes the need to integrate them into the development process. In here, status of women

is somehow improved.

The Women and Development approach (WAD) arose in opposition to WID

in the latter part of the 1970s and argued that women had always been part

of the development process, where the work women undertook both inside and

outside the household was vital to the survival and continuance of society.

WAD connects WID and GAD. In this approach equality is essential to improve the position of

women in the society. But then, the access of women to productive sector is still in question.

The Gender and Development approach (GAD) came about in the 1980s and

represents a coming together of many feminist ideas. It very obviously looks at the impact of

development on both men and women – supporting the equal participation of both women

and men in development and emphasizing equality of benefit and control in everyday events.

GAD approach is not concerned specifically with women, unlike WID, but with the way in which

a society assigns roles, responsibilities, and expectations to both men and women. GAD applies

gender analysis to uncover the ways in which men and women work together, presenting results

in neutral terms of economics and competence.

Despite the many changes in the society, technology, modernization and development, we may

say that women are still falling behind men. In terms of education, health and work, men are

more likely given better choices and opportunities as compare to women. Contrary to that there

are fields that are being dominated by women. In my experience working at HBC, almost all the

employees are women including the top executives of the company. Yes the store caters the

need of both men and women but the products and appearance of the business are relatively

much appropriate to women. Another is teaching profession, there are men inclined to teaching

but women outnumbered the men in this field. It only shows that if women are only given shots

to development they can also be as productive and as effective as men. On the note, for the

nation to move toward long-term development and improve social and economic standards of

living, investing in education is vital both for men and women.

Women are underrepresented in virtually all national legislative bodies

Not only in legislative bodies that women are underrepresented but also to so many fields. I

think we can never break the stereotyping about men and women, that men are capable of

doing laborious job as compare to women. Men can stay out late, can drink to life and it is still

okay as compare to women who might be call names if did the same. We may be abreast to

development but our perspectives towards life, gender in particular, is somehow difficult to

change. Just like our current situation, while we are facing the covid-19 pandemic world-wide,

there are women in our front liners but majority are men. My husband even told me that

whenever he goes out to do the shopping, men mostly of are inside the supermarket. What's

important is that, not basing on the qualities and quantity, men and women must be favored and

valued equally in the society to have a very harmonious relationship and the goal for/of
development will be achieved.