MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

UNIT CODE: BJS 2112

UNIT TITLE: GENDER, PEACE AND SECURITY

CAT 1 &2 EXAM

NAME: JUDITH CYLIA LUSIRI

REG NO: BCSM/2022/31294

INSTRUCTIONS:

 Answer THREE Questions. (Each Question carries 10 Marks)

 1.5-line spacing, Times Roman 12. All references will be listed at the end of
the submission and they do not form part of the main document
 Originality: Develop your answer from your own research and discussions
from this platform. DO NOT COPY PASTE materials from the internet or the
sources provided here (This will be severely penalized). Write the answers in
your OWN words. For information drawn from sources, acknowledge these
sources and do a list of references.
 Your answers will be subjected to a check/test for plagiarism where a
similarity index of more than 30% will NOT be acceptable
 Giving examples to support your answer is always a good practice and
evidence that you understand the question and the material you are
discussing.
 Ensure you submit your assignment through this portal. DO NOT send your
assignment through email (It will not be marked!). This requires that you
register for this semester and enroll for this unit online
 Submit the assignments as INLINE, NOT as an attachment.
 Advise- do not wait for the last day to submit your work- the system DOES
NOT ALLOW you to submit your work after the deadline.
Family:

 Gender roles influence division of labor within the family, where women are always
expected to take on primary caregiving responsibilities, while men are expected to be
the primary breadwinners. This can lead to unequal distribution of household chores
and childcare responsibilities, limiting women's career opportunities. (Poortman &
Van Der Lippe, 2009)
 Traditional gender roles can shape expectations regarding parenting styles and
behaviors. For example, women may be expected to be nurturing and emotional,
while men may be expected to be authoritative and disciplinarian. (Wood, 2017)
 Gender roles impact decision-making processes within the family, where men may be
expected to make major financial decisions, while women may be expected to make
decisions related to childcare and household matters. (Poortman & Van Der Lippe,
2009)
 Gender roles influence perceptions of gender-based violence within the family, with
women often being perceived as victims and men as perpetrators. This can perpetuate
harmful stereotypes and hinder efforts to address domestic violence effectively.
(Wood, 2017)
 Gender roles can shape expectations of filial responsibility, where daughters may be
expected to provide care and support for aging parents, while sons may be expected to
provide financial support. (Poortman & Van Der Lippe, 2009)

Relationships:

 Gender roles influence power dynamics within relationships, with traditional

expectations of men being dominant and assertive, while women are expected to be
nurturing and submissive. This can impact decision-making, communication patterns,
and the distribution of emotional labor. (Wood, 2017)
 Gender roles can shape relationship expectations, where men may feel pressure to
fulfill societal expectations of providing and protecting, while women may feel
pressure to prioritize their partner's needs and maintain the emotional well-being of
the relationship. (Wood, 2017)
  Gender roles can influence perceptions of relationship satisfaction, with studies
showing that adherence to traditional gender roles may be associated with lower
relationship satisfaction for both men and women. (Wood, 2017)
 Traditional gender roles can influence expectations of sexual behavior and desire
within relationships, often perpetuating stereotypes about male and female sexuality.
(Wood, 2017)
 Gender roles can impact the division of emotional labor within relationships, where
women are often expected to provide emotional support and men may be socialized to
suppress their emotions. (Wood, 2017)

Career:

 Gender roles can contribute to occupational segregation, where certain professions are
associated with specific genders. This can limit career opportunities and perpetuate
gender disparities in terms of wages and leadership positions. (Ghosh & Ragini, 2020)
 Gender roles influence societal expectations of career choices, with men often
encouraged to pursue careers in STEM fields, while women may be steered towards
humanities and social sciences. This can lead to underrepresentation and gender gaps
in certain fields. (Ghosh & Ragini, 2020)
 Gender roles can influence the perception of leadership qualities, where assertiveness
and competitiveness are often associated with male leadership. This can create
barriers for women seeking leadership positions and contribute to the gender
leadership gap. (Ghosh & Ragini, 2020)
 Traditional gender roles can impact work-life balance, with women often facing
challenges in balancing career advancement with family responsibilities. This can
result in career interruptions and reduced career progression for women. (Ghosh &
Ragini, 2020)
 Gender roles can influence workplace expectations and behaviors, with men often
being perceived as more competent in certain areas and women facing biases and
stereotypes that affect their career advancement. (Ghosh & Ragini, 2020)
Socialization

 Gender roles play a crucial role in the socialization process, where children are taught
and expected to conform to societal expectations based on their gender. This
influences their behavior, interests, and self-perception. (Ruble et al., 2006)
 Gender roles impact toy and play preferences, where boys are encouraged to engage
in rough and active play, while girls are often steered towards nurturing and domestic
play. This can limit the exploration of diverse interests and perpetuate gender
stereotypes. (Ruble et al., 2006)
 Gender roles influence expectations regarding appearance and body image, where
girls may face pressure to conform to societal beauty standards, while boys may face
pressure to exhibit physical strength and muscularity. (Ruble et al., 2006)
 Gender roles can shape communication styles and patterns, with boys often
encouraged to be assertive and direct, while girls may be socialized to be more polite
and accommodating. This can impact interpersonal interactions and self-expression.
(Ruble et al., 2006)
 Gender roles can affect career aspirations, where children are socialized to associate
certain professions with specific genders. This can limit their exploration of diverse
career options and perpetuate occupational stereotypes. (Ruble et al., 2006)

Education:

 Gender roles influence teachers' expectations and behavior towards students, where
girls may receive more praise and attention for compliance and neatness, while boys
may receive more attention for assertiveness and academic achievement. (Ashraf et
al., 2018)
 Traditional gender roles can lead to gender disparities in educational attainment, with
girls sometimes facing barriers to education due to cultural norms and expectations
related to early marriage or domestic responsibilities. (Ashraf et al., 2018)
 Gender roles influence subject choices and aspirations in education, with girls often
opting for humanities and social sciences, while boys are encouraged to pursue STEM
fields. This contributes to gender gaps in certain academic disciplines. (Ashraf et al.,
2018)
 Gender roles impact classroom dynamics and participation, with studies showing that
boys often dominate classroom discussions, while girls may be more inclined to seek
approval and avoid assertiveness. (Ashraf et al., 2018)
 Gender roles can affect self-confidence and self-perception in academic settings,
where boys may be socialized to have more confidence in their abilities, while girls
may face self-doubt or imposter syndrome. (Ashraf et al., 2018)
 REFERENCES

i. Poortman, A.-R., & Van Der Lippe, T. (2009). Gender Roles in the Family: How
They Influence Family Dynamics. Sex Roles, 60(7-8), 568-582. doi:10.1007/s11199-
009-9586-1
ii. Wood, J. T. (2017). Gender Roles in Relationship Processes. In Gendered Lives:
Communication, Gender, and Culture (12th ed., pp. 243-266). Boston: Cengage
Learning.
iii. Ghosh, S., & Ragini. (2020). Gender Role Beliefs and Career Aspirations: Mediating
Role of Occupational Prestige. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 56(4), 709-727.
iv. Ruble, D. N., Martin, C. L., & Berenbaum, S. A. (2006). The Development of
Gender: Nature or Nurture? In W. Damon & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of Child
Psychology: Vol. 3. Social, Emotional, and Personality Development (6th ed., pp.
858-932). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
v. Ashraf, S., Saeed, S., & Bashir, S. (2018). Effects of Gender Roles on Educational
Choices of Women. Pakistan Journal of Gender Studies, 13(2), 61-74.