🔹INTRODUCTION
This unit will discuss basic gender concepts with the help of examples and case studies. It aims at explaining the social construction of gender and how all forms of gender discrimination start from this notion of social construction only.
The unit will introduce some of the significant concepts of gender including the gender/sex difference, gender dynamics, gender needs, gender analysis and the notion of equity and equality debate.
🔹OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, you will be able to:
➡️ Understand what is the meaning of gender;
➡️ Explain the difference between sex and gender;
➡️ Comprehend some of the key concepts of gender studies which encourage critical thinking.
CONCEPT OF SEX AND GENDER
Sex and gender are different concepts that are often used interchangeably. The UK government refers to sex as being biologically defined, and gender as a social construct that is an internal sense of self, whether an individual sees themselves as a man or a woman, or another gender identity.
Gender is not a biological category but is acted out by the individuals in society. Therefore, gender is understood as socially constructed against the category of sex, which is a biological construction.
Individuals have been divided into female and male depending upon their biological characteristics. For instance, women have breasts and men have beards (Lips 2014).
The notion of feminity and masculinity is created by the society but one can question that even within the category of individual woman and man,
how closely are they associated with the society’s notion of feminity or masculinity? Therefore, the question of gender is complicated and its understanding varies across societies and cultures.
Gender is a learned behavior therefore it can be named as gender socialization. Gender socialization is a process in which individuals learn certain gender norms and behavior and identity.
Let us think about gender socialization in our everyday life by looking at some of the hypothetical questions like:
➡️ What was the reaction of the parents when a child is born as a boy or girl?
➡️ What colour would the parents use to decorate the baby’s room?
➡️ How to think about different names for a baby boy or a girl?
➡️ What kind of toys will everybody get for the baby boy or baby girl?
➡️ How the teachers will make two different lines for boys and girls in the school?
➡️ How families and schools assign different natures of work to boys and girls?
Think about these questions and internalize the notion of gender differences which people experience in their everyday life.
Oakley in her book Sex, Gender and Society (1972) made a clear distinction between sex and gender which says:
‘Sex’ is a word that refers to the biological differences between male and female: the visible difference in genitalia, the related difference in procreative function. ‘Gender’, however, is a matter of culture:
it refers to the social classification into ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ (Adapted from Freedman 2002, p. 15). Gender includes social relationship, labour, power, emotion and language.
It is interpreted differently in different societies and cultures. Let us look at an appropriate quote to understand gender: “Not all women are poor, and not all poor people are women, but all women have the potential to suffer from discrimination”
🔹 GENDER DYNAMICS
Gender dynamics explains the power difference that exists between women and men. Let us take the example of a family in which father/husband/brother is the head of the household.
Majority of decisions with regard to finance, allocation and distribution of resources rest with the man in the household. Women in the family on the other hand, belong to the subordinated class position in which they are responsible for carrying out the tasks but not
necessarily take part in the decision-making process. Gender dynamics helps us to understand the gender relations (power relation between men and women) within the family, and outside of it
. Let us take a simple example of sexual division of labour. This concept explains that there is a visible difference between women and men in taking up responsibilities related to running of the family.
Proponents of gender and development studies argue that more attention needs to be given to gender dynamics to be able to achieve genderequitable development.
Gender dynamics affects vulnerability, risks and shocks in several ways. According to Meinzen-Dick et al. (2011),
🔹 Women and men experience shocks differently within the home and community. For example, ill health affects women more as they are not only affected by their own health but also take the responsibility of care giving to the other family members.
🔹 Women and men have different abilities to be able to deal with shocks. Women have lower access to irrigation, agricultural training and waterharvesting methods.
🔹 Women and men apply different coping strategies to deal with shocks. Women’s assets are disposed of more quickly to cover the expenses of family illness whereas men’s assets are used for covering marriage expenses and dowry.
🔹 There are shocks that can affect women specifically. For instance, divorce or death of their husbands can lead to women losing their assets, when marriage is governed by the customary laws.
🔹 GENDER NEEDS
Gender needs are understood as a concept in the context of Gender and Development approach. There are two policy perspectives/approaches, i.e., Women in Development (WID) and Gender and Development (GAD) which relate women with development.
WID approach aims to include women in development process as beneficiaries of the development projects and to integrate them with the economic development of any country.
On the other hand, GAD approach aims at addressing inequalities between women and men that exist in their social roles, relations, conditions, organizations and cultures.
The shift of developmental policy from WID to GAD approach introduced concepts like gender needs and gender relations (Elson 1995; Kabeer 1994, cf. March et.al 1999). Societies are patriarchal in nature;
therefore, organization’s culture, structure and practices are based on male values and attitudes.
🔹GENDER ANALYSIS
Gender Analysis is the tool or framework to reduce gender inequalities both at the levels of policy and social action. These frameworks are designed to integrate gender analysis in social research and policy planning.
It is known as a practical guide to understand issues, roles, relationships and social positions which affect women and men’s lives differently.
For example, women’s/girl’s engagement in productive roles such as: agriculture, incomegeneration activities and others compared to men’s/boy’s engagement in productive roles.
🔹 Gender Analysis Framework
There are different gender-analysis frameworks developed by various gender experts to carry out gender related research. Let us briefly read about some of these frameworks:
Harvard Analytical Framework and People-Oriented Planning: This framework is also known as the Gender Roles Framework and was published in the year 1985.
This was developed by the researchers of Harvard Institute of International Development, USA in collaboration with the WID office of USAID.
The aim of this framework is to help the policy planners to design efficient projects based on the productive resources held by women and men, and the types of work carried out by women and men in the household and community.
People-Oriented Planning Framework: This framework is developed for analyzing the refugee situation. It was developed by Mary B. Anderson and M. Howarth for United Nations High Commission on Refugee Women.
The framework aims at promoting equitable distribution of resources and services among the communities.
Moser Framework: This framework was developed by Caroline Moser as a tool of gender analysis at the Development Planning Unit, University of London.
The aim was to initiate gender planning at various levels (National, State or Regional) as a separate activity.
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