Women in Development

Women in development (WID) approach, was originated as a result of three major feminist moments/waves
concerning feminine conditions. The first two were due to the feminist waves. The first wave also known as women’s
suffrage movement, originated in the North America back in the late 19th century, when women fought for the equal
right to vote and participate in politics. The second-wave of feminism sought to deal with the remaining social and
cultural inequalities women were faced with in everyday affair i.e. sexual violence, reproductive rights, sexual
discrimination and glass ceilings. The second wave was very controversial however the women’s movement was very
influential that the UN organized the first global conference on women back in 1975 at Mexico. The conference
sought to address nations role on fighting gender inequalities and support women’s right. The third was influenced by
Ester Boserup (1970) publication on “Women’s Role in Economic Development”. “The book sent a shock wave
through northern development agencies and humanitarian organization” (pg 93). She states and gave empirical
results of how increasingly specialized division of labor associated with development undermines or neglects the
value of women’s work and status especially in the developing world. As it explains why women were being deprived
an equal share among men in social benefits and economic gains. Boserup book had an influence on making women
more visible in development approach and as a specific category when addressing women in development. In 1973,
the US congress implemented a bill, which required the USAID to include women in development programs. The WID
approach helped to ensure, the integration of women into the workforce and increase their level of productivity in
order to improve their lives. However some have criticized this approach as being very western. Since it is a
perception of the global south from global north perspective, as it fails to acknowledge the collective and cultural
concerns of women in the developing world. It approach has been tagged as being rather cumbersome on women, as
it fails to understand the dynamics of the private sphere but focus solely on the public sphere.
The women and development (WAD) approach originated back in 1975 in Mexico city, as it sort to discuss women’s
issues from a neo-Marxist and dependency theory perspective. Its focus was to “explain the relationship between
women and the process of capitalist development in terms of material conditions that contribute to their exploitation”
(pg 95). WAD is often misinterpreted as WID, however what sets it apart is that, WAD focuses specifically on the
relation between patriarchy and capitalism. The WAD perspective states that women have always participated and
contributed towards economic development, regardless of the public or private spheres.
The Gender and development approach originated in the 1980s by socialist feminism. It serve as a transitioning point
in the way in which feminist have understood development. It served as a comprehensive overview of the social,
economic and political realities of development. It origin relates back to the Development Alternatives with Women for
a New Era (DAWN) network, when it was first initiated in India. The DAWN program was then officially recognized in
1986 during the 3rd UN conference on women in Nairobi. The conference brought about activist, researcher and
development practitioners globally. As the conference discussed about the achievements made from the previous
decade’s evaluation of promoting equality among the sexes, and a full scope of the obstacles limiting women’s
advancements, especially in the developing world. The forum discussed about the effectiveness of the continuous
debt crisis and structural adjustment program implemented by the IMF and the World Bank, and how such concept of
neoliberalism tend to marginalize and discriminate women more in the developing countries. The diversity of this
approach was open to the experiences and need of women in the developing world. Its two main goals were to prove
that the unequal relationship between the sexes hinders development and female participation. The second, it sort to
change the structure of power into a long-term goal whereby all decision-making and benefits of development are
distributed on equal basis of gender neutrality. The GAD approach is not just focused on the biological inequalities
among sexes: men and women, however on how social roles, reproductive roles and economic roles are linked to
Gender inequalities of: masculinity and femininity

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Women in development (WID) approach, was originated as a result of three major feminist moments/waves

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