Gender analysis
Encyclopedia
Gender analysis is a type of socio-economic analysis that uncovers how gender relations affect a development problem. The aim may just be to show that gender relations will probably affect the solution, or to show how they will affect the solution and what could be done. Gender analysis frameworks provide a step-by-step methodology for conducting gender analysis.
The Women in Development
(WID) approach emerged in the 1970s, calling for treatment of "women's issues" in development projects. Later, the Gender and Development
(GAD) approach proposed more emphasis on gender relations rather than seeing women's issues in isolation.
An example of the effect of skipping gender analysis is provided by a project that introduced handcarts to a village for use in collecting firewood. It was thought that the men would use the carts to collect the wood, freeing up the women for other activities. In fact, the men collected the wood for sale, keeping the money. As they depleted supplies near the village, the women had to travel further to collect wood.
Gender analysis has commonly been used as a tool for development and emergency relief projects.
The socially constructed roles of men and women must be understood in project or program design, as must roles related to class, caste, ethnicity and age.
The techniques are also important in understanding management of natural resources.
Gender analysis is relevant to education, although the frameworks used for development projects must be adapted to meet the needs of educational projects.
, also called the Gender Roles Framework, was developed by the Harvard Institute for International Development
in collaboration with the Women In Development office of USAID, and was first described in 1984 by Catherine Overholt
and others. It was one of the earliest of such frameworks.
The starting point for the framework was the assumption that it makes economic sense for development aid projects to allocate resources to women as well as men, which will make development more efficient – a position named the “efficiency approach".
developed the Moser Framework for gender analysis in the 1980s while working at the Development Planning Unit of the University of London
. Working with Caren Levy, she expanded it into a methodology for gender policy and planning.
The Moser framework follows the Gender and Development approach in emphasizing the importance of gender relations.
As with the WID-based Harvard Framework, it includes collection of quantitative empirical facts. Going further, it investigates the reasons and processes that lead to conventions of access and control.
The Moser Framework includes gender roles identification, gender needs assessment, disaggregating control of resources and decision making withn the household, planning for balancing the triple role, distinguishing between different aims in interventions and involving women and gender-aware organizations in planning.
, with some of the authors having also worked on the Harvard Analystic Framework.
The CVA is based on an analysis of 30 case studies of NGOs responding to disaster situations, and is designed to help in emergency aid planning to meet immediate needs while considering longer-term development needs.
, a consultant based in Lusaka
, Zambia
specializing in gender and development issues.
The framework helps planners understand the practical meaning of women's empowerment and equality, and then to evaluate whether a development initiative supports this empowerment.
The basic premise is that women's development can be viewed in terms of five levels of equality: welfare, access, "conscientization", participation and control. Empowerment is essential at each of these levels. Welfare addresses basic needs, and access addresses ability to use resources such as credit, land and education. "Conscientization" is a key element of the framework: recognition that discrimination creates gender-related problems and women may themselves contribute to this discrimination. With participation, women are equal to men in making decisions, and with control the balance of powers between the genders is equal.
.
The approach centers on the interchange between patriarchy and social relations. Unlike the Harvard Framework and the Gender Analysis Matrix, it does not focus on roles, resources and activities, but instead looks at the relations between the State, market, community and family.
Relationships between women may be relevant, such as the relationship between a female servant and her mistress.
Discussing the players in the process, Naila Kabeer proposes that "planning for women's empowerment is most likely to succeed when the process is seen as the responsibility of those who are planned for; when social action groups and grassroots movements help to counter the top-down logic of the planning process..."
Concepts
In many developing societies, although not in all, women have traditionally been disadvantaged compared to men. Until recently, studies of these societies for the purpose of planning development covered women narrowly in terms of population, health and family planning. Relatively little was known about other concerns such as domestic violence or involvement in economic activities. Gender analysis provides more information, bringing benefits to women and to society as a whole.The Women in Development
Women in Development
Women in Development is an approach to development projects that emerged in the 1970s, calling for treatment of women's issues in development projects...
(WID) approach emerged in the 1970s, calling for treatment of "women's issues" in development projects. Later, the Gender and Development
Gender and Development
The Gender and Development approach is a way of determining how best to structure development projects and programs based on analysis of gender relationships...
(GAD) approach proposed more emphasis on gender relations rather than seeing women's issues in isolation.
An example of the effect of skipping gender analysis is provided by a project that introduced handcarts to a village for use in collecting firewood. It was thought that the men would use the carts to collect the wood, freeing up the women for other activities. In fact, the men collected the wood for sale, keeping the money. As they depleted supplies near the village, the women had to travel further to collect wood.
Gender analysis has commonly been used as a tool for development and emergency relief projects.
The socially constructed roles of men and women must be understood in project or program design, as must roles related to class, caste, ethnicity and age.
The techniques are also important in understanding management of natural resources.
Gender analysis is relevant to education, although the frameworks used for development projects must be adapted to meet the needs of educational projects.
Harvard Analytical Framework
The Harvard Analytical FrameworkHarvard Analytical Framework
The Harvard Analytical Framework, also called the Gender Roles Framework, is one of the earliest frameworks for understanding differences between men and women in their participation in the economy...
, also called the Gender Roles Framework, was developed by the Harvard Institute for International Development
Harvard Institute for International Development
The Harvard Institute for International Development was a think-tank dedicated to helping nations join the global economy, operating between 1974 and 2000...
in collaboration with the Women In Development office of USAID, and was first described in 1984 by Catherine Overholt
Catherine Overholt
Catherine A. Overholt is a health economist who has assisted many development agencies with gender issues, health economics, case writing and case method training...
and others. It was one of the earliest of such frameworks.
The starting point for the framework was the assumption that it makes economic sense for development aid projects to allocate resources to women as well as men, which will make development more efficient – a position named the “efficiency approach".
Moser Framework
Caroline MoserCaroline Moser
Caroline Moser is an academic specialising in social policy and urban social anthropology. She is primarily famous for her field-based approach to research on the informal sector generally - but particularly aspects such as poverty, violence, asset vulnerability and strategies for accumulation in...
developed the Moser Framework for gender analysis in the 1980s while working at the Development Planning Unit of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Working with Caren Levy, she expanded it into a methodology for gender policy and planning.
The Moser framework follows the Gender and Development approach in emphasizing the importance of gender relations.
As with the WID-based Harvard Framework, it includes collection of quantitative empirical facts. Going further, it investigates the reasons and processes that lead to conventions of access and control.
The Moser Framework includes gender roles identification, gender needs assessment, disaggregating control of resources and decision making withn the household, planning for balancing the triple role, distinguishing between different aims in interventions and involving women and gender-aware organizations in planning.
Gender Analysis Matrix
Rani Parker developed the Gender Analysis Matrix (GAM) in collaboration with other development practitioners to support their grassroots work for a Middle Eastern NGO. Participatory planning is a basic theme of the framework, which is flexible enough to handle situations where data collection is severeley handicapped.Capacities and Vulnerabilities Analysis Framework
The Capacities and Vulnerabilities Analysis (CVA) was developed in a research project at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, with some of the authors having also worked on the Harvard Analystic Framework.
The CVA is based on an analysis of 30 case studies of NGOs responding to disaster situations, and is designed to help in emergency aid planning to meet immediate needs while considering longer-term development needs.
Longwe's Women's Empowerment Framework
The Women's Empowerment Framework, or Longwe Framework, was developed by Sara Hlupekile LongweSara Hlupekile Longwe
Sara Hlupekile Longwe is a consultant on gender and development based in Lusaka, Zambia. She was the chairperson of FEMNET between 1997 and 2003.She is the author of the Longwe Framework for Gender Analysis....
, a consultant based in Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
specializing in gender and development issues.
The framework helps planners understand the practical meaning of women's empowerment and equality, and then to evaluate whether a development initiative supports this empowerment.
The basic premise is that women's development can be viewed in terms of five levels of equality: welfare, access, "conscientization", participation and control. Empowerment is essential at each of these levels. Welfare addresses basic needs, and access addresses ability to use resources such as credit, land and education. "Conscientization" is a key element of the framework: recognition that discrimination creates gender-related problems and women may themselves contribute to this discrimination. With participation, women are equal to men in making decisions, and with control the balance of powers between the genders is equal.
Social Relations Approach
The Social Relations Approach applies a socialist feminist philosophy to gender analysis, and has been used by various government department and NGOs as a planning framework. It was developed by Naila Kabeer at Sussex University in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The approach centers on the interchange between patriarchy and social relations. Unlike the Harvard Framework and the Gender Analysis Matrix, it does not focus on roles, resources and activities, but instead looks at the relations between the State, market, community and family.
Relationships between women may be relevant, such as the relationship between a female servant and her mistress.
Discussing the players in the process, Naila Kabeer proposes that "planning for women's empowerment is most likely to succeed when the process is seen as the responsibility of those who are planned for; when social action groups and grassroots movements help to counter the top-down logic of the planning process..."