gender mainstreaming

1. At – SIRD
20th May 2011

2. Getting to know each other
Name
Sex
Daughter / Son of
One responsibility at home
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3. Objectives
 Understand the concept of gender
and related issues.
 Understand gender mainstreaming in
the context of Local Governance
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4. Why Gender Training?
 Because it concerns both men and
women
 It involves transformation of attitudes
and practices in all societies.
 Because when we work with
communities, it’s essential to be
sensitive to both men’s and women’s
needs and issues
 It touches all of us.
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5. Difference between Sex & Gender
 Sex refers to biologically
determined differences between
men and women that are universal.
 They are established in nature.
 They largely remain unchanged.
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6. GENDER
 Gender refers to the social roles and
relations between women and men.
 Unlike the sex of men or women that is
biologically determined, gender roles of
women and men are socially constructed.
 Such roles can change over time and vary
according to geographic location and
social context.
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7. Gender roles are learned
behaviors in a given
society/community or other
social groups, that condition
which activities, tasks and
responsibilities are perceived as
male and female
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8. Gender
 Gender is not “Sex”
 Gender is not “Women”
 Gender is a focus on
the unequal relations
between men and
women
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9. Statements about men and women

10. Role and Activity – Exercise

11. Division of work
Same work - different value
Women
Stitching - at home
Cooking - at home
Cleaning - at home
Healthcare - at home
Men
outside + Money = Tailor
outside + Money = Cook
outside + Money = Cleaner
outside + Money = Doctor

12. Story – 24 hours a day

13. Triple role of women
Productive
Reproductive
Community
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14. Practical gender needs &
Strategic gender needs
Practical Gender Needs: Facilitate in
managing effectively the current roles
more easily without changing the
position in society
Strategic needs are related to
changing the status quo
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15. Gender Differences
Aspect Women Men
Roles and
responsibilities
Work at home
Look after children
Look after the sick
Go out to work for
money
Cannot be expected to
cook or clean
Access and control
over resources
Does not own or inherit
property
Choice of having
sex/child –partner
Time decided by others
Property is in his name
Inherits property
More educational
opportunities
Entitled to leisure
Behavioral
stereotypes
Weak
Emotional
Dependant
Shy
Strong
Rational
Independent
Tough

16. How gender works as a system
Beliefs in society about women and men
Gender norms
Gender roles for men and women
Sexual division of labor
Different activities and tasks for men and women
Differential Access to and control over resources
Differential decision making and power

17. Socialization
Socialization is a life long process
through which individuals acquire a
personal identity and social skills.
This is a process through which a
new born child is gradually
transformed into a knowledgeable
adult
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18. Agents of Socialization
 Family, Peer, School, Community,
Media
 Institutions- Religious, Political,
Legal,
 Economic, Political and Social
Factors.
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19. Patriarchal values and gender relations :
Some Answers
Patriarchy explains:
 How our societies function?
 How it controls women
 It is a control by men.
 Patriarchy has its roots in religion
 In family traditions
 It involves the idea that within a family
there is a clear unwritten and unsaid
hierarchy of need
 It leads to certain mindsets and
behaviour and this results in
inequality.
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20. Gender works against women and
men
 Even though men usually end up having more
power and decision making ability through this
system they are also under pressure to follow
the pattern.
 An individual man , though having more power
than a similarly placed woman has to conform
to behaviour, task, roles expectations

21. Situation of Women in the world
 Women form almost half of the population of our country
 Women work 2/3 of the world’s working hours, and produce ½ of the
world’s food, yet earn only 10 per cent of the world’s income, and own
less than 1 per cent of the world’s property. (UN)
 Two-thirds of children denied primary education is girls, and 75 per
cent of the world’s 876 million illiterate adults are women. Every extra
year a girl spends at school could reduce child mortality by ten per
cent. (UN, World’s Women)
 More than half a million women die in pregnancy and childbirth every
year: of these deaths,
 Women hold only 14 per cent of parliamentary seats worldwide, and
only eight per cent of the world’s cabinet ministers are women.
 Domestic violence is the biggest cause of injury and death to women
worldwide. Gender-based violence causes more deaths and disability
among women aged 15 to 44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and
war. (World Bank Discussion Paper)

23. What is Mainstreaming
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24. Mainstreaming is
 The word “Mainstream” as a noun means: ‘principal
current of a river; prevailing trends in opinions,
fashion etc’.As a verb, it indicates becoming part of the
‘mainstream’.
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25. Gender Mainstreaming is
 It is a strategy to ensure gender equality
 It is an approach to governance that makes men’s
and women’s concerns and experiences an integral
part of the design, implementation, monitoring
and evaluation of policies in all sectors of society.
 It is a strategy to promote strategic gender need
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26. Equality and Equity
 Equality is an ideal
value
 When the principle of
equality is applied to
unequals, inequality
usually increases
 Gender equality is a
goal
 Equity is an
operational principle
 Equity requires
making special
provisions for the
powerless
 Practicing gender
equity is essential to
achieve gender
equality

27. Gender equality
Absence of discrimination on the basis of a person's sex in
opportunities and the allocation of resources or benefits or in
access to services.
Gender equity
Fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and
responsibilities between women and men. The concept
recognises that women and men have different needs and power
and that these differences should be identified and addressed in a
manner that rectifies the imbalance between the sexes.

28. Gender Mainstreaming is
Cont…….
 It is a strategy not only for attaining gender
equality but for the sustainable
development of societies as a
whole.
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29. Mainstreaming requires
 Awareness of Participants
 Sensitization of Participants
 Enhancement of Decision making power
of participants
 Access to and Control of the participants
on the developmental activities
 Supportive environment
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30. Understanding Development
 Development is committed to the
equality of all people.
 Two Pillars of Development
 Participation – Full involvement of people
which affects their lives, regardless of
gender, race , age , class or social disability.
 Empowerment – Achieved by people
themselves, through their own effort.
 Power to, power with and power within women is
key to development than power over

31. Approaches to Women’s Devt
 Welfare
 Anti – Poverty
 Efficiency
 Equity
 Empowerment

32. Possible Areas of Involvement
 Decision Making
 Finance in the
Home
 Education of
Children
 Family Planning
 Contribution to
 Health of Children
 Feeding of family
 Production of food
for family
Consumption
 Production of food
for cash payment
 Community Discussion
 Agriculture
 Water and Sanitation
 School / education
 Neighbourhood /
Construction
 Nationality
 Political Representation
 Political Involvement
 Employment outside the Home
 Industry
 Business
 Medical / nursing
 Law
 service industries

33. Factors obstructing women’s involvement.
 Lack of formal education
 Limited involvement in community action/ discussions
 Poverty
 Malnourishment
 Heavy domestic workload
 Mobility requires permission form males in the household
 Religious practices / beliefs
 Inequality in national laws
 Previous negative experience of development
 Difficulty in recruiting female workers
 Child rearing responsibilities
 Government austerity programmes resulting in less time
and financ

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