The Gender Perspective and Gender Analysis

in Development Projects and Researchs

María Teresa Rodríguez

Fundación Guatemala
 Sex- gender: Biological and Social Differences

Women and men are differentiated first of all because of the physiological and
sexual characteristics with which we were born. These are natural and do not
change (not normally, anyway). These differences have to do with what we call
“sex”.

We are also differentiated because each society and each culture has given a
distinct value and meaning to these differences of sex and has formulated ideas,
conceptions and practices about BEING A MAN and BEING A WOMAN. This
set of social, economic, political, psychological and legal characteristics and
norms are what is called “gender” (Lagarde, M., 1994). As a result, there are two
genders: female and male.
 From Natural Differences to Social Inequality

In themselves, differences do not lead to inequality. However, the moment a

social group assigns a value to these differences - to the genders - this

situation changes, producing inequality in the development and well being of

women and men.

The inequality resulting from this social valuation keeps both genders from

having the same access to opportunities for personal and collective

development. People do not decide by themselves to live in conditions of

superiority or inferiority; their formation according to gender assigns them a

place in one of these two positions.

Socialization: How do we learn to become women
and to become men:

The process of configuration as people and members of society is called

socialization. We human beings are constituted according to psychosocial
processes in which gender is one determinant of our identity.

Our grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, mother and father
or the people who raised us - significant figures because of their closeness
during our first years of life - nourished a very important part of our process
of formation as people, making them our referents in terms of gender
behaviors. These people are called “other references”

Can you recall how family members treated women

and how they treated men?

What did you learn from these men and women?

In this process of socialization, behavioral codes ad valuations of inequality
are transmitted to us. We internalized these, because we were taught that it was
“natural” to behave in these ways.

Social groups are constantly transmitting gender formation, and this process
takes place from generation to generation through multiple media that act
simultaneously and are mutually reinforcing. We learn from the behavior of
others. We see what women do and what men do, where they go to, what they
do with their time, what decisions they participate in and the resources they
control. We perceive all these gender practices in the family, in school, at work,
in institutions, in development projects, in the government, in business and in all
the other social institutions that people can join.
 Gender Identity: Who Am I?

Our identities are constructed during this process of socialization: female identity,

male identity and forms of relating between them.

Our identities are constructed in relation to what we should feel, do, think, and even

imagine, all previously established for our gender. This also depends on other

conditions in the world where we are involved: the culture we belong to, the social

class or group that determines our material conditions of life, and our identity

according to age, religion and politics

Why to Incorporate a Gender Analysis in projects and researchs?

Gender equity perspective analyzes the reasons why inequality in the living
conditions of women and men produces inequity, and a lack of well being for
everyone, both women and men.

Each man and woman has a responsibility toward the achievement of

sustainable human development. Based on her/his own experience, girls and
boys, young people, adults, older women and men, each and every one of them
must make a contribution on behalf of the community and its development.

Gender analysis makes it possible for women and men to recognize for
ourselves the opportunities and constrains involved in achieving our personal
and collective development, within the historical and geographic context in which
we live.
Incorporating the Terms we need:

Affirmative Actions

Affirmative actions becomes “ a strategy for equal opportunity through

measures to contrast or correct discriminations that are the result of social

practices or systems. Its purpose is to implement concrete programs giving

women concrete advantages”

While affirmative actions are often identified with measures aimed at increasing women’s

political participation, they can be designed to eliminate or reduce situations of discrimination

wherever they may exist, and be adapted to the particular circumstances of rural

development organizations and projects.

 Age groups

Classification of the population according to age, for

example, children, adolescents, adult women and
elderly adult men.
 Condition and Position

PRACTICAL STRATEGIC

-Tend to be immediate, urgent. -Tend to be long-term (processes).

- Unique to particular women and men. - Common to all women.

- Relate to daily needs (condition): food, - Related to disadvantaged position:

housing, income, health of children, etc. subordination, lack of resources and

- Easily identifiable. education, vulnerability to poverty and

- Can be addressed by making certain violence, citizenship, etc.

inputs available, such as food, water - The basis of disadvantage and potential

pumps, or a clinic. for change are not always identifiable.

- Can be addressed by consciousness-

raising, increasing self-confidence,

education, organizational strengthening,

political mobilization, and full citizenship.

 Division of Labor:

Three types of work can be distinguished:

Productive work: Includes the production of goods and services for consumption or sale

(I.e., agriculture or fishing). This usually refers to work that generates income and is the kind

included in national censuses and statistics.

Reproductive work: Includes the care and maintenance of the domestic unit and its

members, as well as bearing and caring for children, preparing food, drawing water,

purchasing provisions, performing domestic chores and taking care of family health. This

type of work is not considered as such by society and has no exchange value.

Community Work: Includes the collective organization of social events and services. This

type of work is not taken into account in economic analyses, even when in involves many

hours of voluntary work.

EMPOWERMENT

Empowerment of women: This signifies providing women the opportunity to

attain greater power and control over their own lives and involves raising

awareness, developing confidence in oneself, giving opportunities and greater

access to and control over resources. Empowerment comes from within:

women empower themselves. “External agents”, such as donors, cannot

empower women. However, donors can play an important role as facilitators.

The instruments used to further the empowerment of women must simplify the

process of communicating their needs and priorities, and promote a more

active role in advancing these interests and needs.