Integrating gender into development
Rathgeber, E.
Idrc Reports 19(1): 4-7
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0315-9981 PMID: 12284488 Document Number: 258317
Looking back over 20 years of studies on the roles, contributions, and needs of women reveals a great deal of advancement, and a great deal of work still to be done. In 1991 it is known that women in developing countries work longer, earn less, are responsible for more, are less literate, and eat less calories as a function of body weight than men. The global debt crisis of the 80s has shifted more work into women as well as more social functions that used to be provided by the state. AIDS has also had some unexpected impacts on women in the 80s as they are most often left to care for the sick members of their families. Among feminist researchers there was an awareness of the need to influence national policy makers to improve the working conditions of women. During the 80s in many areas women have continued to suffer from legal discrimination especially in terms of land rights laws, but also in employment, wages and pension benefits, as well as basic human and health rights. Feminist researchers continued to explore the basis for women's subordinate cultural position in the 80s as well as what efforts have been taken to improve their own status. Differing attitudes between men and women about the environment were also present in the 80s. The Women, environment and Development Network (WEDNET) is a program to support research on the identification and legitimization of grass-roots African women's knowledge about the environment.