WUNRN
Development Has a Woman's Face:
Insights from within the UN
Book by Krishna Ahoojapatel
This book analyzes the concepts that have transformed the 'woman question' into the current notion of 'gender mainstreaming' from 1970s to 2005. For example, take the question of the redefinition of 'economic activity' -- a large area considered noneconomic in traditional definitions. Another concept can be illustrated by the tools and techniques devised to measure and quantify economic contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) and the system of national accounts. Does it matter if an economy accounts for all women's work paid and unpaid, inside and outside the house? The answer given by several surveys and reports show that its relevance lies in a very simple conclusion and that is women are poorer than men anywhere, everywhere. How did poverty acquire a gender bias? Are the causes that procure this remarkable gender bias connected to any particular system government of economic structure? If not then wherein lies the problem? Is the segregation of occupations in the labour market to determine the inequality of remuneration between women and men? How is the political drama of women's entry into the labour market connected to the legislative provisions to protect maternity rights and parental leave? What was the political prerequisite to create basic needs strategies at a global level when in fact women were meeting these minimum needs at the household level? As women attempt to climb step by step the corporate ladder at the macro level, there is a tremendous upheaval in current strategies to discuss micro enterprises and micro credits for women. Why should the gender division of labour signify big money for men and small money for women? No matter which process of the development paradigm is analyzed, its hidden economic reality touches the profile of a woman.
September, 2007. Summary by Saint Mary's University, Canada.
Krishna Ahoojapatel: President of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, Geneva, Visiting Professor on Women and Peace, Gujarat Vidapith (Institute of Learning), Ahmedabad, India UN Representative, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Geneva
Development has a Woman’s Face is published by APH Publishing Corporation 5, Ansari Road, New Delhi-110002 INDIA Email: aphbooks@vsnl.net
Distributed by International Development Studies, Saint. Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (e-mail: kahooja@smu.ca) and Peace Research Centre, Gujarat Vidapith, Ahmedabad, India
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