Search

Historically, women's contributions to the economic, political, and social well-being of a society have been dramatically devalued. It is only in the last fifty years that the thinking towards the role of women has shifted. Today, there is general global consensus that female empowerment is "smart economics" and that gender equality has a positive effect on economic growth and human development. The inverse relationship, that economic growth has a positive effect on advancing gender equality is more controversial and understudied. To gain a broader picture of the role of women in economic development, as well as a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between economic growth and gender equality, this paper situates women within the human development paradigm and first explores the notion of economic empowerment. A discussion of the importance of women's empowerment to economic development follows. With this framework laid, the context of economic development and gender equity in East Africa is explored, followed by two specific case studies of Ethiopia and Uganda. This paper draws several conclusions about the role of women in the economic development trajectories of Ethiopia and Uganda, namely that discrimination and marginalization of women in Ethiopia and Uganda has limited both women's roles economic development and impeded their human development. In the Ethiopian and Ugandan economies, women do not participate in high growth sectors and a majority of women, if employed, work in the agriculture sector with substantially unequal access and control over productive resources. In both nations, girls are expected to attend less school than boys, resulting in lower literacy compared with their male counterparts. In health, life expectancy has improved substantially in both Ethiopia and Uganda and girls have a higher life expectancy than boys at birth. Despite said advances, fertility rates remain astronomically high in both Ethiopia and Uganda, which curbs (sustained) economic growth potential and women's empowerment. This evidence suggests that if Ethiopia and Uganda significantly increase economic and educational opportunities for women, while maintaining gains in healthcare, fertility rates will decrease and more sustained economic growth can occur, which will ultimately have positive gains for women's empowerment and for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The durability of gender inequality in contemporary societies raises questions about the development and diffusion of inegalitarian beliefs about the roles of men and women in politics and economics. Recent comparative research suggests the empowerment of women in politics is important for promoting egalitarian beliefs about women in authoritative political roles. This study extends on this perspective by examining how female empowerment in politics and economics interplays with beliefs about the relative competency of women in these institutions. We argue the empowerment of women in politics and economics is important for reducing inegalitarian beliefs about women in these institutions, but the prevalence of these beliefs hinders female empowerment in these institutions. We test these arguments using data on 86,324 respondents in 51 countries from the fifth and sixth waves of the World Value Survey. Estimates from hierarchal linear models show individuals possess more egalitarian beliefs about women in countries with greater female empowerment in politics and economics and this effect is amplified among male respondents. In addition, estimates from seemingly unrelated regression models show the prevalence of inegalitarian gender beliefs among both men and women is associated with lower levels of female empowerment. However, the prevalence of these beliefs among male respondents exerts the greatest effect on female empowerment in politics and economics. Overall, this study shows gender beliefs and the empowerment of women in politics and economics act as mutually constitutive forces of gender inequality and ideologies in contemporary society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the role of women as city boosters in California. Reference to urban development related activities of California women; Implications of the increasing membership of women in chambers of commerce throughout the state in the 1910s and the 1920s; Reevaluation of interpretations of women's public work away from models stressing gender identity, moral and social reform, and political activism; Assertion that urban growth and development offered unlimited potential for economic prosperity that could be realized through the careful marketing of California.

Questions of women's power remain a matter of heated debate globally, but take on a heightened intensity in a South Asia featuring rapid economic growth and structural transformation in recent decades. This Special Issue aims to improve understanding of how the women of South Asia are gaining and exercising power and of the obstacles and backlash they face, moving beyond discussion of women's empowerment as a matter of control over domestic economic resources or labour market participation. Articles from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan examine the struggles of garments workers in global value chains, middle class professionals, subsistence farmers and wage labourers, tracing the actors, institutions, and movements that build or block women's pathways to power. Collectively, the articles argue for paid work to be treated as a critical arena for struggles over women's power, not an end in itself. They draw attention to the roles of states and patriarchal forces in building or blocking pathways to power, and to the resilient nature of gendered norms that serve patriarchy. And they highlight the need for research into women's empowerment to focus on key episodes of political contention, as critical junctures for the progress – or retreat – of women's empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the economic participation of women in Pakistan. It states that Islamic wisdom indicates that a woman plays an important role in economic development education; and economic participation of women can lead to reduction of poverty, assurance of equality, and good governance in socio-economic policies. It is stated that Pakistan government encourages women's education and their economic participation, and their education can lead to the development of human capital.

A table of content for Winter 2019 issue of the periodical is presented, along with information related to American Economic Association; and the periodical's aims and purposes.

Scientific literature and facts have highlighted the perpetuation of gender inequality in the labour market in spite of the ongoing endeavours of political bodies and legal norms to eliminate the vertical and horizontal segregation of women. Portuguese Social Economy Act stresses “the respect for the values […] of equality and non-discrimination […], justice and equity […]”. In this paper, we offer a reflection on indicators that uncover vertical and horizontal segregation in the labour market. Based on a mixed methodological approach, we found very high rates of employment feminization in social economy organizations. Women are mainly allocated to technical and operational activities, being ultimately underrepresented in statutory boards and as such excluded from deliberation and strategic decision. The sector is moving away from the ideals of justice and social equity and may preserve women’s “non-place” in the definition of the public and strategic direction and in the most invisible/private organizational “places”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study complements existing literature by investigating how the advancement in information and communication technology affects the formal economic participation of women. The focus is on 48 African countries for the period 1990‐2014. The empirical evidence is based on ordinary least squares, fixed effects and the generalized method of moments regressions. The results show that improving communication technology increases female economic participation with the following consistent order of increasing magnitude: mobile phone penetration, internet penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions. The findings are robust to the control for heterogeneities across countries. Policy implications are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does our economic policy disadvantage women? IPPR's chief economist Catherine Colebrook takes a look at the ways that spending cuts, current industrial strategy and sexism and harassment impact on women in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors examine the relationship between challenges faced by the female Saudi entrepreneurs and their ability to predict consumer needs in the context of the stage of entrepreneurial activity (early-late stage). The results from hierarchical regression show that early-late stage entrepreneurial activity moderates the relationship between challenges faced and the ability to predict customer needs. The pattern of the relationships was negative within the early-stage group and positive within the late-stage entrepreneurial group. Also, the relationship was slightly more sensitive for the late group than for the early group. The article ends with a discussion of the results, implications, and suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synopsis This paper presents research findings concerning women's involvement in the initiatives and schemes in Greece whose members transact among themselves without the use of the official currency — in this case, the euro. In many cases women have founded or they are coordinating the initiatives, and in most cases their role is essential for the schemes to function and develop. Therefore, this paper attempts to study the research findings from the point of view of women: why they participate in this activity, what economic responsibilities, roles and powers they acquire through the schemes, how they perceive their own activity, what are the implications of this activity for their economic life in general and what economic knowledge they create themselves and make available to all of us. The original data presented in this paper are meant to contribute to the discussion on women's role in economic alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endogenous African governance systems are criticised for excluding women. This critique ignores several realities that women have played roles different from those of men. This article examines the roles that women play in endogenous governance structures of patrilineal and matrilineal ethnic groups in rural areas in Malawi on leadership, violent conflict prevention, and transformation. It argues that these endogenous governance systems inherently contain features that enable women to actively participate and play powerful leadership roles, though men dominate in terms of numbers and authority. These gender patterns do not seem to change much despite the changing political, social, and economic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women comprise 50 percent of the total population in Pakistan and make a significant contribution to economic development of Pakistan (Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2010-2011:151). There are various factors including poverty and socio-cultural prejudices which affect female education in Pakistan as in general and Sindh in particular. Consequently, women's employment status in both public and private sectors remain unequal to men. Therefore, this research paper examines employment ratio of male and female in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The research study also identifies major causes that hamper female participation in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The study also present research publications, teaching experiences and education status through quantification of data using formal statistical approaches along with informal methods of data collection. The results are applicable in understanding the wok environment of Universities and women status in those institutions. This study will be beneficial for making policy in order to uplift female faculty status in public HEIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I explore the joint dynamics between gender inequality and cultural norms along the process of development. Cultural norms regarding gender roles are shaped by the relative female labor supply, and thus depend on the gender gap in education. In turn, these norms influence the relative education provided to boys and girls. I show that this two-way causality between the inegalitarian nature of norms and the educational gender gap might explain the emergence of high gender inequality and low development traps. The model also makes it possible to replicate a U-shaped relationship between the relative status of women and the economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Electronic Turkish Studies is the property of Electronic Turkish Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The benefits of women's economic empowerment are well-known and documented in the development literature. Few studies and interventions, however, have explored how men react or can be engaged to enhance such interventions. This article presents an evaluation of a pilot project in Rwanda in collaboration with CARE Rwanda's Village Savings and Loan (VSL) programme that deliberately engaged men as partners of women beneficiaries of the micro-credit programme. Preliminary results affirm the importance of engaging men in a deliberate questioning of gender norms and power dynamics, so that they can embrace better co-operation and sharing of activities at the household level; and that a ‘do-no-harm’ approach to women's economic empowerment should involve activities to engage men at the community level in questioning and ending gender-based violence – building on those interventions that have shown evidence of changes in men's attitudes and behaviours related to gender-based violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the economic impacts of family planning and reproductive health. It is mentioned that family planning has positive impacts on women's earnings, body-mass indexes of both women and children and children's schooling. It is also discussed that decreased fertility improved economic growth as more women could participate in paid labor and there was low dependency on youth.

In recent years, women are playing an important role in economic development. They contribute significant proportion in Gross Domestic Product through actively participating in industries, services and in agricultural activities. What is worse with women workers is that they still lag behind in achieving job opportunities in comparison to men. The present paper tries to look at the extent of disparity in women work and labour force participation in urban-rural sectors and across the states of India. The study uses data from different rounds of National Sample Survey. The analysis depicts that women workforce and labour force participation has declined in recent years and the gap between female and male work participation ratio has increased in India. It has been observed in developed southern states of India, because of highly educated society and sincere freedom of women in decision making, the women work participation in regular jobs is high in comparison to the northern states of India. The study also reveals the controversy in the context of urban-rural India, where women work participation is high in urban area and low in rural area. The study also reveals the fact that the gap between men and women is high in urban India, while it has increased in rural and urban India both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts in English for articles included in the current issue of the journal, focusing on feminist research, including women and economic development, Latin American women and autonomy, and gender inequality in Tajikistan.

Copyright of Recherches Feministes is the property of Groupe de Recherche et d'Echange Multidisciplinaires Feministes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the development of the field of feminist thought on the subject of economic development during the period from 1970 to 2011. Topics include the resistance of dominant models of development, and the ideologies on which they were founded, to change, despite evidence of their inadequacy; the comparatively rapid development of studies on development, and the thematic and conceptual development of the field of women/gender and development.

The goals of this study are to identify attitudes of university students toward women's participation in public life (social, economic, and political), and to determine the effect of independent factors on their attitudes. To achieve these goals, I used a self-reported questionnaire to collect data from a stratified random sample (1260 students), as well as descriptive statistics (percentages) and inferential statistics (forward stepwise regression). Results of the study revealed that the majority of respondents support women's participation in public life in UAE society. Also, university students supported the right of women to have equal educational opportunities, as well as equal participation in civil societies, volunteer societies, and municipal councils. However, the majority tends to be less in favor of women in economic and political participation. Finally, empirical results were that gender, a mother's education, and nationality were associated with the university students' attitudes toward women's participation in the social, economic, and political spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mwajuma Masaiganah looks at activities done by Bagamoyo Women Development Network linking the social and care economy. Her article is based on her work and involvement with women in these rural communities. She explains why the care and social economy should be supported as a third system of economic model that can sustain women's and community's livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zo Randriamaro describes the key features of today's fierce new world and discusses the challenges in searching for possible pathways for community economic development from a feminist perspective. She aims to provide answers to critical questions about women's position in relation to the concept of community, and the place of the social economy in today's crisis ridden world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liepollo Pheko argues that gender perspective on the economic globalization and migration is important because it exposes the contradictory processes that are at work within a globalized economy. She suggests that despite the fact that women are taking a major part in globalized networks of production, they have not necessarily benefited from this engagement. For her the notion of citizenship is critical because it operates simultaneously as a force for inclusion and exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women worldwide are contributing significantly to global economic growth but do not always receive the benefits needed to improve their own and their family's livelihoods. Women's contributions are often invisible, unrecognized and undervalued. This is especially apparent in global value chains, where harsh labour conditions in export-oriented sectors such as horticulture and the garment industry are well-documented in the literature. However, we still know very little about the agricultural sector, particularly smallholder agriculture and the contribution and position of women. Noortje Verhart and Rhiannon Pyburn use a value chain approach to look at opportunities to improve women's positions in global trade relations. Noortje Verhart and Rhiannon Pyburn illustrate that trade and trade relations are not gender neutral: they influence men's and women's opportunities to improve their position in a value chain quite differently. They demonstrate how a particular intervention in a global coffee chain is enabling the revaluation of women's contribution to coffee production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality of opportunity and women's empowerment are integral and essential elements of any serious strategy for economic growth and pro-poor development. Gender issues cannot therefore be seen as a marginal concern for the financial sector. However, until very recently, despite female targeting of small loans and savings and frequent use of the term “empowerment” in promotional material, explicit attention to gender issues within the microfinance movement has been negligible. This paper aims to be a catalyst for serious debate about ways forward, and the starting point for future lobbying to establish an agreed gender justice protocol for the microfinance sector. It argues that there are steps that all financial institutions can take to improve women's access to finance, ensure financial products are appropriately designed, utilize gender-based indicators for effective monitoring and assessment of impact, enact consumer protection measures, and advocate on behalf of women in the public sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

D.G. Mhando, S.J. Nindi (Centre for Sustainable Rural Development, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Post Box 3035, Morogoro, Tanzania, email: davidmhando@yahoo.com, nindistephen@yahoo.com), and E. S. Chuma (Moshi Municipal Council, Post Box 345, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania) say that limited formal income earning opportunities partly drive people into the informal sector. This situation is a consequence of either the ignorance/negligence or inability of the state authorities to cope with the burgeoning urban population. Moshi municipality is among the towns in Tanzania where "hawking trade "is practised. Although different from other areas, women are highly involved. This paper examines factors that contribute to the involvement of women in the hawking trade in Moshi municipality. A sample of 84 women engaged in hawking trade was studied. The results revealed that women hawking traders were aged between 19 and 54 years and characterised by low educational levels and low income. The Chagga cultural setting and limited ways of earning income were among the reasons that forced women into hawking trade. Problems encountered by women hawkers include heavy rain which restricts their mobility, limited areas for conducting their business and frequent harassment by the law enforcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empowerment of women emphasizes on creation of environment which promotes equality between women and men. The state has, through it policies, planning and schemes, tried to create this environment. The National Perspective Plan for Women (1988) emphasized on two aspects, the economic development and integration of women into the mainstream of our economy, and equity and social justice to all women. The more recent offoris of the state in this direction has been dual, provision of thirty-three percent reservation for women in Panchayat Raj Institutions and promotion of micro credit scheme of Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs). Both these measures possessing independent capacities of bringing in positive change, if synergized can bring in silent revolution at grassroots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]