WID WAD & GAD

The theories and debates on women and development and its analysis in retrospect.

1. WID, WAD & GAD  AN ANALYTICAL APPROACH TO THEORIES AND DEBATES OF WOMEN & DEVELOPMENT

2. WOMEN IN   DEVELOMPENT  APPROACH (WID) Origin: Early 1970’s influenced by the seminal work of Boserup and came to use during the United Nation Decade of women (1972-1985).  Theoretical base : L iberal Feminists school of thought and modernization theory  Focus:  Women are subordinated in the economic framework and they are excluded from market. Appealed for integration of women in development planning.  WID sees women problems are due to exclusion of women from development programs.  Integration of women in development programs are a solution. It recognizes that women need to be integrated into economic development through legal and administrative support.

3. WOMEN AND  DEVELOMPENT  APPROACH (WAD) Origin: Emerged from a critique of the modernization theory and the WID approach in the second half of the 1970s  Theoretical base : N eo-Marxist , feminist approach which d raws from the dependency theory Focus:  Women have always been part of development process-therefore integrating women in development is a myth   Accepts women as important economic actors in their societies. Women’s work in the public and private domain is central to the maintenance of their societal structures    Advocates of this approach say that both the paid and unpaid labour of women is essential to development

4. GENDER AND  DEVELOMPENT  APPROACH (GAD) Origin: As an alternative to the WID and WAD this approach developed in the 1980s Theoretical base : Influenced by socialist feminist thinking Focus:  It questions the basis of assigning specific gender roles to different sexes Recognizes that patriarchy operates within and across classes to oppress women  It talks in terms of upsetting the existing power relations in society between men and women Stresses the need for women to organize themselves for a more effective political voice

5. CONTRIBUTION OF GAD IN CONTRAST TO WID & WAD Recognizes women’s contribution inside and outside the household, including non-commodity production Does not exclusively emphasize female solidarity- welcomes contributions of sensitive men Offers a holistic perspective looking at all aspects of women’s lives Focuses on strengthening women’s legal rights, including the reform of inheritance and land laws QUERY ?