Why does Gender matter in development..Part 1

Gender should be synomous with development as it provides a holistic approach to planning for societal progress. It addresses both the roles of male and female, their needs, as well as social relations and their positions in developing societies.

The gender in development discourse has evolved over the years, transcending from development theories spearheading women in development that focused on economic growth as a means of inclusion and access; to what we are commonly seeing now referred to as Gender and Development which is mainstreaming of gender in development processes and practice.

The gender and development approach insists on a conceptual gender analysis of both male and female needs, with prominence on women, for the ultimate empowerment of women (Moser 1989,1993). Whilst general debate around gender in development is centred on stereotype universalist models as critiqued by feminist anthropologists, this essay will look at the gender lens in development as a rationale behind why gender matters in planning for development.

This will also enable for an analysis of how these roles are practiced and what is entailed and needed in fulfilling them, and how that affects addressing the loopholes in the development process or lack thereof. Additionally, this essay will also provide a review on the existing…