Gender Inequality

Gender Inequality

1. Patriarchal control in developing world – all consuming and could threaten their lives

   • Leonard (1992) – “no matter what we focus on…women are worse off that men” – conditions of underdevelopment are experienced by women to a greater extent

2. Steinem (1995) – women in developing worlds may up a ‘fifth world’ (more at risk than men from poverty, poor healthcare and exploitation)

3. Modernisation

   • Blames internal cultural factors (religious ideas – underpins values and norms on basis of gender)
   • Males are accorded patriarchal control and dominance in female activities
     • Van der Gaag (2004) – these attitudes go a long way back - In many countries today, birth of a boy is celebrated and birth of a girl is for commiseration
     • Consequences for human rights (Asia – 60 million women missing due to sex selective abortion or the practice of killing/abandoning girl babies, 70,000 teen girls married everyday)
   • Low status of women is an obstacle to development - potential contribution to the economy + status as mothers contributes to overpopulation
     • Boserup (1970) – need for greater educational opportunities for adolescent girls
       • Creation of industrial jobs by MNCs to encourage economic independence
       • Transmitting Western values to reinforce female liberation
       • Father, husband etc must view females as equal + challenge the way they have been brought up

4. Marginalisation Thesis

   • Introduction to capitalism in developing societies – women excluded from economic life, restricted to the home and dependant upon men (colonial powers imposed upon indigenous people)
     • Abbott + Wallace (1997) – Western notions of femininity and family have imposed upon other models of gender
       • Colonialism most likely imposed other forms of inequality (reaffirms ascribed roles)
   • Leonard (1992) – colonial powers introduce “money economy based on wage labour and cash crops”
     • HOWEVER – evidence that colonialism has challenged ascribed gender roles (British made female circumcision illegal)
     • Emphasis on exporting cash crops results in men rather than women being employed as agricultural workers
     • Modernisation view that wages will trickle down rarely occurs in practice
     • Aid projects marginalise women – only 4% of government workers providing agricultural advice to people in rural areas are women
       • aid is not gender neutral – comes with values that are male dominated

5. Exploitation Thesis

   • Marxist feminist position
     • Many TNCs employ women (90%) – regarded as cheap
     • Low pay – women produce more for less
     • West does not invest a lot in training
   • Elson + Pearson (1981) - TNCs take advantage of “Women’s material subordination as gender” (Women put up with low wages or accept oppressive working conditions)
   • Leonard – TNCs exploit female fair pay + job security
     • HOWEVER – wages earned in factory work is higher than what is earned in subsistence jobs