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

1. WID, WAD & GAD

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 : Liberal 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.
Criticism:
Did not address gender discrimination – the root cause of gender
Does not question the existing social structures or explore the nature and sources of women's oppression.
WID sees women merely as a unit of analysis, and fails to consider the implications race, class and gender have on women's oppression.

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 : Neo-Marxist, feminist approach which draws 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
Criticism:
Fails to analyze the relationship between patriarchy and women’s subordination and oppression.
Singular preoccupation with women’s productive role
Assumes that once international structures become more equitable, women’s position would improve.
WAD doesn't question the relations between gender roles.

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
Contribution
GAD rejects the public/private dichotomy
Women seen as agents of change rather than as passive recipients of development assistance.
It emphasizes the state’s duty to provide social services in promoting women’s emancipation.

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
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