1. GENDER CONCERNS IN
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
UDAY YADAV
JAYANTH BALAJI
3 RD YR-B

2. WHAT IS GENDER?
 G e n de r i s n ot a n ot h e r wo rd fo r
wo m e n. G e n de r i s a bo ut bot h
wo m e n a n d m e n , t h e i r s o c i a lly
de fi n e d ro l e s , re s po n sibilities, a n d
t h e powe r a n d ot h e r re l a t i ons
bet we e n t h e m . Li ke ra c e , et h n i c it y,
a n d c l a s s , be i n g m a l e o r fe m a l e
s h a pes i n di vidua ls’ o ppo r t un i t i es to
pa r t i c i pa te i n t h e e c o n o my a n d
s o ciety.
 Lo o k ing a t g e n de r i n t h e
s us t a inable deve l opme nt s e c to r s
m e a ns a s s essing m a l e s’ a n d
fe m a les’ di f fe re n t n e e ds fo r a n d
us e s o f t h e i n fra s t ruc t ure , s e r v i c es
a n d ot h e r be n e fi t s o f e a c h s e c to r,
a s we l l a s t h e di f fe re n t ba rri e r s to
t h e i r a c c e s s , m o bi lit y, a n d
e c o n omic o ppo r t un i t i es.

3.  It is inappropriate to tr y and
address problems, to identify
the appropriate strategies, or to
implement the solutions if only
half of the people concerned
are involved in the process.
 Gender equity is an essential
building block in sustainable
development. Indeed, none of
the three “pillars” of
sustainable development
(Environmental protection,
Economic well -being and Social
equity) can be achieved without
solving the prevailing problem
of gender inequity.

4. WHY FOCUS ON GENDER AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?
 Gender equality promotes development. Gender disparities are
barriers to development imposing heavy costs on society in terms of
reduced growth and lower pover ty reduction.
 Conversely, addressing gender dif ferences and reducing gender
disparities through sustainable development projects and policies
can also improve development ef fectiveness and sustainability .
 Gender analysis is carried out in projects as an integral par t of
social analysis. Gender analysis asks questions about the
dif ferences between men's and women's activities, roles, and
resources in order to identify their needs, constraints, and
oppor tunities. Thus, gender analysis can help identify which
sustainable development activities are needed by both men and
women and how gender roles might af fect project outcomes.

5. Understanding the impact of gender on projects and programs of the
World Bank is a central component of social analysis. And social
analysis is pivotal to the Bank’s operational principles as guided by
the social development strategy :
 Inclusive institutions that promote equal access to oppor tunities,
enabling ever yone to contribute to social and economic progress
and share in the rewards;
 Cohesive societies that enable women and men to work together to
address common needs, overcome constraints, consider diverse
interests and resolve dif ferences peacefully.
Accountable institutions that are transparent and respond to the
public interest in an ef fective, ef ficient, and fair way

6. GENDER DIMENSIONS OF
INFRASTRUCTURE
Costs of Ignoring Gender and Infrastructure Issues
 In most cases, poor infrastructure and lack of access constitute
significant barrier s that limit the economic empowerment and
productivity as well as access to health, education and other
ser vices by the poor, par ticularly women. Women are more
negatively impacted due to socio -cultural and economic factors,
par ticularly time constraints caused by their heavy domestic
workloads carr ying fuel, water and other goods as well as the health
impacts of indoor air pollution from the use of biofuels.

7. THE CURRENT SITUATION
 Global statistics place women behind men in relation to health,
education, nutrition levels, political par ticipation, legal rights, equal
pay for equal work , amongst many other aspects of life .
 Gender inequity remains per vasive in all countries of the world. This
is both of public concern but also tied to individual behaviour .
 Generally, the obstacles to women's full par ticipation in sustainable
development and in public life can be grouped into three categories:
• Constitutional factor s, including legal and administrative areas,
• Cultural, social, psychological and behavioural factors,
• Economic factor s, including access to and ownership of resources.

8. HUMAN RIGHTS
Violence and discrimination:
continues unabated in many
par ts of the world. Thousands of
“honour killings” take place
ever y year, mainly in Western
Asia, Nor th Africa and South
Asia. Thousands of women are
also subjected to genital
mutilation. Some 25,000 women
are burned to death each year in
India as a result of dowr y
disputes.

9. Rape and physical abuse: is also
on the increase, but many cases
go unrepor ted because of the
shame and stigma attached. In
the USA , one women is battered
ever y 15 seconds, usually by her
intimate par tner. Ever y year two
million girls, between 5 and 15
years old, are introduced into
the commercial sex market.
Over 100 million girls suf fer
genital mutilation ever y year,
resulting in at least 2 million
deaths.

10.  Selective abor tion: elimination
of female foetuses and
infanticide of little girls
continues.
 This is par ticularly true in
par ts of Asia where parents
can now have pregnancies
scanned. The results being
that in par ts of the world, men
can out number women 5 -1 .

11. EDUCATION
 L i te ra cy : Th e di s pa ri t y bet we e n t h e
s exe s fe l l by h a l f bet we e n 1 97 0
a n d 1 9 9 0 , fro m 5 4 % to 74 %.
H owever, o f t h e 8 8 0 m i llion w h o
a re s ti l l i l l itera te 2/ 3rds a re
wo m e n a n d 1 o ut o f eve r y 3 a dul t
wo m e n s t i l l c a n n ot re a d o r w ri te .
 E n ro lme nt: G i rl s ' e n ro l m ent i n
pri m a r y a n d s e c o n da r y s c h o o l h a s
i n c re ased fro m 3 8 % to 6 8 %
bet we e n 1 97 0 a n d 1 9 9 0 . B ut g i rl s
a cco un t fo r 60% o f th e 1 3 0 m i l lion
c h i ldre n w i t h o ut a c c e s s to pri m a r y
e duc a t i o n. Leve l s o f e duc a t i o n a re
l owe r i n rura l a re a s . E ve n i n
i n dus t rialise d c o un t ri e s we fi n d
di f fe re nt ial t re a t m e n t i n t h e k i n ds
o f s ubj e c t s t h a t g i rl s a re a bl e to
s t udy ; t h ey c o n t i n ue to be
un de rre pre se nted i n t h e s c i e n t ific
fi e l ds.

12. GENDER AND WORK
 Wo m e n m a ke e s s e n t i a l c o n t r i b ut io n s
to e c o n o m i c d ev e l o p m e n t , h o u s e h o l d
income, and other wise in the world of
work.
 Re s e a r c h h a s s h o w n t h a t w i t h
independent income of women
i m p rov e s g e n d e r r e l a t i o n s a s m u c h
a s i t h e l p s e n s u r e s u r v i val i n c a s e s o f
male migration, separation or
w i d ow h o o d .
 H o w ev er, w o m e n g o u n r e c o g ni s e d ,
u n d e r - p ai d , f a c e p o o r c o n d i t io n s a n d
f a c e l i m i te d o p p o r t un i t ie s f o r
i m p rov em e n t . T h ey a r e a l s o
shouldering the double burden of
work hours outside and inside the
home.
 Wo m e n r e m a i n t h e i nv i s i b l e
w o r k fo rc e i n g l o b al p r o d uc t i o n
c h a i n s , w h e r e t h ey d o m i n a te a s
h o u s e - wo r ke r s a n d te m p o r a r y l a b o u r.
U p to 9 0 % o f h o u s e - w o r ke r s a r e
w o m e n . Tw o i n c o m e s a r e o f te n v i t a l
to p u l l a f a m i l y o u t o f p o v e r t y.

13. THANK YOU
LET’S NOT
BE BIASED,
LET’S BRING
THE CHANGE.