Essay Gender Inequality

Submitted By 2640406351QqCom
Words: 1803
Pages: 8
Open Document
Name: BINBIN YIN
Course: WRDS 150.08M
Professor: Dr.Casey
Gender Inequality and Developmental Programs in Developing Countries
A continued injustice against women in developing countries occurs despite the efforts made to enact social and economic change. Although international development purports to assist women living in developing countries with a form of empowerment through social and economic change, the opposite is true. In actuality, the influence of neo-liberal policies can have the inadvertent perpetuation of patriarchal norms and contribute to further gender oppression of women. Nonetheless, recent studies have focused on the growing establishment of economic as “micro-lending” (Friedrich 300; Lebaron 764). Batliwala and Dhanraj explain how the neo-liberal agenda “requires citizens to accept the reformed identity of the state as a facilitator, instead of a key agent of social and individual betterment” (25). Thus, the state acts as a medium for enacting neo-liberal policies while removing responsibility for the welfare of its citizens. The unseen hand of the market acts as a central regulator for development. In this sense, gender plays an integral role in the development of neo-liberalist policies due to the reinforcement of patriarchal hegemony regarding gender, class and ethnicity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of neo-liberalization in perpetuating further oppression of females within developing countries. I argue that the enactment of neo-liberal policies causes the paradoxical empowerment and subjugation under the guise of developmental assistance. Thus, women are further oppressed even with assistance to be forever regaled to the role of domestic housewives and subordinated femininity.
An increasing development within the global world is the proliferation of neoliberalism as a means of enacting socio-economic change. Davies and Saltmarsh identify neoliberalism as the philosophy that perceives the “market as the sole decision maker for social and political issues while the State reduces its role in the economy causing citizens to have much less rather than more protection” (2). The effects of neo-liberalism cause an overall reduction in social assistance by the government while enabling the market to take care of socio-economic issues. Thus, the onus falls on individuals and their families to be able to take responsibility for their own health and well-being. Neo-liberal reform programs promote “market liberalisation, privatisation, and deregulation” (Jasmine Gideon 1270). Developing nations face greater pressure to adopt neo-liberal policies due to the limited availability of public resources and funds. Hence, the use of deregulation and privatisation enables capitalism to take its course in solving a social problem. Nonetheless, the government then becomes negligent for its inability to provide for its citizens. Effectively, women and children are affected by these neo-liberalist policies because they are at the mercy of the market. Current theories on neo-liberal discourse hypothesize that neo-liberal policies create “assumptions of economic growth and stability, financial transactions, and human behaviour are intrinsically gendered while being presented as universal and neutral” (Griffin 223). Therefore, the introduction of neo-liberal policies reinforces the concept of patriarchal hegemony in the form of gender stereotypes while maintaining the structural stability of the traditional family. From this perspective, the notion of patriarchal hegemony creates what is known as the idea of “hetero-normality” through the “reproductive dominance of normative heterosexuality” (Griffin 225). Developing societies enact neo-liberal policies in order to preserve normative heterosexuality.
The role of non-governmental organizations can play an integral role in improving the overall well-being and socio-economic development within a country. However, controversy can also arise over the role
Show More

Related Documents: Essay Gender Inequality

Gender Inequality

Response 3 Gender is associated with biological characteristics of the person. From the day a baby is born, that baby is immediately classified as a boy or a girl. It is indeed that the boy and girl, woman and man gender categories can not represent people entirely. Intersex, gay, lesbian, and bisexual are often overlooked or ridicule by many people. In contemporary American culture, we like to think of beautiful women as fit or skinny. However, Asian culture value the masculinity of a man…

Words 485 - Pages 2

Trovald's Gender Inequality

prevents one from finding their true identity. The society in 19th century shows extreme gender inequality. Nora, always obeys and loves her husband, and did not realize that Trovald did not love her much. Trovald, who is highly influenced by the gender inequality of society, says that "Isn't it your duty to your husband and children?" Trovald, learning gender inequality from community, thinks that there are specific gender roles for men and women. He thinks that men are the dominant ones, women's have to…

Words 153 - Pages 1

Gender Inequality In America

Women, of color or not, are a very oppressed gender, whether it's in America, or other countries around the world, they are given less, they are seen as less, and they are treated as less than their male counterpart. The importance of bringing awareness to the topic of gender inequality and persecution is critical around the world, especially America. This inequality leaves an impact on modern teenagers in America, is addressed by authors who make an impact on readers, and has a multitude of written…

Words 277 - Pages 2

Examples Of Gender Inequality

GENDER INEQUALITY Have you ever asked yourself what would you do if you are not allowed to, for example, drive a car? Or choose who you want to marry? Or educate yourself? Probably not. For most people, these things are absolutely normal and natural, but some people suffer because they don`t have those rights. Most of them are women. I honestly didn`t think about that, too. Right until yesterday. You are probably asking yourself why I started to think about that just yesterday. Well, my professor…

Words 748 - Pages 3

Essay on Gender Inequality

the Sexes Gender inequality is about equal opportunity for men and women to identify their individual potential. One must be able to benefit from their participation in society and contribute to the economic and social development of their country (Australian Government. 2009). Through multiple reviewed literatures on gender inequality, the overall concept within many readings is the way gender inequality socially relates to employment and careers. There are three factors. First, gender differences…

Words 1052 - Pages 5

Gender Inequality In The Workplace

device that reaches the Internet. Inequality in the workplace According to VITALITY (2015) women still face a gender bias – especially in the workforce. Despite the best efforts of companies to promote diversity and equality, women still dominate the lower paying administrative ranks while men continue to dominate at the executive level. This inequality is hurting corporate performance. Despite the fact that women continue to flood into the workforce and break down gender barriers, they also continue…

Words 794 - Pages 4

Gender Inequality In Canada

encourage the undervaluation of women’s paid and unpaid work, contributing to prevailing inequity. The harmful results are numerous, and include cyclical poverty, social exclusion, health risks, and an inability to escape the trap. The persisting gender wage gap, gendered work, segregation, segmentation, feminization of work, discrimination, and gendered labour law create an environment of oppression and disempowerment…

Words 1373 - Pages 6

Gender Inequality Essay

Gender Inequality Inequality between genders is a world-wide issue that has been around for centuries. In many counties today women are not considered equals to men at all and in others the position of women has been steadily declining since the late 1900’s. According to The Penguin State of the World Atlas by Dan Smith, women today are generally paid less than men –even when doing the same job. Women also tend to be more involved in politics even though most political leaders are men. In the…

Words 359 - Pages 2

gender inequality Essays

Gender Inequity Photo Essay Lanre Ola-Adigun 212847059 Section B Farah Islam Tutorial 07 Short Essay October 21, 2013 2013-2014 KINE1000 6.0 Socio-cultural perspectives in kinesiology York University Intro I came across this photo while I was looking through the local newspaper my coach and I were talking about it the other day it is my favourite sport too gender inequality football(males and females) the picture shows inequality and underlying inequity traits…

Words 3466 - Pages 14

Gender Inequality In Australia

Gender equality is about equal opportunity for men and women to identify their individual potential. One must be able to benefit from their participation in society and contribute to the economic and social development of their country (Australian Government. 2009). Through multiple reviewed literature on gender inequality, the overall concept within many sociological readings was the way gender inequality socially relates to employment and careers. There are three separate themes that intersect…

Words 1453 - Pages 6