Gender and Development

Welcome to Module 5 Gender and Development. This module explores the theory and practice of how to ensure equal outcomes for young women and young men. It examines a range of theories and approaches in different development and feminist traditions, and explores the implications for youth development work. It looks at the development issues that affect men and women, and the ways these issues may affect them differently. It examines the concept of gender and development and how this can be applied in projects and practical work.

The general aim of the module is to help you ensure that your youth development work and policy, planning and evaluation processes are gender-sensitive. It should also help you become more gender aware as you work through later modules of this diploma.

The module builds on the work you have done in earlier modules, for example, on informal learning and facilitation in Module 1 Learning Processes, perspectives on society in Module 2 Young People and Society, approaches to working with young people in Module 3 Principles and Practice of Youth Development Work and the theory and practice of community development in Module 4 Working With People in Their Communities.

In the module activities you will be asked to find out about a whole range of gender issues in your country and to discuss them with colleagues and fellow students so that you can apply what you learn, including the theoretical material, to your own practice. Allow plenty of time for this research and discussion. Build up information resources for your future work with young people and their communities.

Above all, the module asks you to stand back and look at yourself and your society and community from different perspectives – to explore your own ideas and experience of gender and to test the reality of the ideas you meet in terms of the lives of yourself and the young people with whom you work.