Transcript GENDER ISSUES ACADEMIC YEAR 2013-2014

GENDER ISSUES
ACADEMIC YEAR 2013-2014
Gender inequalities and gender
progress around the world:
an overview
(E.Chiappero-Martinetti)
Readings and references
• World Bank, Gender
Equality and
Development, World
Development Report
2012 (full report
downloadable at the
World Bank website)
A wave of progress
Dimensions of gender equality
1. Accumulation of endowments (edu, health,
physical assets)
2. Use of these endowments to take up
economic opportunities (income etc)
3. Application of these endowments to take
actions (agency) affecting individual and
household well-being.
Gender equality (2)
• Gender equality is both similar to and
different from other inequalities (i.e. ethnicity)
– Difficult to measure separately welfare of men
and women living in the same household (paucity
of data on outcomes)
– Preferences, needs and constraints differ between
M & W (both for biological factors and «learned»
social behaviour)
– Gender cuts across distinctions of income and
class
Gender equality (3)
• Equality of opportunities or equality of outcomes?
• Eop = differences between circumstances (beyond the
individual control) and preferences/choices (i.e. risk
aversion, attitude about competition etc)
• EoO = preferences and attitudes are learned and not
inherent and perpetuate inequality => vicious circle
between low aspirations and low opportunity
– WDR: pragmatic approch, focuses on both Opportunities &
Outcomes in relation to endowments, empowerment and
access to economic activities with a special focus on most
unjust manifestation of gender inequality
But gender inequality still persists