Women and their role in international community development is a fascinating field of study. This unit’s readings provide a dramatic picture of women’s successes, struggles and relationship with those Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which support gender equity and gender equality[1]. Notwithstanding, significant female gender challenges remain in the majority of the developing world. By this I mean, the evidence of gender inequity is still pronounced in the political, economic, social and cultural realms around the world, including Canada
Against this backdrop of suffering and misery, there are some emerging trends of women leading businesses which may help to rebalance gender equity. For the purposes of this essay, I will focus on an exciting market development in Afghanistan
To begin, most women in Afghanistan
To address these desperate conditions, the Government of Afghanistan and the international community have established initiatives promoting gender equality and efforts to expand women's opportunities (CHR Michelson Institute, 2010). Just last week, Canada recommitted investments, into Afghanistan, in human rights promotion and protection, and justice sector capacity building, through targeted initiatives with a particular focus on the needs of woman (Government of Canada, November 2010). While economic pressures have placed untold stress upon families, some women have discovered new breadwinning roles due to the loss of male providers (Kandiyoti, 2005). Others have accessed jobs through contact with international aid agencies that provide new avenues of employment or business income. For example, in 2008, Canadian-based Peace Dividend Trust (PDT) was approached by an international contractor in Afghanistan
“As women, it is not always easy to operate in the private sector because most business happens through old networks which we never had access to in the past. This will give us a great opportunity to get on our feet to be a bigger player in the business community. Our job is now to deliver according to our contract and prove that we can provide quality products … proudly made by Afghans. In this way we can contribute to the stability and security of our country. It’s a win-win. We are grateful… for encouraging Afghan women entrepreneurs and we hope they plan to have more programs for women in the future.” Female Afghan CEO
It’s a long road ahead. However, like the benefits and challenges of micro-financing[2], securing locally-tendered contracts and using local employees will increase the capacity of local women-owned companies to build their companies and communities. These forms of economic development can be both financially sustainable and an effective anti-poverty tool (Biggar, 2010).
In summary, women have a tremendous role to play in community development. When women generate their own income, they have greater opportunities for personal and professional growth, better access to food and health care, improved mobility, and greater access to active participation in the civil and political sphere.
Question:
To what extent do biases in the broader investment community dismiss women as potential business owners and economic drivers? Has the constant diet of casualty reports and images of dusty, war-torn villages shaped irreversible opinions of Afghans’ capacity to work, particularly women?
References:
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Gender http://www.areu.org.af/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=32. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
CMI CHR. Michelsen Institute Women in the Peace and Development Process. http://www.cmi.no/afghanistan/?id=&Women-in-the-Peace-and-Development-Process. Retrieved Novermber 22, 2010.
Globe and Mail Editorial MICROFINANCE Micromanaging November 23, 2010. Biggar, Nigel, Grameen Foundation.
Government of Canada Canada ’s Engagement in Afghanistan Four Themes for Afghanistan
Kandiyoti, Deniz The Politics of Gender and Reconstruction in Afghanistan
Landry, Kate. http://buildingmarkets.org/blogs/afghanistan/2010/09/29/local-women-owned-companies-win-a-large-manufacturing-contract-that-will-benefit-afghanistan/. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
Peace Dividend Trust www.peacedividendtrust.org Retrieved November 23, 2010.
USAID Women in Development http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/eg/index.html . Retrieved November 23, 2010.
United Nations Development Programme The state of Human Development and the Afghan Millennium Development Goals http://www.undp.org.af/MDGs/nhdr07_chap1.pdf. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
Zand, Zogol Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Case Study Series The Impact of Microfinance Programmes on Women’s Lives: A Case Study in Parwan September 2010. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
[1] End Poverty and Hunger, Target 1B; Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, Target 3A; Improve Maternal Health; and, Develop Global Partnership for Development
[2] Empowerment outcomes associated only with women’s participation in micro-financing [MFI] are not guaranteed. Factors such as existing family dynamics and power of the women as well as the quality and processes of the MFI programme are among the factors that can support change in gender relations.
2. The changes that occurred post-loan in families with favourable pre-existing conditions include women’s enhanced self-worth and courage, greater perceived contribution, and to some extent control over money.
3. Participating women in the loan programme in this study (except for one) expressed enhancement in their “courage” and “awareness.” They have linked this change to the opportunity to informally meet other women in the loan office and learn from them.
4. There have not been significant changes in decision-making power, gender division of labour and the range and location of women’s activities. Women are mainly limited to doing homebound activities while men still largely take on work outside the home, even in situations where women have made investments with their loans.
