Opposition to gender-sensitive development learning to answer back

Overview

Gender-aware policies are being undermined by self-protective, patriarchal development agencies and developing country governments. These institutions oppose the policies out of passivity or on ideological grounds. Longwe presents seven arguments they use and gives her redresses. The arguments are that women’s equality is: unnecessary, interference and Western imposition; not desired by women themselves; not a development issue; and a challenge to systems when attempts should be made to work within those systems.

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