We cannot solve global challenges unless women participate fully in efforts to find solutions. Female participation in the private sector is a crucial economic driver for societies worldwide. Economic security benefits every facet of a woman's life, with positive effects on the health, education and vitality of families. Learn about women who are changing their societies for the better. 

This book is based on the twelve critical areas of concern identified in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995: The burden of poverty on women, unequal access to education and training, inequalities and inadequacies in and unequal access to health care and related services, violence against women, the effects of armed or other kinds of conflict on women, including those living under foreign occupation, inequality in economic structures and policies, inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels, insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women, lack of respect for and inadequate promotion and protection of the human rights of women, stereotyping of women and inequality in women's access to and participation in all communication systems, especially in the media, gender inequalities in the management of natural resources and in the safeguarding of the environment, and persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights of the girl child. This extended version of Global Women's Issues: Women in the World Today includes, for each chapter, a summary, key words, multiple choice questions, discussion questions, essay questions, and a list of additional resources.

Table of Contents

Overview: Interview with Ambassador Melanne Vereer

• Chapter 1: Women and Poverty

• Chapter 2: Women and Education

• Chapter 3: Women and Health

• Chapter 4: Violence Against Women

• Chapter 5: Women, Girls and Armed Conflict

• Chapter 6: Women in the Economy

• Chapter 7: Women in Power and Decisionmaking

• Chapter 8: Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women

• Chapter 9: Human Rights of Women

• Chapter 10: Women and the Media

• Chapter 11: Women and the Environment

• Chapter 12: Rights of the Girl Child

Conclusion

Bibliography: Additional Resources

Versioning History

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The role of national machineries, as a way to promote the status of women, acquired international relevance during the World Conference on the International Women's Year, in Mexico City in 1975. This book reflects Division for the Advancement of Women's (DAW) long-standing interest in the area of national machineries, bringing together the experiences, research and insights of experts.

The first part of the book sets out the major issues facing national machineries at the conceptual level. It reflects upon five aspects of democratization: devolution or decentralization; the role of political parties; monitoring and auditing systems; and the importance of increasing the presence of women within institutions of the state and government.

The second part is a comparative analysis and sets out the major issues facing national machineries at the political level. A combination of factors, including civil society, state bodies and political actors, need to come together for national machineries to function effectively in the interest of gender equality. Next comes the 'lessons learned' by national machineries in mainstreaming gender. National machineries should have an achievable agenda, an important part of which must be 'a re-definition of gender issues.

The third part contains case studies that build upon the specific experiences of national machineries in different countries. The successful experience of Nordic countries in gender mainstreaming is also discussed.

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The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, associated with the United Nations Security Council resolutions of a similar name, is widely recognized as the most significant and wide- reaching global framework for advancing gender equality in military affairs, conflict resolution and security governance. The first of these resolutions, UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, bound the international community to ensure, among other provisions, greater participation of women in decision making in national, regional and international institutions; their further involvement in peacekeeping, field operations, mission consultation and peace negotiations; increased funds and other support to the gender work of UN entities; enhanced state commitments to the human rights of women and girls and the protection of those rights under international law; the introduction of special measures against sexual violence in armed conflict; and due consideration to the experiences and needs of women and girls in humanitarian, refugee, disarmament and postconflict settings. 

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This open access handbook, the first of its kind, provides a comprehensive and carefully curated multidisciplinary and genre-spanning view of the state of the field of Critical Menstruation Studies, opening up new directions in research and advocacy. It is animated by the central question: ‘“what new lines of inquiry are possible when we center our attention on menstrual health and politics across the life course?” The 72 chapters—diverse in content, form and perspective—establish Critical Menstruation Studies as a potent lens that reveals, complicates and unpacks inequalities across biological, social, cultural and historical dimensions. 

This handbook is an unmatched resource for researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and activists new to and already familiar with the field as it rapidly develops and expands. 

Reviews:

• “This open access book is a remarkable rarity among academic publications. … The successful engagement of altern and subaltern voices in the production of the book is a genuine attempt to address Critiques … .” (Elvira Domínguez Redondo, Human Rights Quarterly, Vol. (43) 2, May, 2021)

• “The volume will reach readers across the world and beyond academia, inviting a broad range of interested groups and people to consider menstruation as a topic for critical, interdisciplinary study.” (Camilla Mørk Røstvik, Social History of Medicine, December 11, 2020)

• “The handbook is a celebration of, and a testament to, the creative, interdisciplinary, theoretically grounded approaches that are embraced in critical menstrual studies. It will be significant for readers interested in policy, art, fem tech, and beyond.” (Sara E. Baumann, Psychology of Women Quarterly, October 21, 2020)

• “This is surely a very important contribution to women’s health—for women, their providers, and researchers. This is a real landmark in a sorely neglected area.” (Emily Martin, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, New York University, Author of The Woman in the Body: A Cultural Analysis of Reproduction)

• “Sometimes the things we don’t talk about are the most important. The Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies is a great leap forward. It breaks the silence and starts not just one conversation, but many. And because it amplifies the voices of some of the most marginalized menstruators and highlights multiple diverse perspectives, it will be of interest to activists and academics alike.” (Cynthia Pearson, Executive Director, National Women’s Health Network)

• “Academic research that places menstruation at the intersection of key development issues is urgent and overdue. It can and should inform public policies and programmes designed to challenge gender-based discrimination related to menstruation everywhere—from schools to the workplace.” (Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women)

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The publication of this book forms part of a civil society programme of action for the African Women’s Decade, co-ordinated by South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID). It reports on the main issues facing South African women, namely: 1) Poverty eradication in the context of gender; 2) Early Childhood Development (ECD) in the context of gender; 3) Violence Against Women; and 4) Co-ordination of civil society initiatives. 

A fifth theme which cuts across all the others is employment creation. 

Contents page:

List of figures and tables v

Preface vii

Acknowledgements viii

Introduction ix

Abbreviations and acronyms xi

1.     Poverty eradication in the context of gender

o   Engendering poverty

o   Poverty in South Africa

o   Unemployment in South Africa

o   Best practice models of poverty eradication

o   Challenges and opportunities from a civil society perspective

o   Proposal of best practice model for poverty eradication in South Africa

o   Recommendations and policy implications for poverty eradication

o   Conclusion

2.     Early childhood development in the context of gender

o   Understanding early childhood development and definitions

o   Legal and service delivery framework for ECD in South Africa

o   Contextualising ECD within a gendered framework

o   Access to early childhood development in South Africa

o   The role of CSOs in promoting and addressing ECD

o   Best practice civil society models for engendering ECD

o   Challenges for civil society in advancing gender equity goals through ECD

o   Opportunities for civil society in advancing gender equity goals through ECD

o   Recommendations on ECD in the context of gender

o   Policy implications of advancing gender equity goals through ECD

o   Conclusion

3.     Violence against women

o   Definition of key terms

o   Causes of gender-based violence

o   Costs of violence against women

o   What works to prevent men's violence against women?

o   Experience from global practice on violence prevention

o   Best practice in South Africa

o   Challenges and opportunities for civil society organisations

o   Recommendations and policy implications for violence against women

o   Conclusion

4.     Civil society coordination

o   Definitions and the idea of civil society

o   Best practice models for civil society efforts at coordination

o   Challenges limiting effective coordination of civil society

o   Civil society coordination models and experiences in South Africa

o   Impact on employment creation through civil society coordination

o   Challenges and opportunities arising from civil society coordination

o   Recommendation of best practice model for civil society coordination

o   Conclusions and policy implications

5.     Conclusions and policy implications

o   Recommendations for poverty eradication in the context of gender

o   Recommendations for engendering ECD in South Africa

o   Recommendations to reduce violence against women

o   Recommendations for civil society coordination

o   Appendix: South African CSOs featured in the study

6.     References

7.     Contributors

Index

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As a result of widespread mistreatment and overt discrimination in all dimensions of their lives, women lack significant autonomy. The central preoccupation of this book is to explore key sources of female empowerment and discuss the current challenges and opportunities for the future. Schematically, three main domains are distinguished. The first is marriage and women’s relative bargaining position within the household. Since in developing countries marriage is essentially universal and generally arranged by the parents, women have little say in the choice of their partner and largely depend on their husband for their livelihoods and well-being. How marriage, divorce, and remarriage practices have evolved and with what effects for women, is therefore of crucial concern. The second domain is the set of options available to women outside of marriage and in the context of their community. Given the importance of household dynamics in determining female well-being, a crucial step towards women’s empowerment consists of improving such options, economic and collective action opportunities in particular. The third domain belongs to the realm of over-arching discriminatory laws and cultural norms. Can the government acting as lawmaker contribute to modifying norms and practices that disadvantage women? Or, to be effective, do legal moves need to be complemented by other initiatives such as the expansion of economic opportunities for women? Do discriminatory social norms necessarily dissolve with improved legal status for women? These questions, and other related issues, are tackled from different perspectives, by top scholars with well-established experience in gender-focused economic and social research. 

Contents Page:

Front Matter

Copyright Page

Foreword

Acknowledgements

List of Figures

List of Tables

List of Abbreviations

Notes on Contributors

1 Introduction

Part I Marriage

2 Marital Trajectories, Women’s Autonomy, and Women’s Well-Being in Senegal

3 Making Marriages Last: Trust is Good, But Credible Information Is Better

4 Intra-Household Bargaining in Poor Countries

5 Forced Migration and Attitudes Towards Domestic Violence: Evidence from Turkey

6 Bride Price and the Well-Being of Women

Part II Outside Options

7 Reducing Early Pregnancy in Low-Income Countries: A Literature Review and New Evidence

8 Breaking the Metal Ceiling: Female Entrepreneurs who Succeed in Male-Dominated Sectors

9 Career Dynamics and Gender Gaps Among Employees in the Microfinance Sector

10 Why Do Women Co-Operate More in Women’s Groups?

11 The Impact of Social Mobilization on Health Service Delivery and Health Outcomes: Evidence from Rural Pakistan

Part III Laws and Cultural Norms

12 Governance and the Reversal of Women’s Rights: The Case of Abortion in El Salvador

13 Gender, Islam, and Law

14 The Effect of China’s One Child Policy on Sex Selection, Family Size, and the School Enrolment of Daughters

15 Eradicating Women-Hurting Customs: What Role for Social Engineering?

16 Are Caste Categories Misleading? The Relationship Between Gender and Jati in Three Indian States

17 Excess Female Mortality in Africa

End Matter

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Women, a majority of the world's population, receive only a small proportion of its opportunities and benefits. According to the 1993 UN Human Development Report, there is no country in the world in which women's quality of life is equal to that of men. This examination of women's quality of life thus addresses questions which have a particular urgency. It aims to describe the basic situation of all women and so develops a universal account that can answer the charges of 'Western imperialism' frequently made against such accounts. The contributors confront the issue of cultural relativism, criticizing the relativist approach which, in its desire to respect different cultural traditions, can result in indifference to injustice. An account of gender justice and women's equality is then proposed in various areas in which quality of life is measured. These issues are related throughout to the specific contexts of India, Bangladesh, China, Mexico, and Nigeria through a series of case studies. Disciplines represented include philosophy, economics, political science, anthropology, law, and sociology.

Like its predecessor, The Quality of Life, this volume encourages the reader to think critically about the central fundamental concepts used in development economics and suggests major criticisms of current economic approaches from that fundamental viewpoint.

Contributors: Martha Nussbaum, Marty Chen, Susan Wolf, Jonathan Glover, Onora O'Neill, David Crocker, Hilary Putnam, Linda Alcoff, Amartya Sen, Susan Moller Okin, Ruth Anna Putnam, Cass R.Sunstein, Christine M.Korsgaard, Catherine Lutz, Xiaorong Li, Margarita M.Valdes, Nkiru Nzegwu.

Contents page:

• Introduction

By Martha C. Nussbaum 1

PART I WOMEN'S EQUALITY: A CASE STUDY

• A Matter of Survival: Women's Right to Employment in India and Bangladesh

By Martha Chen 37

PART II WOMEN'S EQUALITY: METHODOLOGY, FOUNDATIONS

• Human Capabilities, Female Human Beings

Martha C. Nussbaum 61

Commentator: Susan Wolf 105

• The Research Programme of Development Ethics

Jonathan Glover 116

• Justice, Capabilities, and Vulnerabilities

Onora O'Neill 140

• Functioning and Capability: The Foundations of Sen's and Nussbaum's Development Ethic

David A. Crocker 153

• Pragmatism and Moral Objectivity

Hilary Putnam 199

• Democracy and Rationality: A Dialogue With Hilary Putnam

Linda Akoff 225

• Cultural Complexity, Moral Interdependence, and the Global Dialogical Community

Seyla Benhabib 235

PART III WOMEN'S EQUALITY: JUSTICE, LAW, AND REASON

• Gender Inequality and Theories of Justice

Amartya Sen

• Inequalities Between the Sexes in Different Cultural Contexts

Susan Moller Okin 274

• Why Not a Feminist Theory of Justice?

Ruth Anna Putnam 298

• Gender, Caste, and Law

Cass R. Sunstein 332

• Emotions and Women's Capabilities

Martha C. Nussbaum 360

Commentator: Catherine Lutz 396

• A Note on the Value of Gender-Identification

Christine M. Korsgaard 401

PART IV WOMEN'S EQUALITY: REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES

• Gender Inequality in China and Cultural Relativism

Xiaorong Li 407

• Inequality in Capabilities Between Men and Women in Mexico

Margarita M. Valdés 426

• Femininity, Equality, and Personhood

Roop Rekha Verma 433

• Recovering Igbo Traditions: A Case for Indigenous Women's Organizations in Development

Nkiru Nzegwu 444

Index of Names 467

Index of Subjects

Reviews:

The essays in Nussbaum and Glover's anthology project a powerful and timely critique of cultural relativism in assessing the quality of life ... This anthology presents the viewpoints of the essentialists ... I felt deeply reassured by the cogent arguments of third-world women, who share my apprehension, in this multidimensional Nussbaum-Glover anthology. The combination of philosophical discourse, feminist insights and thorough economic analysis makes the book highly unusual ... refreshingly readable with writing that is witty and displays deep empathy with human values. - Times Higher Education Supplement 

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations.  

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This book examines women’s economic empowerment in a range of developing country contexts, investigating the societal structures and norms which keep women from achieving economic equality. Despite global progress in closing gender gaps in education and health, women’s economic empowerment has lagged behind, with little evidence that economic growth promotes gender equality. IDRC’s Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW) programme was set up to provide policy lessons, insights, and concrete solutions that could lead to advances in gender equality, particularly on the role of institutions and macroeconomic growth, barriers to labour market access for women, and the impact of women’s care responsibilities. This book showcases rigorous and multidisciplinary research emerging from this ground-breaking program, covering topics such as school-to-work transition, child marriage, unpaid domestic work and childcare, labour market segregation, and the power of social and cultural norms that prevent women from fully participating in better paid sectors of the economy. 

With a range of rich case studies from Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Nepal, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Uganda, this book is perfect for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working on women’s economic empowerment and gender equality in the Global South. 

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