The status of women in development The 20th century has been shadowed by disparities between and among nations the greatest of which is gender Women still constitute 70 of the world s poor occupy minor parliamentary and cabinet seats and are continuously discriminated against Their work is often devalued and unrecognized and they live with the constant threat of violence Women and girls are at a disadvantage in terms of education health income and politics United Nations 1995 Although the last decades have seen important progress on women s status in many fields there is currently no society where women enjoy the same opportunities as men United Nations 1995 Unequal gender relations and discrimination continue to be the norm across countries and regions in legal social and economic rights To achieve real development therefore it is important to create a new system in which women and girls can participate equally as agents of development The Gender and Development Theory Gender is a social and cultural construct reinforced by social activities that define and are defined by men and women Moore 1988 As opposed to sex which is determined physiologically gender is the outcome of cultural ideologies which then determine men and women s relative positions in society Razavi Miller 1995 It differs within and among cultures due to its dynamic social and cultural characteristics and is affected by cultural social and economic factors
