Gender analysis for women's development: the significance of a situation analysis approach

Abstract

Situation analysis is a social relations analysis based on context specific situated knowledge. It analyses the actual and potential experience of social relationships. It considers peoples' perceptions of reality to discover patterns and trends of those relations and includes an analysis of external structural relational influences - culture and forces and objects of the physical world. It aims to define, explain and analyse the context of relations, choices exercised and decisions made, within a situational structure. It is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to analysis. Gender analysis requires exploration of gender differences - what we do, how we participate in our communities and how gender relations result in gender differentiated outcomes. For women's situation (position and condition) in development to become more equitable between men and women, a critical analysis of gender differentiated roles, resources, activities, rules and relations and their effect on women is required. A Gender and Development (GAD) conceptual approach requires a critical gender analysis of the gender division of labour and the subordination of women. It considers gender relations as problematic within development practice. It requires a development approach which is participatory, empowering and emancipatory, and seeks gender equity as an outcome. It is compatible with equity and empowerment approaches to women's development policy. Gender Planning Methodologies: the Gender Role Framework (GRF) and the Triple Role Framework (TRF), are described and critiqued. They are project focused ands are designed to enhance gender sensitivity and awareness in gender planners of gender relations and the impact of these relations on all stages of the project planning process. This thesis argues that to increase the worth of situation analysis for women's development the integration of a GAD conceptual approach is required. For gender planning purposes this integration serves to provide an additional source of data, information and knowledge to gender planning methodologies. The use of an integrated approach of situation analysis and GAD, will move gender planning frameworks beyond the analysis of roles, activities and resources to one which considers rules and relations of power as they affect development outcomes for women. Two illustrative studies of situation analysis of women as applied in Tanzania, are assessed for the utility of the situation analysis approach for women's development. For two years I worked as a volunteer with NZ Volunteer Service Abroad (1989-1991), assigned as a Regional Women's Community Development Officer to compile a situation analysis of women in the region. The work resulted in the study The Situation of Women in Kilimanjaro: A Challenge for Action (KRDD, 1990) the other was a UNICEF study on the Situation of Women and Children in Tanzania: A Situation Analysis (UNICEF/URT, 1990). I draw on my fieldwork experience for this thesis. These studies are explored for their potential to meet GAD requirements and for the potential of a situation analysis approach to recommend on women's material and practical gender needs (PGN) and strategic gender needs and interests (SGN/SGI) to alleviate and eliminate the subordination of women. In conclusion, to make situation analysis more relevant for women's development and to qualify to meet the requirements of a GAD approach five criteria can be applied to determine its utility: the objectives of a situation analysis for women's development aim for gender justice and equity the definition of the problem situation to include a critical gender analysis of the gender division of labour and the subordination of women the situation analysis to include a social and structural relations analysis the process used to acquire and analyse the information and to develop policy and plans for development be based on negotiated participation with women and be empowering of them and the strategies for action for women's development challenge the subordination of women, be transformative and emancipatory.