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Undertaking Gender Analysis in the PRSP Process
Module III
Background material
Changing attitudes
The analysis of gender inequality requires an additional effort to bring to light attitudes
and social and cultural bias. Unquestioned assumptions and beliefs concerning the
roles and relationships of women and men could result in the failure of the social
partners and governments to fulfil gender equality goals, and a deepening of existing
inequalities. Facilitators, stakeholders and participants are encouraged to discuss
attitudes and behaviour and provide awareness-raising or focused training on priorities
identified. Issues to discuss are:
notions of gender and the influence of culture and traditions (customary law) that
ascribe rights and responsibilities, access and control over resources, and authority;
economic and social policy reforms that reconfigure social and economic roles and
rights of women and men;
institutional rules, symbols and values that create, distribute, reproduce or maintain
unequal gender relations;
the effects of democratisation processes in governance, and the voice and
representation of women and men in public affairs;
the meaning of “work” and the “care” economy, which exerts a strong influence on
poverty and gender equality, and how it is strained by the lack of social protection
and social services, and the incidence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic;
the implications of high levels of HIV/AIDS on employment, poverty and gender
equality, and the relevance of this issue to PRSP for the work of unions, employers
and governments to ensure social protection, rights over assets and access to wage
employment;
the gender impact of demographic change, conflict and war, natural disasters,
migration or economic and social policies influencing the access of poor women and
men to paid employment, social protection, participation in social dialogue and the
exercise of rights at work.
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