Tool kit for Gender and Agriculture - Economic Commission for Africa
Tool kit for Gender and Agriculture - Economic Commission for Africa
Tool kit for Gender and Agriculture - Economic Commission for Africa
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Table 6: <strong>Gender</strong> Issues <strong>for</strong> <strong>Agriculture</strong> Sector Work<br />
policies:<br />
Is there legal equality in:<br />
• Property law, l<strong>and</strong> title, <strong>and</strong> tenure?<br />
• Access to credit <strong>and</strong> savings?<br />
Is gender explicit in:<br />
• The national development plan?<br />
• The agricultural development plan?<br />
Assess gender relations in the household:<br />
How do women participate in family <strong>and</strong> community<br />
decisionmaking?<br />
Is male-female contact culturally restricted?<br />
What are the gender differences in customary<br />
law?<br />
Determine number of de facto women heads of<br />
farming households <strong>and</strong> women’s role as farmers:<br />
What are traditional attitudes to women as heads<br />
of households?<br />
Are census/survey data available on women as<br />
heads of farming households? Do they agree<br />
with data from smaller intensive surveys? How<br />
did methodologies differ? How were questions<br />
worded or administered?<br />
What are the rate <strong>and</strong> characteristics of male<br />
out-migration?<br />
How much farml<strong>and</strong> (titled or customary) do<br />
women, especially heads of households, hold?<br />
Identify expertise <strong>and</strong> pressure groups <strong>for</strong> gender:<br />
Is there a gender unit in the ministry of agriculture?<br />
Is there a special women’s ministry or unit?<br />
Are these units effective?<br />
Which NGOs are working on gender?<br />
Assess gender representation in the civil service:<br />
What are the percentages of staff by gender in<br />
24<br />
Improving <strong>Agriculture</strong> through <strong>Gender</strong> Analysis<br />
correct de jure gender bias. This helps ensure<br />
a gender-balanced approach <strong>and</strong> prevents<br />
compromising the success of actions<br />
or worsening of women’s situations.<br />
<strong>Gender</strong> analysis can uncover actual inequality<br />
that may be masked by legal<br />
equality. It can reveal the views of both<br />
men <strong>and</strong> women, particularly from rural<br />
areas. Then, actions can be based on their<br />
expressed needs, rather than imposed topdown.<br />
The importance of women as farmers <strong>and</strong><br />
as heads of farming households is known.<br />
Special actions to ensure that women’s<br />
access to farming resources, services, <strong>and</strong><br />
opportunities can be designed as needed.<br />
Potential partners, implementers, <strong>and</strong><br />
sources of in<strong>for</strong>mation can be identified.<br />
Having more women staff at the field<br />
level can promote attention to gender, es-
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