Gender and Women Development Initiatives in Bangladesh : A Study of Rural Mother Center
(2016) In Social Work in Public Health 31(5). p.369-386- Abstract
Women-focused development initiatives have become a controversial issue connected with women's health and welfare. Previous studies indicated that development initiatives might increase women's workload, family conflict, and marital violence. This study explored the gendered characteristics of a development initiative Rural Mother Center in Bangladesh. Data incorporated policy document and interviews of social workers working with the mother centers in two northwest subdistricts. The qualitative content analysis of data emerged a general theme of expanding women's responsibility while maintaining male privilege explaining gendered design and practice of the development initiative. The theme was supported by two gendered categories... (More)
Women-focused development initiatives have become a controversial issue connected with women's health and welfare. Previous studies indicated that development initiatives might increase women's workload, family conflict, and marital violence. This study explored the gendered characteristics of a development initiative Rural Mother Center in Bangladesh. Data incorporated policy document and interviews of social workers working with the mother centers in two northwest subdistricts. The qualitative content analysis of data emerged a general theme of expanding women's responsibility while maintaining male privilege explaining gendered design and practice of the development initiative. The theme was supported by two gendered categories related to the design: (a) essentializing women's participation; (b) maintaining traditional gender, and four categories related to the practice; (c) inadequate gender knowledge and skills; (d) reinforcing traditional gender; (e) using women for improving office performance; and (f) upholding male privilege. The study suggests that though women-focused development initiatives need to be embraced with gender-redistributive policies, the social workers should be trained for attaining gender-transformative motivation and competencies.
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- author
- Rabiul Karim, K. M. ; Emmelin, Maria LU ; Lindberg, Line and Wamala, Sarah
- organization
- publishing date
- 2016-05-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Bangladesh, development practice, Gender, women development
- in
- Social Work in Public Health
- volume
- 31
- issue
- 5
- pages
- 18 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:27149647
- wos:000380147000004
- scopus:84965025468
- ISSN
- 1937-1918
- DOI
- 10.1080/19371918.2015.1137517
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 46065f82-89b7-4ee9-a098-ccdfc1dc4348
- date added to LUP
- 2016-05-19 15:14:13
- date last changed
- 2024-04-04 22:02:47
@article{46065f82-89b7-4ee9-a098-ccdfc1dc4348, abstract = {{<p>Women-focused development initiatives have become a controversial issue connected with women's health and welfare. Previous studies indicated that development initiatives might increase women's workload, family conflict, and marital violence. This study explored the gendered characteristics of a development initiative Rural Mother Center in Bangladesh. Data incorporated policy document and interviews of social workers working with the mother centers in two northwest subdistricts. The qualitative content analysis of data emerged a general theme of expanding women's responsibility while maintaining male privilege explaining gendered design and practice of the development initiative. The theme was supported by two gendered categories related to the design: (a) essentializing women's participation; (b) maintaining traditional gender, and four categories related to the practice; (c) inadequate gender knowledge and skills; (d) reinforcing traditional gender; (e) using women for improving office performance; and (f) upholding male privilege. The study suggests that though women-focused development initiatives need to be embraced with gender-redistributive policies, the social workers should be trained for attaining gender-transformative motivation and competencies.</p>}}, author = {{Rabiul Karim, K. M. and Emmelin, Maria and Lindberg, Line and Wamala, Sarah}}, issn = {{1937-1918}}, keywords = {{Bangladesh; development practice; Gender; women development}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{05}}, number = {{5}}, pages = {{369--386}}, publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}}, series = {{Social Work in Public Health}}, title = {{Gender and Women Development Initiatives in Bangladesh : A Study of Rural Mother Center}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2015.1137517}}, doi = {{10.1080/19371918.2015.1137517}}, volume = {{31}}, year = {{2016}}, }