Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series (CIRED)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10919/80988

Our mission is to work towards gender equality in development by promoting gender sensitivity in every CIRED (Center for International Research, Education, and Development) project and ensuring that women benefit.

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Grassroots lessons: Implementation of pension schemes for single women and the elderly in Jharkhand, India
Raonka, Pallavi (2015-02-05)
There is ongoing debate in India on whether Government spending on social security schemes should be cut. Advocates for spending cuts claim that they do not reach their intended people. However there is not much. There is lack of scholarship examining grassroots- level - implementation of pension schemes. This paper presents the data collected from field - based research in the Indian state of Jharkhand regarding the implementation of the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP). In contrast to the claims of low spending advocates we found high awareness of Central Government entitlements , among pensioners, that the scheme is reaching its intended people, - and that payments are supporting the most vulnerable and marginalized members of Indian society. This study draws upon the 81 interviews conducted with pensioners in January 2013 in Jharkhand, which is a poor state in eastern India where corruption is widespread. While we found that the pension schemes were being effectively implemented, we also found that there are considerable shortcomings, such as high transaction costs, confusing procedures, and unpredictability in payments. We also analysed the effectiveness of advocacy by groups such as Pension Parishad who support public action to extend the coverage of NSAP to poor widows and elderly people. This paper draws upon the voices of the people of Jharkhand to consider the importance of pension schemes and how they can be better implemented. The WGD program has sponsored a discussion series for the past several years, giving students and professionals an opportunity to share their research and discuss issues of Women and Gender in International Development.
Women, Gender Norms, and Natural Disasters: Examples from South Asia
Juran, Luke (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2015-10-15)
Women and men are impacted differently by disasters, leading to claims that there exists a "gendered terrain of disasters." South Asia is a region where this confluence of gender and disaster is particularly relevant. Thus, data from South Asia will be presented to demonstrate that women are more vulnerable than men before, during, and after disasters. Ultimately, the biological variable of being female (sex) fails to fully account for gaps in morbidity and mortality; rather socially constructed variables (gender) are responsible for such disparities in South Asia and across space. The presenter is Dr. Luke Juran, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and the Virginia Tech Water Resources Research Center. This event is part of the Women and Gender in International Development (WGD) discussion series. This program gives students and professionals an opportunity to share their research and discuss issues of Women and Gender in International Development. Students, faculty, staff, and members of the community are encouraged to attend the discussions and bring their ideas and questions.
Governance, Livelihoods and Gender Issues in Run-of-the-River Hydropower Project Areas in Uttarakhand, India
Buechler, Stephanie (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2016-10-13)
As part of the Women and Gender in International Development discussion series, Dr. Stephanie Buechler, Assistant Research Professor in the School of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona, will present on run-of-the river hydropower projects in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, India. Currently 450 hydroelectric power schemes are proposed or are under development in this region. Run-of-the-river hydropower projects are being developed in order to avoid some of the costs to local communities and to the environment created by large dams. Stakeholders in this rapid hydropower expansion in Uttarakhand include urban and rural actors, often with diverging interests. The resulting governance challenges are centered on tradeoffs between local electricity and revenue from sale of hydropower on the one hand, and impacts to small-scale irrigation systems, riparian-corridor ecosystem services, and other natural resource-based livelihoods on the other. This study focused on the Bhilangana River basin, where gender differentiated livelihoods dependent on water include farming, fishing, livestock rearing and fodder collection. The purpose was to identify strategies that safeguard or enhance livelihoods of women, youth, and men in areas with hydropower projects, while also maintaining critical ecosystem services for headwater regions across the Himalayas and globally. The presentation is hosted by Women and Gender in International Development of the Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED)and is co-sponsored by the Geography Department, Women's and Gender Studies,and the Virginia Water Resources Research Center.
Economic Development Through Art : Women, Gender & Environment
Zehner, Amanda (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2016-11-10)
Small-scale artisans are an important source of economic growth and sustainable livelihood development of great social and cultural significance around the world. Amanda Zehner, founder and owner of Living Threads Company, will discuss the role that business owners, development practitioners, and consumers can play in generating sustainable progress toward solving the challenges these artisans face and improving livelihoods around the world. Ms. Zehner is a Virginia Tech alumna with extensive experience working internationally, including service in the Peace Corps in West Africa. This event is part of the Women and Gender in International Development series and is free and open to the public.
Unpacking gender for inclusive and equitable development: A practitioner’s perspective from Africa
Somé, Batamaka (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2017-02-27)
Dr. Batamaka Somé, Anthropologist and Gender Specialist from Burkina Faso, will seek to raise awareness on gender issues around the world by sharing his experiences in working with women’s social and economic empowerment in West and Central Africa, as well as in other parts of the world.
Gender, Labor, and Livelihood: Invasive Pest Management in a Rural Ethiopian Community
Sumner, Daniel M. (Virginia Tech Libraries, 2017-09-07)
This presentation discusses recent research exploring the intersection between labor, gender, livelihoods, and pest management. We document how gender relations, norms, and attitudes determine how women and men are involved in managing invasive agricultural weeds as well as potential gender differentiated impacts. In Boset district (woreda), Ethiopia the invasive plant Parthenium hysterophorus L., is adversely affecting rural livelihoods, reducing agricultural productivity; biodiversity; livestock health and income generation. In response to these growing challenges, a research for development program has been developing biological control methods using natural insect enemies as an ecologically viable, cost-effective, and environmentally safe approach to manage Parthenium. Drawing upon individual interviews, our preliminary findings suggest that while managing Parthenium is a “family affair”, with all household members mobilized to control the weed, the additional time required to manage Parthenium disproportionately impacts women, whose overall labor burden is substantially increased. This presentation will conclude with recommendations for developing a gender-responsive outreach strategy for communicating information about new pest management options.
The Impact of Culture and Family: Women's Education and their Role in Development in South Sudan
Lado, Flora E. S. (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2017-10-19)
The WGD discussion series aims to provide an avenue for prominent scholars from inside and outside the university as well as Virginia Tech students to share their research studies and discuss issues of women, gender, and international development with the greater Virginia Tech community.
Women Empowerment and the Microfinance Dilemma in Bali: What does Control over Credit Entail?
Apriliani, Putu Desy (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2017-11-16)
The Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series is monthly event organized by the Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED) and is an InclusiveVT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs (OIA). The Series offers an opportunity for scholars and development practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development with the Virginia Tech community and beyond.
Women and Gender Discussion Series with Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg from AWARD
Kamau-Rutenberg, Wanjiru (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2018-02-09)
Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg is the Director of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), the organization that works towards inclusive, agriculture-driven prosperity for the African continent by strengthening the production and dissemination of agricultural research and innovation that is more gender responsive.
Geography and the Environment Through Kitchenspace: Cultural Ecology in the House-lot Garden in Central Mexico
Christie, Maria Elisa (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2018-03-16)
The WGD program at CIRED has conducted a monthly discussion series for over a decade. Students, faculty, staff and members of the community are encouraged to attend the discussions and bring their ideas and questions. The series offers an opportunity for scholars and development practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development with the Virginia Tech community and beyond.
Climate Change and Agrobiodiversity in Nepal: A Gendered Perspective
Bhattarai, Basundhara (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2018-04-04)
The WGD program at CIRED has conducted a monthly discussion series for over a decade. Students, faculty, staff and members of the community are encouraged to attend the discussions and bring their ideas and questions. The series offers an opportunity for scholars and development practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development with the Virginia Tech community and beyond.
“Women do light work, men do heavy work”: Male out-migration, the feminization of agriculture, and integrated pest management in the Nepali mid-hills
Spangler, Kaitlyn (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2018-04-19)
The Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series is organized by the Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) and is an InclusiveVT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs (OIA). The WGD program has sponsored a monthly discussion series for over a decade. Students, faculty, staff and members of the community are encouraged to attend the discussions and bring their ideas and questions.
Recognizing Women’s Needs: A Key in Agriculture Production and Food Security
Abaye, Azenegashe Ozzie (Virginia Tech Libraries, 2018-11-08)
The Women and Gender in International Development discussion series offers an opportunity for scholars and practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development. Dr. Ozzie Abaye will talk about her research in the developing world. Women have been denied access to both financial and land resources throughout history. Yet, they contribute more than their share to agriculture and food security on a daily basis. Through USAID-ERA (United States Agency for International Development – Education and Research in Agriculture (USAID-ERA) a project that aimed (delivered) to revitalize the agricultural sector through education, research, and discovery, and outreach, implemented several agricultural interventions at the community, private, and public sector levels using the land-grant model. Some of the agricultural interventions focus on those that have the explicit goal of improving food security by supporting women at the village levels. Two of such projects are a small-scale silage project designed to conserve forages to feed small ruminants during the dry season and the introduction mungbean, to diversify the diets mainly composed of cereal crops. Mung bean is a greater source of protein and fiber when compared to its cultural counterpart, cowpeas, and other staple grains. The presentation will focus on the initial contribution of these two women targeted projects on perceived women’s health and productivity.
Four Stories About Food Sovereignty: The Potential and Limits of Community Action and Transnational Solidarity under Conditions of Global Capitalism
Gill, Bikrum Singh (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2019-10-17)
The Women and gender in International Development Discussion Series is organized by the Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) and is an Inclusive VT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs (OIA). The series offers an opportunity for scholars and development practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development with the Virginia Tech community and beyond.
Victories and failures of gender expertise in global governance: The case of post-conflict state-building
Reeves, Audrey (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2020-10-15)
The Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series is organized by the Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) and is an InclusiveVT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs (OIA). The series offers an opportunity for scholars and development practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development with the Virginia Tech community and beyond.
Towards a politics of mobility and women's empowerment: the case of self-help groups in India
Nichols, Carly (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2020-11-19)
The Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series is organized by the Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) and is an InclusiveVT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs (OIA). The series offers an opportunity for scholars and development practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development with the Virginia Tech community and beyond.
Gender and Decision Making: Quinoa Production among Indigenous Women in Rural Ecuador
Cárdenas, Elisa (Virginia Tech, 2021-09-16)
Women’s empowerment can be analyzed in agriculture through their ability to make choices that align with their life goals. Household farm decision-making is often examined as an individual or a jointly made choice, both frequently described as empowering in quantitative studies as women participate in agricultural decisions. However, empowerment is contextual and often difficult to measure and, thus, a qualitative methodology (focus groups and interviews) can better illuminate how joint decision-making processes occur to investigate women’s empowerment. This research asks: how is decision-making among Indigenous women influenced by their gender when producing quinoa in rural Ecuador? The findings include a feminization of agriculture among the participants, in which Indigenous women have become in charge of quinoa production, a traditionally male-dominated crop, due to Indigenous men’s absence in the farm. Furthermore, the participants described decision-making as jointly made, but men had greater authority, which was influenced by their religious beliefs, and men often made final decisions even when they had little or no participation in the farm work. Overall, women’s participation in quinoa production increased, but because the participants associated men as heads of household, women’s decision-making power was still limited even as they have become principal farmers. This study contributes to the literature of decision-making and demonstrates the importance of contextual characteristics, such as the feminization of agriculture, that influence decision-making processes. Overall, Indigenous women farmers are limited by patriarchal norms in their decision-making opportunities and overall empowerment.
Engaging Men in Supporting Maternal and Child Consumption of Milk and Other Animal Source Foods in Rwanda
Colverson, Kathy (Virginia Tech, 2021-10-21)
Maternal and child nutrition practices, including consumption of milk and animal source foods, are considered the responsibility of women in many low- and middle-income countries. However, men can influence nutrition in their households through their decision-making, control of resources, and social support. Despite the role of gender and the importance of men in influencing nutrition in their households, most nutrition programs target women and men are not comfortable participating. This ongoing project funded by the Livestock Systems Innovation Lab project is exploring methods of engaging men more actively in household nutrition through a combination of training and communication materials tailored to meet their needs. Training materials were developed after extensive field research with men and women using focus groups and key informant interviews. These materials were used to train local partners on providing nutrition education to men, and assess the effectiveness of changes in household nutrition before and after the training. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the final results are pending, but should be available by the conference. The implications of this research could improve overall household nutrition, particularly as it relates to consumption of animal source foods by women and children.
Women, Water, and Transformative Gender Research
Rodriguez, Mary T. (Virginia Tech, 2021-11-18)
Women around the world are primarily responsible to provide water for the household. They can walk up to several hours a day to fetch water. How does bringing water to a community through the use of boreholes and/or piped water schemes impact the lives of women? How do women engage with water provision schemes in their communities? What challenges do they face in paying for water for their many household needs? Through the use of gender transformative research, we can explore these questions and more.
Water projects and gender goals in Mozambique: How the technocratic culture of international development conflicts with community perspectives
Van Houweling, Emily (Virginia Tech, 2022-02-09)
Gender integration and women’s empowerment goals are shaped by a technocratic culture of international development that determines which frameworks, incentives, theories, and methods are valued. Based on 18 months of ethnographic research in northern Mozambique following a rural water project, Van Houweling shows how the perspectives of gender and change shared by the community conflicted with those of the project implementers and donors. The technocratic culture of development created blind spots, contradictions in the project plans, and unanticipated consequences for gender goals. In this presentation, she will draw attention to the negotiated space between the community and various development actors and reflect on how her own identity and multiple roles (as a student, evaluator, Fulbright recipient, and consultant) affected the water project and her relationships with participants. This research is part of her recent book, “Water and Aid in Mozambique: Gendered Perspectives of Change” published by Cambridge University Press.

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