Women and Development: Approaches and Perspectives

This edited volume is an outcome of various research papers on issues pertaining to women, with focus on health, nutrition, education, sustainable livelihood, condition in unorganized sector and impact of digitalization. The book further reflects on crosscutting issues of gender equality and position of women within the current socioeconomic context. According to Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, development is a gradual process of expanding freedom equally for all people. But the role of women is often seen only in relation to domestic space. While the role of women within the household context is critical, it is most important to understand women’s contribution to and connection with the larger development process. The Sustainable Development Goal 5 of the United Nations recognizes achieving gender equality and empowering all girls as a key milestone for all countries. While countries have been focusing on gender equality and inclusivity in all policies and programmes, research evidence has shown critical equity gaps still exist in women’s workforce participation, health, education, employment and other such relevant areas. Gender equality is thus at the core of realizing all the sustainable development goals. Gender issues have remained invisible in several cases, as these are only being identified in situations where there is a crisis. Therefore, there is an ardent requirement of gender mainstreaming across all sectors and any form of resistance to gender equality must be eliminated. Gender mainstreaming and intersectionality as key processes have been largely recognized as impactful tools and methods by national, subnational and international organizations in their advocacy and programmatic support to Governments and other community based programmes.