I think the need for finding solutions for gender inequality is understood by all development practitioners and I commend the initiative for this online discussion.
The contribution I would like to make with regard to the topic of discussion is that one should not consider rural women as one homogenous group that faces similar challenges and discrimination. I am saying this because a preliminary analysis of data collected in a field assessment in a couple of pocket areas in Ethiopia in 2010 showed that there is difference in access to and control over resources and information between women heads of households and women in male headed households, the latter group being better off. My suggestion is to do detailed analysis to understand variation among rural women in order to be able to come up with ways of addressing the challenges faced by the different groups.
I think the need for finding solutions for gender inequality is understood by all development practitioners and I commend the initiative for this online discussion.
The contribution I would like to make with regard to the topic of discussion is that one should not consider rural women as one homogenous group that faces similar challenges and discrimination. I am saying this because a preliminary analysis of data collected in a field assessment in a couple of pocket areas in Ethiopia in 2010 showed that there is difference in access to and control over resources and information between women heads of households and women in male headed households, the latter group being better off. My suggestion is to do detailed analysis to understand variation among rural women in order to be able to come up with ways of addressing the challenges faced by the different groups.
Senait Regassa
National Program Officer
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Ethiopia