SOURCES OF GENDER- SENSITIVE POLICY PLANNING

Transcription

1 UNIT 12 SOURCES OF GENDER- SENSITIVE POLICY PLANNING Structure 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Objectives 12.3 What is Gender-sensitive? Policy and Gender-sensitive Components of Gender-sensitive Policies 12.4 Need for Gender-sensitive Policies 12.5 Typologies of Gender-sensitive Policies Distributive Policy Regulatory Policies Redistributive Policies Conflict Policy Issues Substantive Policies 12.6 Approaches to Gender-aware Gender-neutral Policies Gender-specific Policies Gender-redistributive/transformative Policies 12.7 Stages in Gender-sensitive Indicators Qualitative and Quantitative Data Sources 12.9 Concerns and Constraints for Policy Makers Summing Up Glossary Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises References Questions for Reflection and Practice 12.1 INTRODUCTION The society in which we live consists of different sets of people, with diverging thoughts and needs. Women and men, boys and girls have different needs, aspirations, perceptions and priorities. Such differences in the needs and priorities of people should be valued, emphasized and addressed. However, if we look at the current scenario of the society, we can find the existence of gender inequalities. Different treatment for men and women is found in the labour market, access to facilities, living conditions, decision making etc. Gender inequality persists because of the difficulty in making fundamental changes to the position of women in relation to men, be it in social norms in general or specific policy areas in particular. Inequality in resources, entitlements, privileges and opportunities can be reduced by promoting gender-sensitive policy planning. In short, gender-sensitive policy 5

2 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes planning acts as a key strategy for achieving gender equality between men and women. Gender concerns should be addressed at all stages of policy planning, right from policy formulation and development to implementation, analysis and evaluation. This Unit, therefore, introduces you to the concept and process of gender-sensitive policy planning. It also gives you an overview of the different frameworks and typologies of gender-sensitive policies, stages or cycles in policy planning and explains the different sources that contribute to gender-sensitive policy planning OBJECTIVES After studying this Unit, you should be able to: define policy and gender-sensitive policy planning; explain the types of gender-sensitive policies; explain the approaches to gender-aware policy planning; describe the stages in gender-sensitive policy formulation; and analyze the sources of gender-sensitive indicators WHAT IS GENDER-SENSITIVE POLICY PLANNING? In this section we will study policy and gender-sensitive policy planning. Before we understand specific details about gender-sensitive policy planning we will learn more about policies and planning in a broader sense. Policy planning was also dealt with in Units 11 and 12 of the course MGS Policy and There are various studies about policies and different scholars have attempted to define policies from different angles. According to Sir Geoffrey Vickers, policies are decisions, giving directions, coherence and continuity to the courses of action for which the decision making body is responsible. Friedrich regards policy as a proposed course of action of a person, group or government within a given environment providing obstacles and opportunities which the policy was proposed to utilize and overcome in an effort to reach a goal or realize an objective or a purpose. Thus, it may be well enough to define policy as a purposive course of action taken or adopted by those in power in pursuit of certain goals or objectives. For understanding a public policy, it is important to analyze its nature. A policy may be general or specific, broad or narrow, simple or complex, public or private, written or unwritten, explicit or implicit, discretionary or detailed and qualitative or quantitative. What are the key features of policy making? Since a policy is guidance for action it is essential for public policy to have a goal, an objective or a purpose. There are certain other policies, which remain vague and unclear, especially in a democratic set up. Such vague inconsistent or even contradictory policies may be adopted by a government in order to satisfy all pressure groups and political parties. 6 Again, a public policy may be either positive or negative in form. In its positive form, it may involve some form of overt government action to deal with a particular problem. On the other hand, in its negative form, it may involve a

3 decision by public servants not to take action on some matters on which a governmental order is sought. Again there are certain policies which are legally coercive in nature, which the citizen accepts and enforces as legitimate. For example, PNDT is a coercive policy, which strictly orders the citizens not to determine the sex of the baby. Such insights on policies and their nature, explain how important policies are and how policies need to be planned in an effective manner so as to achieve the desired objectives. Planning is a function which constitutes an important part of the policy making process. Planning policy is a powerful tool and policy has to be designed in such a way that it acts as a guide and directs all levels of planning, resource allocation and implementation of development programmes. When it comes to policy planning, there are two basic elements which are essential for policy planning. They are the choice of goals and deriving of measures/programmes to achieve the chosen goals Gender-sensitive Gender-sensitive policy planning places gender concerns at the centre of policy decisions, policy making, implementation and monitoring. The main objective of gender-sensitive policy planning is to ensure that women s needs and priorities are effectively taken into consideration throughout the entire phase of decision-making, policy planning, formulation and implementation so that equality is attained in society. Thus, gender-sensitive policy planning involves formulation and implementation of policies responsive to gender concerns. That is, the gender-sensitive policies and programmes take into account the different roles, resources, needs and interests of women. Gender-sensitive policies recognize and promote gender equality. Specifically, they provide for recognizing gender issues and fair representation of marginalized groups; recognize the role of women in society; accord equal citizenship rights, freedom from discrimination, affirmative action in favour of women, etc Components of Gender-sensitive Policies Gender-sensitive policies should have the following components: Gender-sensitive policies should incorporate into the policies and programmes, gender-specific concerns and implications and should aim at building the capability of women. Accurate information about existing gender-relations is an important prerequisite for good policy and planning. So gender-sensitive policies should rely on gender disaggregated data and qualitative studies, which reveal reliable information. Gender-aware planning should be incorporated in all operational processes in any organization or in designing their sectoral programmes. Gender concerns should be formally integrated into the policy planning paradigms and processes. In order to integrate gender concerns into the planning process, suitable strategies should be evolved so as to develop gender-sensitive policies and promote gender equity. The basic framework for planning gender-sensitive policy is to use various tools which are gender-specific such as gender roles identification, gender needs assessment, utilization of gender-disaggregated data, inter-sectoral planning, etc. Apart from this, the process should also include doing a gender diagnosis, setting gender objectives, engaging in gender consultation and participation, devising strategies which are gender-sensitive and undertaking gender monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of such strategies. 7

4 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes Check Your Progress Exercise 1 Note: i) Use this space given below to answers the questions. ii) Compare your answers with the one given at the end of this Unit. 1) Define gender-sensitive policy planning. 2) Explain the components of gender-sensitive policies NEED FOR GENDER-SENSITIVE POLICY PLANNING The Committee on the Status of Women (1974) played a key role in emphasizing the need to focus on gender equality. However, more than three decades have passed since the committee made its recommendations. Though policies and programmes were formulated for the benefit of women from time to time, they failed to address the root causes. For example, though education and employment were considered as important measures for the empowerment of women, the real focus was not addressed. The measure only contributed towards strengthening the welfare of the family rather than contributing towards individual freedom and empowerment of women. Merely talking about the needs of women and highlighting the injustice done to them without addressing real concerns would not fetch any positive result. When the needs of women are addressed by way of public policy, the issue gets legal status. Hence, the rights thus granted by law, serve as an avenue to women, to claim and seek redressal if it gets violated. Though rights of women have been recognized in recent times, we still have a long way to go in improving the status of women. For this reason, gender- sensitive policies are essential to design measures in favour of women. In the same manner, when we look at the contribution of women, we can see that the work pressure of women is substantial and often higher than that experienced by men in terms of work hours. Their contribution is beneficial to the national economies though not recognized. However, women continue to have low status and are not afforded enough opportunities. Hence, there is a need to plan for gendersensitive policies to effect a positive change in women s condition. Apart from this, gender-sensitive policies and plans are more likely to curb the deep-seated patterns of discrimination against women. Gender-sensitive policies are also necessary to eradicate patriarchy and achieve gender equity. 8

5 Thus, with the focus on gender-sensitive policies, both men and women will continue to have equal visibility, equal access and power concerning resources and decision making. By adding a gender perspective to the policies and programmes of the government, the various needs and concerns of women can be met TYPOLOGIES OF GENDER-SENSITIVE POLICIES One way of characterizing policy is to examine the policy s effect on society. Using such an approach, Theodore Lowi has differentiated three types of policy: distributive, regulatory and redistributive. All public policies, according to Lowi, are coercive because they seek to alter individual and societal conduct Distributive Policy Policies concerned with the distribution of new resources are distributive policies. Distributive policies involve distributing benefits to individuals or groups, essentially in the form of a governmental policy. These include grants and subsidies that give protection to certain interests, public welfare or health services etc. Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, Rashtriya Mahila Kosh, Maternity Benefits, vaccination camps etc. are examples of distributive policies of the government Regulatory Policies Regulatory policies involve governmental regulation of practices by individuals or groups. Regulatory policies regulate the behaviour of people by prohibiting discrimination based on gender in spheres such as law, employment and education. Such policy is also perceived both by policy makers and the general public as redistributive in nature, as taking away benefits (jobs, rights, etc.) from men and conferring them on women. Examples of regulatory policies include Prevention of Immoral Trafficking, policies to protect women from domestic violence, prohibition of dowry, child marriage, etc Redistributive Policies Redistributive policies involve the redistribution of benefits, tangible or intangible, from one broad group to another. That is, redistributive policies are concerned with changing the distribution of existing resources with the rearrangement of policies which are related to bringing about basic social and economic changes in the economy and society. Certain public goods and welfare services are disproportionately divided among certain segments of the society. Such goods and services are streamlined through redistributive policies. Some redistributive policies are only vaguely defined by law and require considerable administrative expertise and discretion in implementation; other policies are clearly defined by law and require only routine methods of administration Conflict Policy Issues Cobb and Elder have come up with an alternative classification of policy issues in terms of conflict. Their focus is on the way in which conflict is created and managed. To them, a conflict may arise between two or more groups over issues relating to the distribution of positions and resources and may be created by situations such as: Unfairness or bias in the distribution of positions or resources; Framing of an issue for personal or group gain; and 9

6 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes Unanticipated human events, natural disasters, interest and conflict, technological changes, etc. Such issues then constitute the agenda for policy or decision-making and are known as conflict policy issues. For example, reservation of seats for women in education and employment, right of women to inheritance, policy on equal remuneration, etc. can be said to have emerged because of conflict Substantive Policies Apart from the above mentioned types of policies, there is one more type of policy called substantive policy. These policies are concerned with development of society, specifically emphasizing programmes related to education and employment opportunities, economic stabilization, law and order enforcement, etc. They are the result of substantive policy formulation. Such policies are formulated, keeping in view the prime character of the constitution, socio-economic problems and the level of moral claims of the society. Though Lowi s classification has been widely used, it has also come under some criticism. First, the distinction between the three types of policies is not always clear. Second, while policy makers may view policies as having one kind of impact, the affected groups may perceive the policy differently. Check Your Progress Exercise 2 Note: i) Use this space given below to answer the question. ii) Compare your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit. 1) List the types of policies differentiated by Theodore Lowi APPROACHES TO GENDER-AWARE POLICY PLANNING Greater gender-awareness in formulating policy requires that rather than relying on preconceived and timeless notions about gender-determined roles, we recognize the dynamic and differentiated nature of empirical reality and constantly check our assumptions with this reality. This would help in identifying the gender-blind policies. When gender awareness is greater, it may lead to three alternative approaches to policy. The approaches include: Gender-neutral Policies; Gender-specific Policies; and Gender-redistributive/transformative Policies. 10

7 Gender-neutral Policies Gender-neutral policy refers to such policy which does not favour men or women in particular. In order to meet the policy objectives in the most efficient way, this approach seeks to divide the resources and responsibilities without any favouritism. However, this approach, though it may seem to be neutral, neglects the needs of women at times.the resources and responsibilities are not channeled to those who are already denied privileges and rights since historic times. For example, if the MGNREGA scheme, which offers 100 days employment to every household in rural areas, is planned with a gender-neutral focus, then women would be at disadvantage. Since the employment is offered to one person per house, it is quite obvious that men would be in an advantageous position compared to women in availing employment opportunities. Thus, such a neutral approach would neglect the needs and preferences of women Gender-specific Policies In contrast to gender-neutral policies, gender-specific policies recognize the differential needs and preferences of women and specify that needs should be targeted specifically. Thus, advocacy on behalf of women and recognition of the past neglect of women s needs has given rise to gender-specific policies. Thus, resources and responsibilities are channeled to women through specific policies, so that women are able to take control of the resources and benefit from the welfare programmes and other resources. However, without some transformative potential built into them, such policies are also likely to leave the existing division of resources and responsibilities intact Gender-redistributive/transformative Policies Gender-redistributive/transformative policies seek to transform existing genderrelations in a more democratic direction by redistributing more evenly the division of resources, responsibilities and power between men and women. Gender redistribution is quite challenging, as it not only talks about channeling resources to women within the existing framework, but also requires men to give up certain privileges and take on certain responsibilities in order to achieve greater equity in development outcomes. This approach helps in transforming resources, power and roles among women and men STAGES IN GENDER-SENSITIVE POLICY MAKING There are various stages in the process of gender-sensitive policy making. This section gives you a brief description of the various stages of policy making which are dealt with in detail in the next five units of this block. Policy making is the first stage in the process of gender-sensitive policy making. Through this process, the demands of the system are converted into policies. This stage is the critical phase in the policy process, as the success or failure of a policy depends upon the design and policy formulation process. Gender-sensitive policy formulation is about designing or framing a set of policy alternatives to address the problems and concerns of women. In the process of policy formulation, plans for dealing with a problem is made in the context of gender and the objectives, goals and priorities of women are framed and the ways and means of implementing the policy for the advantage of women is also formulated. 11

8 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes After this comes the stage of policy implementation, when the policies are systematically executed by the different administrative agencies at the central, state and local level. Policy implementation is at the heart of policy management. To put it in simple terms, policy implementation is the process of putting policy into action. Then is the stage of policy monitoring and evaluation, which concentrates on ascertaining the impact of the implemented policies. Policy monitoring has come to mean the process of observing the policy implementation progress and resource utilization and anticipating deviations from expected policy outcomes. Thus, monitoring can be defined to be the process of inducing action for adherence to schedule and other stipulated requirements. Policy analysis is the next crucial stage in the policy process and is defined as the systematic investigation of alternative policy options and the assembly and integration of the evidence for and against each option. Policy analysis from a gender perspective serves as a means of assessing and responding to the differential impact of proposed and/or existing policies, programmes and legislation on men and women. Making optimum utilization of resources is also a critical stage in the policy process. Sufficient resources must be allocated for capacity building in policy making, management and implementation agencies. Such resources must also be optimally used by the policy making and implementing agencies in their efforts towards bringing about positive policy outcomes. The final stage in the policy process is the review and feedback stage, which highlights the extent of effectiveness of policy implementation. This stage is helpful in finding whether the policy is beneficial to people at large and whether the policy is viable in the long run. The feedback mechanism is helpful in shaping the future directions of the policy. Thus the various stages of the policy process are critical to the success of a policy. We will discuss these aspects in more detail in the subsequent Units SOURCES OF GENDER-SENSITIVE POLICY PLANNING 12 Women do not form part of a homogeneous group. They reflect the diversity of the entire population. Hence the sources of gender-sensitive policy should also include the data collected by various organizations, which are disaggregated by age, race/ethnicity, class, disability etc. Hence, reliance on such sources would

9 help in understanding not only how women have life experiences different from that of men, but also how different women have different life experiences and needs. This helps the agencies of policy formulation and implementation to consider differential needs when framing and implementing the gender-specific policies. A sound database relating to gender-specific information and a conscious effort to use them in policy formulation and programme planning is an important first step. All agricultural and economic surveys and censuses should provide gender differentiated information which should be fully taken into account in national planning. For example, information on women s contribution and needs in programmes of afforestation, drinking water supply, sanitation, etc. and limitations of their access to services and resources will be essential to increase the sensitivity of the decision makers to the problems faced by women. Data sources help make gender biases more visible and facilitates effective policy making to bring about greater gender equity and equality in the policies of the government. Hence, policy makers need to be aware of such sources which contribute to planning gendersensitive policies Indicators Indicators are quite helpful to the policy makers in understanding the position of women. An indicator is an item of data that summarizes a large amount of information in a single figure, in such a way as to give an indication of change over time and in comparison to a norm. A gender-sensitive indicator provides direct evidence of the status of women, relative to some agreed normative standard. An example of gender-sensitive indicator would be: As per the 2001 census, out of 64.8% literate people in India, 75.3% and 53.7% are men and women respectively. And the 1991 census, states that, of the 52.2 % literate people, literacy rate of men and women are 64.1 % and 39.2 % respectively. In this example, the status of women in terms of literacy is easily identifiable in comparison to men for two different periods of time. Such data sources and indicators would be helpful for policy makers enabling them to frame gender-sensitive policies Qualitative and Quantitative Data Sources Policy makers need to look at both qualitative and quantitative data sources in order to plan gender-sensitive policies in an effective manner. Qualitative data sources are all those data sources which are often analyzed in a descriptive form from the information obtained from qualitative research, participant observation, anthropological field work, less formal surveys, etc. Such qualitative and descriptive studies are usually conducted by government committees and commissions in order to analyze something or by research and developmental organizations, NGOs, etc. The advantage of relying on qualitative sources is that they can help ensure that poor and marginalized women s views, which are often missed in formal surveys, can be taken into account. Quantitative data sources serve as an effective instrument to understand the specific and different needs of women and to plan for gender-sensitive policies. For example, if gender disaggregated data are not available to ascertain the details of women s and men s capacities, access of men and women to resources, gender and power dimensions at home and the society, there is a risk that the newly developed policies and programmes of the government would fail to identify the burden and exclusion of women. As a consequence, the development policies would fail to reach women. In the same manner, the gender disaggregated data also helps in revealing the individual contribution made by women in various sectors. Otherwise, the contribution goes unrecognized, failing to understand the potential of women. For example, if we take the contribution of local representatives, it is only because the data is available regarding the contribution of women and men panchayat presidents, 13

10 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes that we come to know about the potential of women. While the concern of a male panchayat president may be to construct roads and buildings in their villages, the concern of a female panchayat president is that of supplying drinking water, ensuring availability of schools for their children at nearby locations, etc. Availability of such data is useful to policy-makers, as they consider the opinion and concerns of women leaders in framing and implementing policies. Quantitative data should be collected and interpreted in the right way so that it can support national level planning towards gender-sensitive policies. The major quantitative data sources in India include the Census surveys, National Accounts Statistics, Sample surveys of the population, etc. Both qualitative and quantitative gender-sensitive indicators are crucial for planning gender-sensitive policies. For example, to analyze political representation of women in India, the quantitative indicator would be the number of women parliamentarians in India. This helps us in ascertaining the participation of women in politics and helps in coming up with new policy or programme measures if the participation is poor. However, the quantitative indicators alone are not sufficient to reveal the true picture. Qualitative indicators serve as an effective tool in filling this gap. For example, the perceptions of women parliamentarians about their role in parliament will provide the policy makers with further details, which are difficult to grasp through quantitative measures alone. Look at the following questions. How many times are issues related to gender equity raised in parliament? What legislation related to gender equity is passed and enforced? Do the speeches of women make an impact in parliament? Answers to such questions by women parliamentarians, would help the policy makers reflect on such issues and plan gender-sensitive policies in a more efficient way. While referring to the sources for policy planning, policy makers need to understand that no single source can provide the complete data that is needed by policy makers. Hence the policy makers must also refer to other sources or even conduct primary research in order to understand the underlying issues or problems. Some of the sources that can be referred to by the policy makers in framing policies are as follows: i) Census Censuses are the mainstay of the data gathering system and as such offer considerable opportunities for gathering gender-sensitive data. Census reports provide information on wider patterns, viz., demographic profile of the population, socio-economic background of the people, statistics on education, health status, employment, condition of life, etc. However, due to the limits to the number of questions in censuses, their focus on a few topics, the ten-year time gap between many censuses and their formal mode, censuses and other national-level surveys usually provide very little information about household dynamics or gender relations. ii) Household Surveys 14 In order to address the gaps in information provided by the census surveys, household surveys are conducted. Such surveys can complement census surveys. Household surveys are surveys of a sample of the population (usually more than 2,000 households) focusing on a particular subject or subjects and with the household as the focus of investigation. They can be carried out at frequent intervals and in some cases are carried out quarterly. The size of these surveys makes them useful instruments for the generation of gender-sensitive indicators. Household surveys provide details regarding gender roles, household dynamics and decision making, control of and access to economic and other resources and violence against women.

11 iii) Time Use Studies Time use studies are also an example of quantitative data sources which help in providing gender-sensitive indicators related to women s and men s contribution. Time use studies are either carried out as a separate study or as a part of a larger household survey. There are four main types of time use surveys, which include: observation, random instant measurement, diaries and recall. For example, data on the time spent by women and men on market and non-market activities, which is used in the 1995 Human Development Report, is an example of time use study. Time use studies are particularly valuable in highlighting women s work and generating gender-sensitive indicators that can be used as part of a national database. iv) National Accounts Statistics (NAS) The system of National Accounts Statistics in India is useful to assess how India s economy is performing over time. NAS is used as a tool for policy making related to India s economic systems. NAS can be an area where governments can improve the way in which gender-disaggregated data are collected and used. NAS has been strongly criticized for having a gender bias and in particular for ignoring women s overall contribution to the economy and to society as a whole. This system of NAS, if gender concerns are included in it, will serve as a potential source which will help in planning gender-sensitive policies. v) CEDAW While census and other national level surveys deal mainly with demography, work, health and education, CEDAW offers governments the opportunity to synthesize and produce gender-sensitive indicators on empowerment, violence against women, cultural issues and women s rights. Such indicators of CEDAW serve as an effective source for the policy makers in planning for gender-sensitive policies on the issue of empowerment, violence against women, women s rights, etc. In order to plan for gender-sensitive policies, policy makers need to look at the gender-sensitive indicators related to the following aspects: Population composition and change; Human settlements and geographical distribution; Households and families, marital status, fertility; Learning in formal and non-formal education; Health, health services, nutrition; Economic activity and labour force participation; Access to land, equipment and credit; Legal rights and political power; Violence against women; and Macroeconomic policy and gender. Almost all the important components are covered in this classification. Hence, for example, in order to formulate a health policy under the National Health Mission, the policy makers can closely examine the gender- sensitive indicators regarding health, health services and nutrition. This would give them an in-depth understanding of the position of women in terms of condition of health, access to health services etc. The information provided by the earlier mentioned gendersensitive indicators has been summarized in the following paragraphs. 15

12 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes i) Population Composition Information on population composition is helpful in determining the process of social and economic development in the country and hence is imperative for the planning of policies. From the population composition, useful information can be derived on sex ratio and migration, which helps in understanding the gender bias and is useful for framing policies promoting equality and equity. ii) Human Settlements and Geographic Distribution Demographic indicators by geographical area are helpful in understanding the living conditions in specified areas and in developing policies for reducing the disparities. Information on housing conditions like flooring and roofing, availability of water, sanitation, electrification, etc. indicate the impact of all such factors on the living condition of women. iii) Households and Families, Marital Status and Fertility The position of women within the household or family is often a key element in relation to gender inequality and women s participation in society as a whole. This classification provides information to policy makers on the population of households by size, households headed by women/men, poor households headed by men/ women, etc. iv) Learning in Formal and Non-Formal Education Education indicators are among the most important for measuring the status of women and gender equity and such statistics are usually found in censuses, administrative records, Reports of DISE, MHRD, NCERT, NUEPA, etc. Educational indicators can also be found in UNESCO s Statistical Yearbooks. Thus educational indicators gives information on the literacy level, educational attainment, access to education, school attendance, enrollment, retention, curricula etc. v) Health, Health Services and Nutrition Indicators of health are particularly important for the determination of changes in women's status over time. Policy makers can get the information pertaining to health indicators, whether qualitative or quantitative from census surveys, reports of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, primary research, etc. Health indicators give information on availability of Primary Health Centres (PHCs), access to PHCs by sex, proportion of boys and girls immunized, infant and maternal mortality rates, etc. However, gender-sensitive indicators should be used with caution and policy-related conclusions should be drawn from their findings with care. One of the reasons is the strong tendency of families to seek medical attention for boys and men. vi) Economic Activity and Labour Force Participation It is generally agreed that women's economic activity is under-represented in most censuses and national level surveys and that the contribution of women to economic development is an area where lack of data is most acute. Measurement of economic activity and labour force participation is a complex but key area for the advancement of women s status and gender equality and equity. Hence, such information pertaining to the contribution of women to the economy, female labour force in different sectors, employment and unemployment of women and the salary paid, the unpaid work of women, etc. should be made available. It is only then that better policies sensitive to the needs of women can be evolved. vii) Access to Land, Equipment and Credit 16 There has been little systematic focus on the question of women s access to and control over land, despite the potential importance of land to the improvement of

13 women s status and gender equity. The agricultural census needs to provide information on access of women to land, water and natural resources, access to agricultural credit and loans, etc. viii) Legal Rights and Political Power In recent years various studies and reports are available which highlight the legal rights and political power of women. Indicators pertaining to legal rights and political power should provide information on sex roles and stereotyping, exploitation of women, role of women in political and public life, seats held by women in parliament, percentage of women in decision making and administrative positions, forms of violence against women, etc. In order to obtain such information the policy makers can refer to the reports of law commissions and other commissioned surveys. ix) Violence against Women Currently the only quantitative data that most governments collect on violence against women are reported crime statistics on rape, assault and various other sexual crimes. These have serious limitations and should be complemented with data from other sources. A number of NGOs, Research Institutes and other government institutes, working on the issues of women, have come up with various reports which give information to policy makers on the cases of sexual assault, rape, harassment and domestic violence, etc. x) Macro economic Policy and Gender In recent years, in order to promote gender sensitivity, gender concerns are integrated into the national budgetary policies in the context of economic reform. Such indicators provide information on the breakdown of government expenditure by sector, proportions of persons covered under social security schemes, households receiving social insurance, social assistance and other benefits, etc CONCERNS AND CONSTRAINTS FOR POLICY MAKERS We will first look into the primary concerns of policy makers. a) Concerns of policy makers The policy makers while looking into the data sources need to confirm that the sources that they refer to contain the basic information that is needed in understanding a particular issue. What are the key concerns of policy makers? Policy makers need to analyze whether the sources have their data disaggregated by gender. Indicators derived from their data source should be disaggregated by age, socio-economic grouping, geographical coverage, etc. This kind of information will help to inform a broader analysis of the social forces within a society which have brought about the particular status of women and men in that society. The sources on which the policy makers rely should be easy to use and understand and in an understandable language. Only then can the real cause and issue be clear to the policy makers. Indicators must be about something measurable. Concepts such as women s empowerment or gender equity may be difficult to define and measure. In this case proxy indicators, for example, relating to greater choice for women in accessing health care or education, may have to stand as proxies for less precise concepts. 17

14 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes b) Constraints in handling the sources Can you list some some of the major constraints? Here is an illustrative list. One of the major limitations of quantitative sources is the accuracy of data. Much of the data in national censuses is subject to various problems including infrequent collection, sex bias, poor enumeration and imprecise definition of key terms. Another problem with the quantitative data is that the same data may be interpreted differently in different settings. For example, a falling birth rate may be considered a positive trend in a densely populated country whereas it may be considered a negative trend in a sparsely populated country. A further problem with quantitative data is that data sets are often developed by a few specialists. Hence there is lack of wider participation in developing the indicators and it just reflects the interests of a few experts. Another drawback is that the interviewers who are involved in collecting the census data may not be adequately trained. Hence, data collected by the interviewers may not provide accurate information. The qualitative sources at times may again be biased as the views of the writer may distort reported facts and reality. Also, the analysis made in some reports is diluted and it becomes difficult for the policy makers to understand the real issues. Check Your Progress Exercise 3 Note: i) Use this space given below to answer the question. ii) Compare your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit. 1) What are the important constraints for policy makers? SUMMING UP Policies play an important role in meeting the needs and demands of the society. Policy makers need to understand that the real development and progress of the society cannot take root, if it bypasses women. Gender-sensitive policy planning helps in addressing the needs and concerns of women. Analyzing the position and condition of women would make it possible to make gender-sensitive policies. Various sources, both qualitative and quantitative, help in understanding the position of women, thus serving as an effective instrument in planning gender-sensitive policies. 18 Gender concerns should be formally integrated into the policy planning paradigms and processes. In order to integrate gender concerns into the planning process, suitable strategies should be evolved so as to develop gender-sensitive policies and promote gender equity. The basic framework for planning gender-sensitive policy is to use various tools which are gender-specific such as gender roles identification, gender needs assessment, utilization of gender-disaggregated data, inter-sectoral planning. Apart from this, the process should also include doing a

15 gender diagnosis, setting gender objectives, engaging in gender consultation and participation, devising strategies which are gender-sensitive and undertaking gender monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of such strategies. Three alternative approaches to gender-aware policy planning can be identified. These include gender-neutral, gender-specific and gender-redistributive/ transformative policies GLOSSARY Gender-Blind Policies : Gender-blind policies are policies that appear neutral but are implicitly biased in favour of men, because they are premised on the notion of male actors and men s needs and interests. Transformatory (or redistributive) potential : Kate Young (1987) introduced the concept of transformatory potential, to complement the concepts of practical needs and strategic gender interests (Young s chosen terminology). This is a useful concept to help development planners or women themselves, to consider how their practical needs can be met in a way which has transformatory potential. In a way this will assist women in challenging unequal gender power relations and contribute to women s empowerment ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS EXERCISES Check Your Progress Exercise 1 1) Gender-sensitive policy planning places gender concerns at the centre of policy decisions, policy making, implementation and monitoring. The main objective of gender-sensitive policy planning is to ensure that women s needs and priorities are effectively taken into consideration throughout the entire phase of decision-making, policy planning, formulation and implementation, so that equality is attained in society. 2) Gender-sensitive policies should have the following components: Gender-sensitive policies should incorporate into the policies and programmes, the gender-specific concerns and implications and should aim at building the capability of women. Accurate information about existing gender-relations is an important prerequisite for good policy and planning. So gender-sensitive policies should rely on gender disaggregated data and other qualitative studies, which reveal accurate information. Gender-aware planning should be made the basic criteria in any organization or in designing their sectoral programmes. 19

16 Gender-sensitive Policies and Programmes Check Your Progress Exercise 2 1) Theodore Lowi has differentiated three types of policy: distributive, regulatory and redistributive. All public policies, according to Lowi, are coercive because they seek to alter individual and societal conduct. Check Your Progress Exercise 3 1) The following constraints exist for gender-sensitive policy planning: One of the major limitations about the quantitative sources is about the accuracy of data. Much of the data in national censuses is subject to various problems, including infrequent collection, sex bias, poor enumeration and imprecise definition of key terms. Another problem with the quantitative data is that the same data may be interpreted differently in different settings. For example, a falling birth rate may be considered a positive trend in a densely populated country, but a negative trend in a sparsely populated country. A further problem with quantitative data is that data sets are often developed by a few specialists. Hence, there is lack of wider participation in developing the indicators and it just reflects the interests of a few experts. Another drawback is that the interviewers who are involved in collecting the census are not given adequate training. Hence data collected by the interviewers may not provide accurate information. The qualitative sources, at times may again be biased as the views of the writer are highlighted more than the actual cause. And also, the analysis made in some reports is diluted and it becomes difficult for the policy makers to understand the real issues REFERENCES Agarwal, O.P and Somanathan, T.V Public Policy Making in India: Issues and Remedies, available at Beck, Tony Using Gender-Sensitive Indicators: A Reference Manual for Governments and Other Stakeholders, London: Commonwealth Secretariat. Ellen Bone Parth A Framework for Policy Analysis in Ellen Boneparte Women, Power and Policy, New York: Pergamon Press. Government of India Engendering Public Policy: A Report on the work of the Working Group of Feminist Economists during the Preparation of Eleventh Five Year Plan , New Delhi: Planning Commission. Kabeer, Naila Gender-Aware Policy and Planning: A Social-Relations Perspective in M. Macdonald (ed.) Gender Planning in Development Agencies: Meeting the Challenges, Oxfam, U.K. Kabeer, Naila and Subrahmanian, Ramya (eds.) Institutions, Relations and Outcomes: A Framework and Case Studies for Gender-aware Planning, London: Zed Books. National Accounts Statistics, available at Sapru, R K Public Policy: Art and Craft of Policy Analysis, PHI Learning Private Limited, New Delhi.

17 UNICEF The State of the World s Children 2007: Background Paper on Women Politicians, Gender Bias and Policy-Making in Rural India: UNICEF. Velayudhan, Meera Redefining an Agenda for Governance: Gender and, in Panda, Smita Mishra (ed.) Engendering Governance Institutions: State, Market and Civil Society, New Delhi: Sage Publications. Watson, Joy. So What does Gender Planning Mean to Policy Makers, Agenda, No. 40, Citizenship, 1999, pp QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND PRACTICE 1) Briefly discuss the need for gender-sensitive policy planning. 2) Write an essay on different types of gender policies. 3) Discuss the sources of gender-sensitive policy planning. 21