Gender and household decision making

This issue of World Neighbours in Action focuses on gender and household decision making. Some of the key lessons learnt in working to address gender issues are highlighted. The first is that it is more effective to approach gender issues from a needs-based approach rather than from a power-based approach. Handling gender issues from a needs-based approach, in which both women and men take an active role in identifying a clear need for changed gender roles, leads to more sensitive and sustainable change. Second, that to successfully address gender issues, development projects must find ways of improving communication and understanding between men and women. Finally, that women's and men's roles and responsibilities are changing; however, there is not necessarily a corresponding shift in decision-making patterns. The article then describes three participatory exercises that can help participants begin to analyse gender dynamics and decision-making patterns as they relate to family assets, household needs and childbearing. The examples presented with each tool are drawn from a series of workshops in the district of Makueni, Kenya.