The Dryland Husbandry Project (DHP) is an effort to bring together a variety of stakeholders in pastoral development to identify and develop strategies for addressing the crisis of African drylands in the nineties and beyond. For more information on the research project, see the back page.
The Regional Office of DHP, OSSREA, has taken the initiative to launch a DHP Publications Series for the Dryland Husbandry Project with the view to exchange and share opinions and experiences on issues of dryland husbandry in the East African (including the Horn) sub-region in general and in the country project area in particular. The DHP Publications Series is a forum where researchers in the Dryland Husbandry Project and others inform the research and academic community, the policy makers, interested individuals and institutions the results of their action-oriented and participatory research. It is also a forum where trials research results, para-vet training experience, gender perspectives in development, ethno-veterinary practices, workshop findings and the relevance and use of indigenous knowledge are presented and discussed.
This issue is on The Gender Dimension in Development Projects: Concepts, Approaches and Framework for Gender Analysis. It is the third issue in the Dryland Husbandry Project Publications Series. The first was on the Sudan and the second was on Kenya. This publication is a result of the 1996 DHP Regional Workshop in Sodere, Ethiopia, where it was first presented as a paper under a general discussion theme of gender issues in pastoral development.
and through them influence individuals and institutions that DHP works with; and those interested in the region and beyond. Secondly, it is also our objective to help cultivate a commitment among those engaged in the research and practice of development to give proper consideration to the issues of gender equity in the design and implementation of development projects.
In this publication, the author introduced basic concepts and issues in the understanding of gender and the gender perspective in development needs, i.e. the practical gender needs and the strategic gender needs and interests. A succinct explanation of Women in Development (WID) and Gender and Development (GAD) is also provided. As publications on gender issues do not come by easily in our region, this publication, we believe, is relevant to all those interested in gender and to those who work with policy approaches to women in developing countries. It also presents a gender analysis framework: activity, access and control framework; and women's empowerment framework for an understanding and incorporation of women in development projects. The publication can be useful to those who conduct training leading to awareness raising and the integration of gender issues in development programmes. It can also be useful to those that work to address the problems of rural and urban women with the view to uplift their living standards. Finally, the author draws our attention to the following remarks and warns us on a number of issues if we are to take gender issues seriously.
It should be stressed here that resource allocation should reflect commitment to gender mainstreaming, and not be a token allocation for Women in Development or Gender and Development component. Nor can it be assumed that gender issues are taken care of by having a woman in the project team. Having female experts among the agency and project team members is only part of the equation. Not all women are aware of gender issues, nor are all committed to gender equity. On the other hand, a gender expert (female or male) in a team does not necessarily guarantee incorporation of gender concerns without inter-disciplinary team commitment and involvement. Marginalization and `window dressing' are dangers to watch for in this regard.
Tegegne Teka
Editor
