QUESTION 3 During a university development studies lecture, students are learning about different approaches that have been used over time to address gender issues in development programmes. The lecturer asks the class to reflect on how these approaches emerged and how they differ in their views about women’s roles in development, by doing the following: a) Briefly explain how the three gender approaches—Women in Development (WID), Women and Development (WAD), and Gender and Development (GAD)—developed over time in response to concerns about women’s roles and participation in development. (3 marks) b) Describe the key arguments or main assumptions behind the WID, WAD, and GAD approaches regarding women’s involvement and position in development processes. (3 marks) c) Briefly discuss the main criticisms that the GAD and WAD approaches have raised against the WID approach, particularly in relation to how women’s issues are addressed in development. (4 marks) Sub-Total [10 marks] Readings: Study Guide, Learning Unit 5 e-Reserves: The bare minimum: Commission for Gender Equality report on South Africa's compliance with CEDAW Committee 2011: Concluding observations & recommendations Commission for Gender Equality by JKMN Consulting (2020)

Question 1: a) How did the three gender approaches—WID, WAD, and GAD—develop over time in response to concerns about women’s roles and participation in development?

The Women in Development (WID) approach emerged in the 1970s, focusing on integrating women into development processes; the Women and Development (WAD) approach followed in the 1980s, emphasizing the relationship between women and development, critiquing WID for its limited focus; and the Gender and Development (GAD) approach arose in the 1990s, advocating for a broader analysis of gender relations and power dynamics in development.

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Question 2: b) What are the key arguments or main assumptions behind the WID, WAD, and GAD approaches regarding women’s involvement and position in development processes?

WID assumes that women's integration into development will lead to economic growth; WAD argues that women's roles are shaped by their relationship to development processes, emphasizing structural inequalities; and GAD focuses on the need to address gender power relations and promote women's agency in development.

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Question 3: c) What are the main criticisms that the GAD and WAD approaches have raised against the WID approach, particularly in relation to how women’s issues are addressed in development?

GAD and WAD criticize WID for its narrow focus on women's economic contributions without addressing underlying structural inequalities, arguing that it overlooks the social and political dimensions of gender and fails to empower women as active agents in development.