On norms and agency : conversations about gender equality with women and men in 20 countries

Social norms, gender roles, beliefs about oneOCOs own capacity, and assets, as well as communities and countries, determine the opportunities available to women and menOCoand their ability to take advantage of them. World Development Report 2012 shows significant progress in many areas, but gender disparities still persist. Our study covered 20 countries in all world regions, where over 4,000 women and men, in remote and traditional villages and dense urban neighborhoods, in more than 500 focus groups, discussed the effects of gender differences and inequalities on their lives. Despite diverse social and cultural settings, traits and expectations of the ideal good woman and good man were remarkably similar across all sample urban and rural communities. Participants acknowledged that women are actively seeking equal power and freedom, but must constantly negotiate and resist traditional expectations about what they are to do and who they are to be. When women achieve the freedom to work for pay or get more education, they must still accommodate their gains to these expectations, especially on household responsibilities. GirlsOCO desire for education, which nurtures their aspirations for greater agency, exceeded that of boys in rural and urban communities. Both young women and men wished for more education and better jobs than are common in their communities and strikingly wanted to marry later, bear children later, and have more autonomy in choosing their partners than traditional community norms dictated. The main pathways for women to gain agency are education, employment, and decreased risk of domestic violence. A safer space encourages women to negotiate for more participation and equality in household discussions and decisions. WomenOCOs ability to contribute to family finances and control (even partially) major or minor assets helps them gain more voice at home and in public spheres. WomenOCOs aspirations and empowerment to break gender barriers occur regardless of dynamic or poor economies, while menOCOs perceived gain in agencyOCoand their identity as breadwinnerOColargely depends on economic conditions. When only a few women manage to break with established normsOCowithout a critical massOCotraditional norms are not contested and may be reinforced. The process of gender norm change thus appears to be uneven and challenging, lagging behind topical conditions. The easy co-existence of new and old norms means that households in the same community can vary markedly in how much agency women can exercise, and women feel less empowered when opinions and values of families and communities stay with traditional norms. Social norms, gender roles, beliefs about one's own capacity, and assets, as well as communities and countries, determine the opportunities available to women and men--and their ability to take advantage of them. World Development Report 2012 shows significant progress in many areas, but gender disparities still persist. Our study covered 20 countries in all world regions, where over 4,000 women and men, in remote and traditional villages and dense urban neighborhoods, in more than 500 focus groups, discussed the effects of gender differences and inequalities on their lives. Despite diverse social and cultural settings, traits and expectations of the ideal "good" woman and "good" man were remarkably similar across all sample urban and rural communities. Participants acknowledged that women are actively seeking equal power and freedom, but must constantly negotiate and resist traditional expectations about what they are to do and who they are to be. When women achieve the freedom to work for pay or get more education, they must still accommodate their gains to these expectations, especially on household responsibilities. Girls' desire for education, which nurtures their aspirations for greater agency, exceeded that of boys in rural and urban communities. Both young women and men wished for more education and better jobs than are common in their communities and strikingly wanted to marry later, bear children later, and have more autonomy in choosing their partners than traditional community norms dictated. The main pathways for women to gain agency are education, employment, and decreased risk of domestic violence. A safer space encourages women to negotiate for more participation and equality in household discussions and decisions. Women's ability to contribute to family finances and control (even partially) major or minor assets helps them gain more voice at home and in public spheres. Women's aspirations and empowerment to break gender barriers occur regardless of dynamic or poor economies, while men's perceived gain in agency--and their identity as breadwinner--largely depends on economic conditions. When only a few women manage to break with established norms--without a critical mass--traditional norms are not contested and may be reinforced. The process of gender norm change thus appears to be uneven and challenging, lagging behind topical conditions. The easy co-existence of new and old norms means that households in the same community can vary markedly in how much agency women can exercise, and women feel less empowered when opinions and values of families and communities stay with traditional norms. Publisher description "On Norms and Agency explores some of the power dynamics of gender relations within the household and communities in different contexts. These processes are analyzed from the perspectives of groups of men and women and boys and girls who participated in focus groups in 97 communities around the world. From gender differences and inequalities to intra-household decision making, more than 4,000 women and men in 500-plus single-sex focus groups reflected on how social norms that define what it means to be and act as a woman or a man affect their life outcomes and their access to opportunities. The analysis reveals not only how little gender norms have changed and how similar they are across countries, but also how change in norms and in individual empowerment and capacity to act and decide takes place. Change takes place at private as well as community and society levels -- and adjustments within one of these realms shape the pace and direction of change in the other. The process of gender-norm change appears to be uneven and challenging. The easy coexistence of new and old norms means that households in the same community can vary markedly in how much agency women can exercise; women feel less empowered when opinions and values of families and communities stay within traditional norms. This book seeks to understand the pathways toward greater gender equality by looking at the deepest constraints present for women and men alike. Unlike men, women are less dependent on the economic conditions of their environment. Men's power and agency are tightly intertwined with their identity and capacity as breadwinners. The main pathways for women to gain agency are education, employment, and decreased risk of domestic violence. A safer space encourages women to negotiate for more participation and equality in household discussions and decisions. Women's ability to contribute to family finances and to control (even partially) major or minor assets helps them gain more voice at home and in public spheres. Women s aspirations and empowerment to break gender barriers can be observed almost everywhere, even when economies are stagnant. These evident aspirations are partly due to women's perceptions of having more power and freedom in their lives and a greater ability to make decisions. Yet many women around the world, the study shows, still face norms and practices that limit them." -- Publisher's website On Norms and Agency explores some of the power dynamics of gender relations within the household and communities in different contexts. These processes are analyzed from the perspectives of groups of men and women and boys and girls who participated in focus groups in 97 communities around the world. From gender differences and inequalities to intra-household decision making, more than 4,000 women and men in 500-plus single-sex focus groups reflected on how social norms that define what it means to be and act as a woman or a man affect their life outcomes and their access to opportunities. The analysis reveals not only how little gender norms have changed and how similar they are across countries, but also how change in norms and in individual empowerment and capacity to act and decide takes place. Change takes place at private as well as community and society levels — and adjustments within one of these realms shape the pace and direction of change in the other. The process of gender-norm change appears to be uneven and challenging. The easy coexistence of new and old norms means that households in the same community can vary markedly in how much agency women can exercise; women feel less empowered when opinions and values of families and communities stay within traditional norms. This book seeks to understand the pathways toward greater gender equality by looking at the deepest constraints present for women and men alike. Unlike men, women are less dependent on the economic conditions of their environment. Men's power and agency are tightly intertwined with their identity and capacity as breadwinners. The main pathways for women to gain agency are education, employment, and decreased risk of domestic violence. A safer space encourages women to negotiate for more participation and equality in household discussions and decisions. Women's ability to contribute to family finances and to control (even partially) major or minor assets helps them gain more voice at home and in public spheres. Women’s aspirations and empowerment to break gender barriers can be observed almost everywhere, even when economies are stagnant. These evident aspirations are partly due to women's perceptions of having more power and freedom in their lives and a greater ability to make decisions. Yet many women around the world, the study shows, still face norms and practices that limit them. Foreword / RACHEL KYTE -- Foreword / JUDITH RODIN -- Acknowledgments -- About the authors -- Introduction: the norms of power and the power of norms -- The study approach -- Methodology of the study -- Discussing and researching gender equality : a brief introduction to the primary study concepts -- Creating and enforcing gender through norms, roles and beliefs -- Changing norms -- Overview of chapters -- References -- Gender norms -- The rules we live by : gender norms and ideal images -- Normative frameworks for household gender inequalities -- The good girl, the good boy -- Community-level views of gender norms -- References -- Negotiating the norms that bind : a winding road -- The quiet relaxing and changing of norms -- Timing is all: negotiating opportunities and gender-specific responsibilities -- Intergenerational transmission of the possibility of change -- Gender norms in transition -- "A woman should be beaten if she deserves punishment"--A. extent and forms of domestic violence -- B. causes and consequences of domestic violence -- References -- Having and making choices -- Strategic life decisions : who has the final say? -- Investing in education : why should girls and boys go to school? -- Why should I leave school? : not my choice! -- From school to work : getting the first job -- A. You say, I say: the weight of adult voices on job decisions -- "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage" -- What is mine is yours : asset control and decision-making -- When does choice mean agency? -- References -- Empowerment -- What drives agency? : what crushes it? -- Step by step : climbing the "ladder of power and freedom" -- Perceptions of factors shaping agency -- Combinations of mobility factors -- Men's and women's interdependent agency and gender norm change -- References -- Structures of opportunity and structures of constraint -- Community factors that fuel agency -- Whose jobs? -- It takes a village : local economic dynamism and empowerment -- Impact of laws and local civic action on empowermen -- Change women need -- References -- Final thoughts -- Appendix a methodological note -- References Foreword / RACHEL KYTE Foreword / JUDITH RODIN Acknowledgments About the authors Introduction: the norms of power and the power of norms The study approach Methodology of the study Discussing and researching gender equality : a brief introduction to the primary study concepts Creating and enforcing gender through norms, roles and beliefs Changing norms Overview of chapters References Gender norms The rules we live by : gender norms and ideal images Normative frameworks for household gender inequalities The good girl, the good boy Community-level views of gender norms References Negotiating the norms that bind : a winding road The quiet relaxing and changing of norms Timing is all: negotiating opportunities and gender-specific responsibilities Intergenerational transmission of the possibility of change Gender norms in transition "A woman should be beaten if she deserves punishment" A. extent and forms of domestic violence B. causes and consequences of domestic violence References Having and making choices Strategic life decisions : who has the final say? Investing in education : why should girls and boys go to school? Why should I leave school? : not my choice! From school to work : getting the first job A. You say, I say: the weight of adult voices on job decisions "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage" What is mine is yours : asset control and decision-making When does choice mean agency? References Empowerment What drives agency? : what crushes it? Step by step : climbing the "ladder of power and freedom" Perceptions of factors shaping agency Combinations of mobility factors Men's and women's interdependent agency and gender norm change References Structures of opportunity and structures of constraint Community factors that fuel agency Whose jobs? It takes a village : local economic dynamism and empowerment Impact of laws and local civic action on empowermen Change women need References Final thoughts Appendix a methodological note References.

This report provides tremendous insight on gender norms an area that has been resistant to change, and that constrains achievement of gender equality across many diverse cultures. The report synthesizes data collected from more than 4,000 women and men in 97 communities across 20 countries. It is the largest dataset ever collected on the topic of gender and development, providing an unprecedented opportunity to examine potential patterns across communities on social norms and gender roles, pathways of empowerment, and factors that drive acute inequalities. The analysis raises the profile of persistent social norms and their impact on agency, and catalyzes discourse on the many pathways that create opportunities for women and men to negotiate transformative change. The report is underpinned by the fact that arguably the single most important contribution to development is to unleash the full power of half the people on the planet women. It underscores how crucial making investments in learning, supporting innovations that reduce the time costs of women s mobility, and developing a critical mass of women and men pushing the boundaries of entrenched social norms are in enhancing women s agency and capacity to aspire.

Based On Focus Groups And Interviews With Nearly 4,000 Women, Men, Girls, And Boys From 20 Countries, This Book Explores Areas That Are Less Often Studied In Gender And Development: Gender Norms And Agency. It Reveals How Little Gender Norms Have Changed, How Similar They Are Across Countries, And How They Are Being Challenged And Contested.