Gender and development : the role of religion and culture

Religion is defined by the author in terms of religious and cultural concepts. She explains the impact of religion and culture on gender and development in a patriarchal society. The assumptions, theories and philosophies related to gender and their impact on women in the development process are discussed. Gender is viewed from a historical perspective, focusing on the gendered differentiation of roles and societal expectations, and relates this to violence and HIV/AIDS, before dealing with gender within the context of development concerns. She also discusses the dominant faiths, including Hinduism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Baha l Faith and the various religions of the Near East as well as those of ancient Greece and Rome. The study also deliberates on women s liberation movements and addresses issues of gender empowerment and development. Finally it emphasizes the needs for gender mainstreaming in all government and NGO programmes to ensure that gender concerns and imbalances are addressed. Alice P. Tuyizere teaches Religious Education Methods in the School of Education at Makerere University.