IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v119y2019icp120-132.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unlocking women’s sustainability leadership potential: Perceptions of contributions and challenges for women in sustainable development

Author

Listed:
  • Shinbrot, Xoco A.
  • Wilkins, Kate
  • Gretzel, Ulrike
  • Bowser, Gillian

Abstract

Although it appears that leadership roles in sustainable development have become more androgynous over time, it is unclear whether perceptions of barriers for women leaders in this context have actually changed. Our research examines the perceptions of male and female sustainable development activists regarding existing barriers but also their visions of the unique contributions women leaders bring to sustainable development when these barriers are overcome. During a two-year global study, we interviewed 120 women and men deeply involved in sustainable development from local to supranational levels and active in transnational and autonomous spaces to capture their insights on the topic. Qualitative analyses revealed several themes: First, our results reflect overwhelming concerns with the patriarchal structures that are perceived to continue to constrain women from becoming leaders. Second, our study reveals complex and often hidden issues, such as the lack of self-confidence, which impedes perceived access to leadership positions, and differences among women that make it difficult to find blanket solutions. Finally, we discuss men and masculinity, topics which are often neglected in this context, highlighting the important role that male allies can play for women leaders in sustainable development. Theoretically, we add new perspectives to existing literature on women as sustainable development leaders by focusing on the perceptions of individuals who actively try to change institutions and norms from within. From a practical perspective, our study is an important call to action for global women’s movements and male allies to work together to confront hierarchical domination and oppression and, importantly, not only change structures but also perceptions.

Suggested Citation

  • Shinbrot, Xoco A. & Wilkins, Kate & Gretzel, Ulrike & Bowser, Gillian, 2019. "Unlocking women’s sustainability leadership potential: Perceptions of contributions and challenges for women in sustainable development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 120-132.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:119:y:2019:i:c:p:120-132
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.03.009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X19300646
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.03.009?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephen Benard & Shelley Correll & In Paik, 2007. "Getting a job: Is there a motherhood penalty?," Natural Field Experiments 00227, The Field Experiments Website.
    2. Joni Hersch & Leslie S. Stratton, 2000. "Household Specialization and the Male Marriage Wage Premium," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 54(1), pages 78-94, October.
    3. Westermann, Olaf & Ashby, Jacqueline & Pretty, Jules, 2005. "Gender and social capital: The importance of gender differences for the maturity and effectiveness of natural resource management groups," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 1783-1799, November.
    4. Cecile Jackson, 1998. "Gender, irrigation, and environment: Arguing for agency," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 15(4), pages 313-324, December.
    5. Quisumbing, Agnes R & Payongayong, Ellen & Aidoo, J B & Otsuka, Keijiro, 2001. "Women's Land Rights in the Transition to Individualized Ownership: Implications for Tree-Resource Management in Western Ghana," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 50(1), pages 157-181, October.
    6. Agarwal, Bina, 2001. "Participatory Exclusions, Community Forestry, and Gender: An Analysis for South Asia and a Conceptual Framework," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(10), pages 1623-1648, October.
    7. Agarwal, Bina, 2010. "Does Women's Proportional Strength Affect their Participation? Governing Local Forests in South Asia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 98-112, January.
    8. Jackson, C., 1998. "Gender, irrigation and environment: arguing for agency," IWMI Books, Reports H021514, International Water Management Institute.
    9. Carmen Deere & Abena Oduro & Hema Swaminathan & Cheryl Doss, 2013. "Property rights and the gender distribution of wealth in Ecuador, Ghana and India," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 11(2), pages 249-265, June.
    10. Michelson, Edward H., 1993. "Adam's rib awry? Women and schistosomiasis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 493-501, August.
    11. Seema Arora†Jonsson & Bimbika Basnett Sijapati, 2018. "Disciplining Gender in Environmental Organizations: The Texts and Practices of Gender Mainstreaming," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 309-325, May.
    12. Cavendish, William, 2000. "Empirical Regularities in the Poverty-Environment Relationship of Rural Households: Evidence from Zimbabwe," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(11), pages 1979-2003, November.
    13. Thomas Dietz & Linda Kalof & Paul C. Stern, 2002. "Gender, Values, and Environmentalism," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 83(1), pages 353-364, March.
    14. Agnes Bolsø & Mary Phillips & Ida Sabelis, 2018. "Gendering environmental sustainability and organization: Introduction," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 215-221, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. José V. Pestana & Nuria Codina, 2020. "Collective and Individual Sources of Women’s Creativity: Heroism and Psychological Types Involved in Enhancing the Talent of Emerging Leaders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-25, May.
    2. Gladys Merma-Molina & Mayra Urrea-Solano & Salvador Baena-Morales & Diego Gavilán-Martín, 2022. "The Satisfactions, Contributions, and Opportunities of Women Academics in the Framework of Sustainable Leadership: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-23, July.
    3. Delia-Elena Diaconașu & Ionel Bostan & Cristina Căutișanu & Irina Chiriac, 2022. "Insights into the Sustainable Development of the Bioeconomy at the European Level, in the Context of the Desired Clean Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-14, September.
    4. Arnold Pabian & Barbara Pabian, 2022. "Profile of a Sustainable Manager from the Perspective of Pro-Ecological and Pro-Social Management of Energy Company," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, February.
    5. Noorfadhleen Binti Mahmud, 2022. "Understanding the Complexities of Sarawak Women's Social Participation in Non-Governmental Organizations ," GATR Journals gjbssr618, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Das, Priyam, 2014. "Women’s Participation in Community-Level Water Governance in Urban India: The Gap Between Motivation and Ability," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 206-218.
    2. Shrestha, Gitta & Clement, Floriane, 2019. "Unravelling gendered practices in the public water sector in Nepal," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 21(5):1017-.
    3. Humphries, Sally & Classen, Lauren & Jiménez, José & Sierra, Fredy & Gallardo, Omar & Gómez, Marvin, 2012. "Opening Cracks for the Transgression of Social Boundaries: An Evaluation of the Gender Impacts of Farmer Research Teams in Honduras," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(10), pages 2078-2095.
    4. Elizabeth Wangui, 2008. "Development interventions, changing livelihoods, and the making of female Maasai pastoralists," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(3), pages 365-378, September.
    5. Das, Nimai, 2009. "Understanding of Social Capital in Gender-based Participatory JFM Programme: An Evidence from West Bengal," MPRA Paper 15304, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Sunderland, Terry & Achdiawan, Ramadhani & Angelsen, Arild & Babigumira, Ronnie & Ickowitz, Amy & Paumgarten, Fiona & Reyes-García, Victoria & Shively, Gerald, 2014. "Challenging Perceptions about Men, Women, and Forest Product Use: A Global Comparative Study," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 56-66.
    7. Morales, Margaret C. & Harris, Leila M., 2014. "Using Subjectivity and Emotion to Reconsider Participatory Natural Resource Management," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 703-712.
    8. Katherine Ravenswood, 2022. "Greening work–life balance: Connecting work, caring and the environment," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 3-18, January.
    9. Sirisha C. Naidu, 2005. "Heterogeneity and Common Pool Resources: Collective Management of Forests in Himachal Pradesh, India," Others 0511004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Federica Ravera & Victoria Reyes-García & Unai Pascual & Adam G. Drucker & David Tarrasón & Mauricio R. Bellon, 2019. "Gendered agrobiodiversity management and adaptation to climate change: differentiated strategies in two marginal rural areas of India," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 36(3), pages 455-474, September.
    11. Fallesen, Peter, 2016. "Downward spiral: The impact of out-of-home placement on paternal welfare dependency," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 45-55.
    12. Moniruzzaman, Md & Day, Rosie, 2020. "Gendered energy poverty and energy justice in rural Bangladesh," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    13. Rachana Devkota & Laxmi Prasad Pant & Helen Hambly Odame & Bimala Rai Paudyal & Kelly Bronson, 2022. "Rethinking gender mainstreaming in agricultural innovation policy in Nepal: a critical gender analysis," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1373-1390, December.
    14. Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Ali, Akhter & Behera, Bhagirath, 2015. "Household participation and effects of community forest management on income and poverty levels: Empirical evidence from Bhutan," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 20-29.
    15. Yokying, Phanwin & Lambrecht, Isabel, 2020. "Landownership and the gender gap in agriculture: Insights from northern Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    16. Colleen Flaherty Manchester & Lisa M. Leslie & Patricia C. Dahm, 2019. "Bringing Home the Bacon: The Relationships among Breadwinner Role, Performance, and Pay," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(1), pages 46-85, January.
    17. Esther Mwangi & Ruth Meinzen-Dick & Yan Sun, 2009. "Does Gender Influence Forest Management? Exploring Cases from East Africa and Latin America," CID Working Papers 40, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    18. Gregory L. Simon & Cody Peterson & Emily Anderson & Brendan Berve & Marcelle Caturia & Isaac Rivera, 2021. "Multiple Temporalities of Household Labour: The Challenge of Assessing Women's Empowerment," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 52(2), pages 289-315, March.
    19. Grillos, Tara, 2018. "Women’s participation in environmental decision-making: Quasi-experimental evidence from northern Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 115-130.
    20. Agarwal, Bina, 2009. "Gender and forest conservation: The impact of women's participation in community forest governance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(11), pages 2785-2799, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:119:y:2019:i:c:p:120-132. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.