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Women'S Empowerment As A Development Goal: Taking A Feminist Standpoint

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  • P. Mosley
  • Sarah Mosedale

Abstract

In this paper, through a case study of a large international non‐governmental organisation, I identify a number of contradictions and tensions that arise when development agencies attempt to foster ‘women's empowerment’. Despite their presentation as apolitical, agencies are inescapably involved in relations of power, and their lack of attention to this is not accidental. In such cases, ‘empowerment’ risks becoming a signifier of righteousness—part of the process of mystification of dominant group interests. The paper discusses how developing a feminist standpoint could help avoid such mystification. However, such a process is one which cannot be prescribed but must be freely chosen. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • P. Mosley & Sarah Mosedale, 2014. "Women'S Empowerment As A Development Goal: Taking A Feminist Standpoint," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(8), pages 1115-1125, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:26:y:2014:i:8:p:1115-1125
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    Cited by:

    1. Tanya Jakimow, 2018. "Beyond ‘State Ibuism’: Empowerment Effects in State‐led Development in Indonesia," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 49(5), pages 1143-1165, September.
    2. Renata Serra & Michelle Kendall & Alexandra Towns & James Hummer, 2023. "Promoting Gender Equity in Livelihoods Projects: Practitioners’ Perspectives Through the Lens of a Socio-ecological Model," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 23(1), pages 82-98, January.
    3. Funmi (Olufunmilola) Ojediran & Alistair Anderson, 2020. "Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Global South: Empowering and Emancipating?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22, November.
    4. Sundström, Aksel & Paxton, Pamela & Wang, Yi-Ting & Lindberg, Staffan I., 2017. "Women’s Political Empowerment: A New Global Index, 1900–2012," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 321-335.

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