Gender Roles, Food & Health (DP IB Geography)

Gender Roles & Food Production

Women in food production

• Women are more at risk of food insecurity as a result of gender disparities in the division of labour, decision making and resource access within agriculture

• If men and women had equality in food production, productivity would be higher:

  • Supporting food security

  • Reducing poverty and growing the economy

  • Supporting the move to sustainable agriculture 

• With higher incomes from food production, women could spend more money on education and healthcare

  • This would boost development levels 

Division of labour

• The division of labour can impact food production 

• Typically in the developing world:

  • Men take the lead in large-scale commercial agriculture

  • They will undertake the physical tasks within agriculture: 

    • Ploughing

    • Transporting food

  • Women tend to take a more subsistence role:

    • Weeding, planting or looking after animals

    • Marketing

    • Food preparation

• This division of labour can impact productivity and economic growth

  • Women miss out on economic growth opportunities and making profit within this sector

  • Productivity within food production may not increase, as women undertake these smaller-scale activities

• Education is vital for improving food production and reducing food insecurity and malnutrition

  • Men have higher education rates 

  • Many girls still do not have equal access to schooling 

Decision-making

• Within the agricultural industry, men tend to make more of the decisions e.g. the types of crops, distribution and finances

• Women typically don’t contribute to decision-making 

• Particularly in the developing world, this is a major cultural barrier 

• Female empowerment in decision-making is vital to improving income

Resource Access

• Women have less access to large-scale agriculture, credit, funding and land tenure 

• Men typically have better access to agricultural resources

  • These resources support agricultural production

• Women struggle to find or afford tools and technology

  • Lower incomes or lack of funding mean women cannot afford to buy high-quality seeds, pesticides, fertilisers or other vital resources to boost productivity 

• Land is often passed down to men generationally

  • Less land means lower yields

  • Women are less likely to put effort into land that isn’t theirs

• Women struggle to access markets, reducing their incomes 

• In some countries, governments may limit women’s access to resources

• Women also use their time for other activities like collecting freshwater or caring for family

  • This means women may struggle to be productive in the agricultural sector

Closing the gender gap 

• Many strategies are being put in place to combat these issues

• Several projects work to support women in agriculture:

  • PepsiCo and CARE in Uganda

    • Providing education and technology to female farmers to help grow sustainable crops

    • ‘Closing the Crop Gap’ is an awareness campaign, where women speak their experiences to the world

• The World Bank

  • Women in agriculture are now at the forefront of their goals

  • Supporting women in accessing land and incomes

• Feed the Future (US government’s food initiative)

  • Provided 2.4 million women with skills in agriculture 

  • Helped 420,000 women access financial support  

Gender Roles & Disparities in Health

Females and health

• Women have longer life expectancies than men

  • Gender inequality impacts the health of females

  • They may have higher rates of age-related diseases like arthritis or depression 

• Women in developing countries may have more gynaecological issues. This is because::

  • The issues are a Taboo topic

  • There may be rules around male doctors/health carers touching women 

• During pregnancy, lack of healthcare access in developing countries may result in higher rates of deficiency-related diseases

  • This can impact the health of newborn babies 

• Women may be more likely to be in poverty, due to lower rates of stable employment

  • Poverty can impact health (poor quality food, lack of healthcare and limited health education)

• Within the health industry, more women tend to work as carers or nurses (in health and social care)

  • In developing countries, education rates for women are lower

  • Results in more male doctors

  • This can result in discrimination towards women 

• Women have less autonomy over their bodies, for example, in sexual relationships

  • This can result in unwanted pregnancy or disease

• Women may not be able to make decisions about their bodies and their healthcare options

  • They may not be able to access information about the support they need

Males and health 

• Men typically have lower life expectancies than women due to lifestyle choices

  • Men may eat more unhealthy foods or may be more likely to drink more alcohol and smoke

  • More likely to be involved in violent or dangerous activities 

  • May have multiple sexual partners, increasing their risk of sexually transmitted diseases

• Outdated concepts of masculinity

  • ‘Manning up’ may push men away from finding healthcare

Gender diversity

• Individuals not conforming to the gender binary may be more likely to experience higher rates of mental illness like depression and anxiety 

  • Transgender individuals may have the same experience 

• Transgender people may also face higher rates of mistreatment in healthcare

  • They may also experience higher rates of violence