Gender Roles, Food & Health (DP IB Geography)

Revision Note

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

Bar chart showing data in millions from 2014 to 2021: 80 (2014), 70 (2015), 40 (2016), 70 (2017), 10 (2018), 50 (2019), 70 (2020), and 145 (2021).
Inequality in food security
  • 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

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