Gender, rural development and governance: an overview

Abstract

This article provides a theoretical underpinning and an overview of how gender, rural development and governance are interlinked, and suggests that most literature has tended to treat these conceptual categories separately. The article argues that poverty cannot be eradicated unless the implementation of rural development is interfaced with gender and governance. In doing this, the articles takes note of the fact that unless the three concepts—i.e., rural development, gender and governance—are clearly understood then the process of implementation of poverty eradication can be impaired. While gender has been given wide coverage in terms of definition in literature, this article argues that the most crucial and central issues is the extent to which gender has been mainstreamed in rural development and governance in terms of polices, strategies, management and resources. This is done without losing sight of the fact that the rural sector in Africa accommodates the majority of the people, most of whom are women. This paper articulates on how to incorporate good governance in the management of environment and natural resources, information, communication and technology with a gender balance. It stresses that good governance, which has prospects for good development in the rural sector, is one that is gendered. Lastly the article argues that there is a need to mainstream gender in the rural development and governance to have a gendered rural development.