Gender Roles, Food & Health (SL IB Geography)

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

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  

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