GENDER APPROACHES IN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: LESSONS FROM EASTERN TURKEY
Abstract
This article analyses a regional development program implemented in Eastern Turkey to explore
whether its grant scheme projects helped or hindered the transformation of gender inequalities. The article
emphasizes that capabilities of transformation within micro-projects are limited due to structural limitations
coming from society, culture and politics. Drawing on the gender and development literature, the projects are
assessed by the social welfare, empowerment, and equality approaches. The findings indicate that the project
success increases when the labour, relations, and identities of women are considered together. In order to
initiate a structural change in women’s position, the project designs should explicitly address issues, such as
gender equality, poverty alleviation, organized action, and full participation. These issues should also be
reflected on implementation and monitoring carefully. Therefore, an integrated empowerment-equality
approach supported by social welfare issues is required. Capacity building on such critical issues enhances
effectiveness. Merely result-oriented (versus process-oriented) approaches in development overlook the fact
that a project is a learning process for all its participants, including its sponsors and experts.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
-
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Oya Açıkalın
This is me
Publication Date
January 1, 2011
Submission Date
July 31, 2014
Acceptance Date
-
Published in Issue
Year 2011 Volume: 66 Number: 01
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https://doi.org/10.63556/tisej.2025.1569