Challenging Norms Supportive of Violence

Norms have a contribution in determining violence: how it starts, is unleashed, and its effect on the entirety of the society. They are important in moulding the behaviours of the people. However, they may be problematic and instigate violence. Realising an upsurge in violence emanating from some of the norms in Zimbabwean cultures, the study sought to understand all the various forms of norms, their functionalities, and how they influence violence before seeking to craft means of challenging them. The study is guided by the social norms approach. The study found out that social and cultural norms have over a period grown to define most societies' ways of life. However, there are elements that always try to create conflicts. To attend to the disruptive elements, there are interventions that may be applied to challenge some of these norms, usually combined with other methods, legislation and policies, education, adoption of contemporary world standards, communication, and inclusive lobbying and advocacy, among others.

Non-Governmental Organisations and Culturally-Sensitive Gender Programming

This research sought to examine whether NGOs working on gender are culturally sensitive in their programming. NGOs working on gender in Zimbabwe presented that they have an understanding of cultural sensitivity, but there is need to be more comprehensive ensuring stakeholder inclusion in programming. There is a need to create a rapport with all stakeholders both the external and internal to ensure programs' effectiveness. NGO programs should not challenge the existing cultural values, norms, and beliefs in rural communities, but instead, they should be catalysts for development, drawing their programs from cultures that exist in communities to foster development. The study recommends that NGOs should make use of the bottom-up approach to promote community participation and people programs to ensure program success and acceptability.

Alternative Approaches to Africa's Development

Gender is a crosscutting theme in development, hence its topical character in national, regional, and international contexts. Globally, calls, frameworks, and platforms for gender equity and parity are increasing heralding a shift in governance and development theory and practice. Within the ambit of understanding gender in an African context, the chapter considers land reform as an alternative development strategy and interrogates gender issues emanating prior to, during and in the aftermath of the fast-tracked land reform programme. Redistributive land reform, complemented by focused support to the land beneficiaries, is an alternative development and empowerment approach for both men and women, and mostly for the majority of women who have been largely marginalised from mainstream development.

Gender Mainstreaming in Development

Gender mainstreaming means the consistent use of a gender perspective at all stages of the development and implementation of policies, plans, programmes, and projects. Mainstreaming gender differs from previous efforts to integrate women's concerns into government activities in that, rather than ‘adding on' a women's component to existing policies, plans, programmes, and projects, a gender perspective informs these at all stages and in every aspect of the decision-making process. Gender mainstreaming starts by analyzing the everyday life situation of women and men. It makes their differing needs and problems visible and examines what this means for specific policy areas. In this way, it ensures policies and practices are not based on incorrect assumptions and stereotypes. It recognizes that gender is one of the most fundamental organizing features in society and affects our lives from the moment we are born.

The Evolution of Gender Studies and Its Impact on the African Society in the 21st Century

This study traces the evolution of gender studies from the 1970s to the 21st century. The impact of gender studies to the African society is also covered in greater detail. Gender studies includes a method to appreciate the ideologies, social patterns, and descriptions that shape our world and our lives. It raises questions about how and why a gender divide is created or preserved and also many times resisted or weakened. Gender studies explores the multiple interfaces among race, caste, class, and gender. It investigates traditional disciplines through an interdisciplinary perspective that focuses on the significance of sex as a social construct and the importance of gender and gender roles. It also advances the historical and existing portrayal of both women and men in religion, arts, literature, and many other arenas.

Crime or Human Right?

To the Nigerian state, consensual sexual activity among persons of the same sex is against the order of nature and must be punished as a crime. On the other hand, to persons who engage in sexual activity with persons of the same gender and to rights' activists, the act is a right, like any other, which should be respected and protected. This chapter examines the cultural issues, the human rights angle, and the future of the criminalization of same-sex sexual conduct conundrum in Nigeria. Using the doctrinal method of legal research methodology, the chapter reviews laws criminalizing homosexuality in Nigeria in juxtaposition with human rights provisions both in the international and domestic context in search of a solution to the problem. Accordingly, it is recommended that while the law should protect cultural values, human rights are sacrosanct and must not be sacrificed.

Of Elephants and Men

Ideally, social media are positive agents for modernization, empowerment, and gender equity in developing countries. This chapter scrutinizes that assumption by reflecting upon social media representation of leading Zambian women politicians at critical times in their political lives. It highlights the language used in blogs by critically examining its meanings through discourse and rhetoric analysis. Then, it is argued that social media are now extensively used to switch the tide against women occupation of social spaces. The chapter concludes that social media are avenues for hate speech and new glass ceilings and have been appropriated by patriarchy as oppressive tools in sub-Saharan Africa.

Gender Mainstream

The study examines the extent to which gender has been mainstreamed in resource allocation, income opportunities, decision-making processes, policy development, planning, implementation, and monitoring of programmes in Africa. Zimbabwe is used as a case study. The study was prompted by the need for Africa to mainstream gender parity in order to respond to the global call of mainstreaming gender. International legal frameworks on gender are articulated in this chapter in order to bring about an understanding of the foundations upon which this global call is premised.

Gender and Trade Unionism Advancing Female Participation and Representation in the Nigerian Context

Trade unionism is a major part of modern workplaces. It forms the basis for peaceful relations and consensus building to attain mutual goals. At the heart of trade unionism is social justice and equality, which affirms the rights of all employees regardless of gender to enjoy freedom of association and accessibility, etc. Socio-cultural exigencies have made women to face tough challenges and discriminatory treatment at work, resulting in fewer rights and liberties and leading to economic and psychological stress. The World Bank noted that the starting point is the recognition that women are disadvantaged in most indicators at work—earnings, quality of employment, participation. Trade unions are central to protecting the interests of workers, and building strong unions can foster the elimination of discrimination at work. This chapter shall proffer actionable strategies and issue-based outlines that would advance the cause of gender equality, address the lopsided power configuration between the genders at work, and engender women's participation.