Gender Mainstreaming in Programming

The Wife that does not work

How is your family? asked the Elder.

Hmm! God has not been kind, out of 12 Children borne by my wife, just eight (8) has survived so far, the farmer replies.

Does your wife work? Asked the Elder.

Work? He exclaimed, My wife does not work.

Ok, tell me how she spends her day?

Well, she wakes up by 5:00am to fetch water from the stream, cooks the meals, bathe our 8 children and ensure we all take breakfast before we leave home.

And you? Asked Elder

Ahh!! I wake up by 8:00am or 8:30am then I ride my bicycle to the farm so as to work to get food for my family.

How do you eat during the day?

My wife cooks of course, she does a 5 Kilometers trek to my farm everyday to bring my food, then she walks back to the market where she sells some farm produce. As she sits in the shop, she knits to make clothes for the children as she whiles away time gossiping with other market women; but she must never fail to rush home in the evening to cook for the family and possibly wash our dirty clothes.

And how do you spend the evenings?

I meet with my friends after the hard day’s work to have a good time at the town square, and then I return home to eat and go to bed so as to be strong for the next day’s work on the farm.

And your wife? Does she go to bed as well?

Why? She still has to clean the Kitchen, ensure the children eat and retire to bed early, then she has to plan on what has to be done in the home the following day especially when she is away on the farm with me to pick the daily produce for sale, before she finally goes to bed by 11:00pm.

And you said your wife does not work?

Of course, she does not work. (Adapted from Reference in Zimbabwe)
 
Gender mainstreaming has begun to make waves in the development and programming world especially as it affects HIV/AIDS prevention, poverty as well as other developmental issues. The extract above depicts the face of many women all over the world especially in Sub saharan Africa. How much is the role of the woman in the home valued in comparison to the role of the man in the home and society at large? This is food for thought.