Global Women's Issues: Gender Equality and Development Foundations

Traditional development and poverty reduction programs often fail when they assume a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores the specific realities of girls and women. To build a more equitable world, we must understand how unpaid labor, unequal access to resources, and systemic barriers affect women globally. This text-based course equips you with the foundational knowledge to analyze global development through a gender-critical lens. You will learn to identify gender gaps in education, land ownership, and household decision-making, and explore modern, inclusive frameworks that address these disparities. What you'll learn: 1. Understand the core concepts of gender analysis, intersectionality, and global development frameworks. 2. Analyze the impact of unpaid care work on women's economic opportunities and well-being. 3. Evaluate how unequal access to education, land, and financial resources perpetuates systemic poverty. 4. Examine successful case studies of gender-inclusive policy design and community-led initiatives. 5. Apply gender-responsive planning tools to critique and improve development programs. 6. Explore modern data collection methods that capture gender-disaggregated statistics accurately. The course begins with essential terminology and foundational concepts of gender theory before moving into structured readings on economic participation, social policy, and practical application strategies. Designed entirely for beginners, this course requires no prior background in international relations or gender studies. Start reading today to deepen your understanding of global gender issues and help drive meaningful social change.