Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

Women are aspiring to the highest positions in many societies, but they still lack the access they need to transform some developing nations.

Women were the focus of attention on numerous stops in an August swing through Africa by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and she has talked about putting women’s issues at the core of American foreign policy, especially in developing countries. Gale Summerfield is director of the Women and Gender in Global Perspectives Program at Illinois, and a professor of human and community development. She was interviewed by social sciences editor Craig Chamberlain.

Foreign policy concerns often focus on issues of political stability or national security, and “women’s issues” and other “soft” issues traditionally get little attention. So what’s the rationale for this attention?

Human security is the backbone of a society. By meeting basic needs for women as well as men, such as employment, health care, housing and education, for example, a society is less likely to have the instability that generates extremists. And as Hillary Clinton said in a recent interview, women who feel safe in their societies also are likely to have smaller, better-educated families, which can minimize stress on the environment and reduce conflicts over land and water.

Can you cite some examples of how focusing programs on women can make a difference?

The state of Kerala in India has lowered its fertility rate by changing values associated with women’s opportunities for education and employment. By having fewer children, women can put more resources into educating them and also have more time for activities outside the home.

The Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and the Self-Employed Women’s Association in India offer microcredit programs aimed largely at women, who use these small loans to start businesses that can improve family nutrition and pay the school costs for their children. In some cases they make enough to get out of poverty, but even if not, the women and their families are often better off. There can be problems with microcredit, but there are many success stories.

Societies often resist changes in women’s roles for reasons of religion or tradition. Should we respect those concerns?

In general, we need to have an attitude of working together with other countries rather than trying to impose a U.S. perspective. However, we can still advocate for gender equity goals and report on steps toward or away from meeting agreements.

Societies and cultures change over time. In agriculture for example, an area may adopt new crops, new seeds and new technologies, and move from feudalism to small independent farmer arrangements, but want to hold on to traditional exclusion of women from owning land. Is this culture or discrimination?

Many countries have participated in the four United Nations world conferences on women and have agreed to support the Millennium Development Goals, which give attention to some basic improvements for women and girls. These agreements can be used to initiate discussion about breaking down gender barriers and sharing opportunities.

We hear about the extreme cases of violence or discrimination against women: mass rape in Congo, violence against girls’ schools and their students in Afghanistan, human sex trafficking, and female infanticide in India and China. Beyond denouncing these on moral grounds, what arguments or actions might bring about an end to these practices?

These extreme forms of discrimination do not like transparency. Bringing global attention to these problems through political discussion, conferences, publications, and the media can make a difference. Even in the U.S., we haven’t eliminated violent crime, sexual abuse, and trafficking. As part of a global effort, we won’t eliminate these problems quickly, but ignoring them is an invitation to expansion. Improving the lives of some women and girls right now is possible. With consistent effort, we can accomplish more. Having gender equity as a key piece of U.S. foreign policy can be a step toward those goals.

Read Next

Life sciences Portrait of the research team posing together.

Minecraft players can now explore whole cells and their contents

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists have translated nanoscale experimental and computational data into precise 3D representations of bacteria, yeast and human epithelial, breast and breast cancer cells in Minecraft, a video game that allows players to explore, build and manipulate structures in three dimensions. The innovation will allow researchers and students of all ages to navigate […]

Arts Photo of seven dancers onstage wearing blue tops and orange or yellow flowing skirts. The backdrop is a Persian design.

February Dance includes works experimenting with live music, technology and a ‘sneaker ballet’

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The dance department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will present February Dance 2025: Fast Forward this week at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. February Dance will be one of the first performances in the newly renovated Colwell Playhouse Theatre since its reopening. The performances are Jan. 30-Feb. 1. Dance professor […]

Honors portraits of four Illinois researchers

Four Illinois researchers receive Presidential Early Career Award

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Four researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign were named recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on young professionals at the outset of their independent research careers. The winners this year are health and kinesiology professor Marni Boppart, physics professor Barry Bradlyn, chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Ying […]

Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

507 E. Green St
MC-426
Champaign, IL 61820

Email: stratcom@illinois.edu

Phone (217) 333-5010