Gender Needs

Women and men have different roles based on their gender and therefore, they have different needs/ interest. These needs are two types:

1. Practical Gender Needs

These are material and immediate and relate to what people need in order to perform their current roles more easily. Some examples of action that address women's practical need includes technologies that reduce their work, provision of clean water supply, credit and access to financial services, etc. These are practical in nature and often concern inadequacies in living conditions such as water provision, health care and employment. These needs relate to physical conditions: food, shelter, work, water and so forth. When working with stakeholders to meet their needs, it is important and to keep in mind that survival or practical needs must be met first. It do not challenge the gender division of labor.

2. Strategic Needs

These are long term related to equalizing gender based disparities in wages, education, employment and participation in decision making bodies. Example: issue around legal rights, empowerment, sharing of family responsibilities, supportive legislation and overall involvement in policy making. Addressing the strategic needs challenge the balancing of power between men and women. It vary according to particular contexts related to gender division of labor, power and control. The meeting of strategic gender needs assits woment to achieve gender equality and change existing roles by challenging women's subordinate position. These needs are often seen as feminist in nature as they seek to change women's status and position in society in relation to women.

Difference between Practical and Strategic Gender Needs

Practical Needs	Strategic Needs
1. They are immediate.	a. They are long term.
2. They are related to what people need in performing their current roles more easily.	b. They are related for equalizing gender-based disparities in wages, education, employment and participation in decision making process.
3. It do not challenge the gender division of labor and women's subordinate position.	c. It do challenge the gender division of labor and women's subordinate position.
4. It is related to physical conditions.	d. It is related to the state and control based on gender.
5. It is same all over the world.	e. It varies according to particular contexts related to gender division of labor, power and control.
6. It is practical in nature and often concern inadequacies in living conditions.	f. It is often considered as feminist in nature as they seek to change women's status and position in society in relation man.
Eg: food, shelter, work, water, health	Eg: legal rights, empowerment, sharing family responsibilities