1st Edition

The Religion–Gender Nexus in Development Policy and Practice Considerations

By Nora Khalaf-Elledge Copyright 2022
    162 Pages 4 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    162 Pages 4 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This book illuminates the intersection of religion and gender within the development sector, exposing challenges in both policy and practice and suggesting implementable solutions.

    This book argues that a better understanding of the religion–gender nexus is needed by development sector practitioners, especially at a time when religious arguments are being used around the world to justify gender inequality and violence against women. The book draws on extensive qualitative research with senior gender personnel, religion advisors, and implementation partners from across the largest bilateral development agencies. The nexus is considered from the grassroots level up to donor country politics and across key themes, such as gender-based violence, reproductive rights, unpaid care and domestic work, and women’s participation in leadership roles. The book concludes by offering implementable solutions for practitioners to address the religion-gender nexus in a more meaningful way.

    Bridging the gap between academic theory and day-to-day development practice, this book is an important reference for development practitioners, and for researchers from across development studies, gender studies, and religious studies.

    Introduction

    PART I Why the religiongender nexus matters in development

    1 Religion and gender at the crossroads: key concepts and theories

    2 Gender in development theory and practice

    3 Religion in development and its impact on gender issues

    PART II How to engage with the religiongender nexus in development policy and practice

    4 Realising religious literacy: moving beyond religious partnerships

    5 Fulfilling the promise of GAD: addressing religion in gender analyses

    6 Tackling the taboo: transforming practitioners’ attitudes towards religion (and gender!)

    7 Changing the sector: enabling practitioners to drive internal change

    Concluding remarks

    Biography

    Nora Khalaf-Elledge is a gender and development practitioner and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Faith & Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. She specialises in the intersection of religion and gender within international development policy and practice. Since 2008, she has worked with international development organisations including the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), the German Development Agency (GIZ), the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI), Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), as well as the gender offices of multiple United Nations (UN) agencies. Nora holds a PhD in Gender, Religion and Development from the University of London, a Master’s in Gender and Development from IDS, and a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and Development from the University of Sussex.