Women and employment in the third world : the implications of a Lesotho case study for development theory and practice

Abstract

Feminist inquiry has supported paid employment for women as an advancement from their economic dependence on men. Recent studies have questioned this, as employment does not always bring economic independence, or other advancements in status. Mainstream development practice (the World Bank) stresses export oriented industrialization, which often employs women, and entrepreneurship for employment creation. Thus it is crucial to understand the effects of employment on women.

The women employed benefit in practical ways, but their strategic, long term needs are weakly promoted. The World Bank model of entrepreneurship for Lesotho is untenable, as it does not address Lesotho's dependence on South Africa. For the advancement of women, the development of capitalist businesses, even if they employ women, is a limited strategy. New models of radical structural change are needed. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)