What is the role of women in fostering development? Discuss the influence of gender on household expenditure, human capital and policymaking.

(word limit : 1500)

Women paly an immense role in development, be it physical, moral or emotional development. Their role in eradicating hunger and poverty and development and current challenges is becoming very crucial (EGM, 2011) as is evident from the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2012, who prioritized their theme on these key areas. They contribute in a multitude of ways to ensure their family and society is brought out of poverty. Many of the activities performed by the rural women are not identified as “economically active employment” in the national accounts but are important and essential for their households (FAO, 2011).
They constitute a major share of labor on the family farms (UNIFEM, 2005). Prominent gender inequalities often keep then from enjoying their social and economic rights. Access to decent work, which they could use in turn to leverage upon to improve their socio-economic condition, is limited too for them (FAO/IFAD/ILO, 2010b).
As a result of this a huge social and economic cost is imposed on the society and it also tends to impede the process of rural development with problems that include lags in agricultural produce (EGM, 2011).
They play an important role in translating the agricultural produce into food and nutrition security and also for the well being of their families and the society. Considerable amount of evidence points out that if women have an income they are more likely to spend that on food and children’s requirements (World Bank/FAO/IFDA, 2008). They however, mostly work as self-employed, usually in low paying work or as an unpaid family-worker (ILO, 2008). Furthermore, their time to engage in waged employed options is limited compared to that of