Women and technology in the marginalized rural communities : case studies from Kwazulu-Natal.
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Date
2004
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Abstract
Generally, rural women have lesser access to technologies that are vital in progressing
with their tasks due to gender dimensions linked to patriarchy that were perpetuated by
apartheid, which promoted male migration and created female subordination. This
created invisibility of women's major role as food producers. Although South Africa is
democratic, rural households are still far behind in terms of development. Norms and
values in most traditional societies sideline women and increase the burden of work that
they normally have. Duties performed by rural women demand physical energy and is
generally time consuming Access to appropriate technologies might assist in reducing
energy and lime spent unwisely. Traditional norms encourage male superiority and sociocultural
barriers give women limited access to certain assets such as livestock, land,
credit and their decision making power is very little compared to male counterparts. This
has serious implications on women's lives because these aspects are most important in
meeting life challenges they face on a daily basis. Women's involvement in both
productive and reproductive tasks shows that they are concerned about the lives of their
families together with the community in which they live. They modify used objects in
order to produce subsistence. Surplus obtained from their yields plays a vital role in
generating income to sustain their livelihoods. Access to technologies might reduce time
spent on reproductive tasks and diverted to produce more. This study is intended to
contribute to a greater understanding and the recognition of the linkages between
women's roles, responsibilities, knowledge and their participation in rural economic
development, particularly looking at their use of technology. A critical concern raised in
this study is whether women's knowledge of and experience with technology are
adequately incorporated in development debates and initiatives, especially in an
environment where the decision-makers tend to he male. The main findings of the study
are that rural women utilize a range of technologies, they are involved in innovating and
adapting technologies and they experience a variety of problems in relation to accessing,
maintaining and using technologies at the household and community levels.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.
Keywords
Women in technology., Technology--Sex differences., Women--Technological innovations., Theses--Environmental science.