Saving the Second Sex or How Aid Fails Women: A Conversation with William Easterly

[maenads_dance]

This is an interview with William Easterly from the Gender Across Borders blog.

You talk about the concept of paternalism in global development. I’m curious what the concept of feminism means to you, and what relevance it has for understanding global development.I think it has tremendous relevance in two dimensions: paternalism and equal rights.

Comments

[object_sleep]

I don't know much about world aid organizations, and have focused mostly on local groups like FNB and the city animal shelter. It's partially a trust thing; you hear so much about how the money that you give to a lot of charities doesn't go towards its intended purpose. It's mostly a financial thing, for myself, in that there isn't extra money at the end of the week to donate to the greater good.

The article was interesting, and I feel that theoretically the author makes a good point about paternalism. However, when it comes to upward mobility, many woman across the globe don't have that advantage (and a lot of men, too, but somehow it seems that men still have the advantage over women, even in the poorest of circumstances). So I guess that while it is condescending, its still a good thing, and not something to be critiqued as a "white knight syndrome". If rich white dudes wanna spend their money helping poor women and children in both a national and global context, more power to them. Who cares if its motivated by altruism or guilt

[seasontoseason]

because you can't just throw money at a problem. Well, you can, but oftentimes it only makes things worse. I definitely think it (the paternalism) affects how aid is given, beyond affecting just how much is given. so it really does matter what the motivation is.

[object_sleep]

I can agree with this partly, but I don't think that the problem rests with those donating. The motivation to give aid shouldn't matter, but how its distributed should.

If the money is just going to go to supply things like short term food supplies and medication, I see this as being paternalistic in nature, and not sustainable.

If the money were going to help teach skill building, educational funding without a religious bent, long term programs designed to enable women and children to help themselves out of dire situations, it shouldn't matter what the motivation of the donation is. But in that, the onus is on the organizations responsible for distribution.

[jiaren_shadow]

Though if long-term aid is given to install non-native educators/health workers/whatnot to teach the poor Third World wimminz how to do things, I think that's even more paternalistic than throwing down some cash for polio vaccines and some sacks of rice. I'd want aid to go to training and compensating local educators and health workers so the whole thing doesn't collapse when the white high school students leave to go home and write admissions essays on how they touched the lives of so many brown people.

[dreammeanyway]

Per your question- look at womenslaw.org which is affiliated with the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Also RAINN.org has a lot of resources.

[ceasetoknow]

Most of the ones I remember giving to are local charities. The main one I support is AYME, because I've benefited a lot from it personally and know how much good it does (and you've just reminded me I needed to fill out a volunteer form, thanks!). Others St. Anne's Hospice, and the local shelter when I got my dog.