Women and Indigenous Knowledge : A South-South Perspective
The gendered nature of Indigenous Knowledge - IK - is often overlooked, marginalized or neglected. While the differences may tend to be more subtle in industrial countries, the same cannot be said of developing countries. Information, especially IK...
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2003/12/5494030/women-indigenous-knowledge-south-south-perspective http://hdl.handle.net/10986/10774 |
| Summary: | The gendered nature of Indigenous
Knowledge - IK - is often overlooked, marginalized or
neglected. While the differences may tend to be more subtle
in industrial countries, the same cannot be said of
developing countries. Information, especially IK-related
information, tends to be viewed, perceived, and acted upon
differently by the different genders. This note seeks to
provide an understanding of the role of gender, and the way
it impacts the intrinsic value of local knowledge systems,
critical to the understanding, interpretation, and
dissemination of indigenous knowledge. As a result of this
gender differentiation and specialization, the IK and skills
held by women, often differ from those held by men,
affecting patterns of access, use, and control, thus
resulting in different perceptions and priorities for the
innovation and use of IK. It also impacts the way in which
IK is disseminated, documented, and passed on to future
generations. In attempting to achieve cross-regional
exchange of women's IK, the Bank organized the
Indigenous Knowledge Program, a study tour to South Asia,
and the key to some success stories, as observed in the
region, resulted from having women involved in planning, and
implementation in projects at the grassroots level. The note
reviews aspects in traditional medicine, medicinal plants,
food security, as well as the level of information
communications technology, and early childhood development.
In this context, some adaptations concerning women were
found, namely, bottom-up approach; battling HIV/AIDS; and
innovations in early childhood development. |
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