Berkley Center

Many development and humanitarian organizations recognize the importance of focusing special attention on women and girls. Whether in the form of protection or empowerment, efforts to increase female access to education, employment, healthcare, and decision-making have repercussions not only for the individual, but also for her family and larger community. As many faith-inspired organizations also focus development projects on women and girls, there is a need to look at the extent of female empowerment in their activities as well as their organization.

Emily Nielsen Jones and Dr. Pamela Cochran explored the extent to which invisible gender norms within evangelical Christian humanitarian organizations may run counter to larger development goals. The roundtable event provided opportunity for small group discussion about the gender norms within religious traditions, families, and global development efforts. Lauve Steenhuisen, visiting assistant professor in theology and women's and gender studies at Georgetown, served as discussant.