Gender and tropical diseases: A new research focus

This paper examines the underlying assumptions that have led to a lack of attention to women's health, particularly in developing countries, beyond the context of their reproductive roles. It is argued that the peculiar nature of women' responsibilities both in economic production and within the family, may have a profound impact on the extent to which they are affected by tropical diseases and their responses to disease. It is suggested that the gender relations of health are of considerable significance in explaining the differential consequences of tropical disease on women, men and children. The paper proposes a framework for gender-sensitive research on this topic and suggests some new directions for research.women health tropical diseases gender research

How Islam influences women’s paid non-farm employment: evidence from 26 Indonesian and 37 Nigerian provinces

Studies on women’s employment in Muslim countries often mention Islam, but its influence is undertheorized and tests simply compare ‘Muslim’ women and areas to ‘non-Muslim’ women and areas. Here, multilevel analyses of Indonesia and Nigeria show this focus is not tenable: non-farm employment of Muslim women is not consistently lower than that of non-Muslim women, nor is it lower in Muslim-dominated provinces than in other provinces. A new theoretical frame conceptualizes religion’s influence in terms message and messenger. It is shown how different manifestations of Islam influence women’s non-farm employment, inside and outside the home. Empirically, the ideological strand of Islam is more important than differences between Islam and Christianity. In addition, when a conservative Islam is codified through Shari’a-based law women’s employment outside the home seems to be lower, but the presence of Islamic political parties seems to foster women’s access to the labor market through their focus on support for the poor