Question 1

The creation of reserved seats (in parliament)for women sometimes creates a "glass ceiling," which makes it hard for women to win regular parliamentary elections.

Accepted Answer

Creating reserved seats for women can lead to the perception that women can only attain political representation through these seats and not through regular elections, creating a barrier to their advancement in politics. This is commonly referred to as a "glass ceiling."

Question 2

Gender quotas for parliamentary candidates

Accepted Answer

Gender quotas for parliamentary candidates may be required by a party's own rules or may be legally mandated for all parties. This means that a political party may choose to voluntarily adopt gender quotas for their candidate selection process, or it may be required by law for all parties to have a certain percentage of female candidates. This option is more flexible and adaptable to different political contexts.

Question 3

One reason why so many farmers in Africa and Asia are women is that their husbands have often left for urban areas or even gone overseas to find work.

Accepted Answer

Many men from rural areas in Africa and Asia migrate to urban areas or overseas in search of employment opportunities, leaving the women behind to take care of farming and household chores. This often results in women taking on the role of primary agricultural producers.

Question 4

In a number of Islamic nations it is extremely hard for a woman to prove she was raped and,in fact,rape victims are sometimes charged with adultery.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. In some conservative Islamic societies, the burden of proving rape is on the victim and in some cases, rape victims are even charged with adultery or fornication. This is due to strict interpretations of Islamic law and societal norms that place a high value on female virginity and chastity.

Question 5

Women who hold reserved seats in parliament

Accepted Answer

Reserved seats for women in parliament are often filled through appointments by higher authorities such as a king or president, rather than through direct elections open to all candidates. This system is designed to ensure a minimum level of female representation in legislative bodies.

Question 6

In the recent pro-democracy demonstrations in the Arab world (the Arab Spring)

Accepted Answer

Many women participated in the pro-democracy demonstrations and saw it as an opportunity to fight for their rights and challenge the patriarchal society. Women played important roles in the Arab Spring, from leading protests to creating social media campaigns and advocating for reforms. While there were some instances of women being excluded or facing harassment, their mobilization and activism were significant and showed a determination to not revert to the previous status quo.

Question 7

While a number of women have become presidents or prime minister of Asian nations,almost all of them have been the wives of previous government leaders who vigorously campaigned for them.

Accepted Answer

Several women who have become presidents or prime ministers in Asian countries have achieved these positions through their own political careers and merits, not solely because they were the wives of previous leaders. Examples include Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi of India, and Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, who all had significant political careers and influence in their own right, although some did have familial political connections.

Question 8

Introducing gender-based quota systems for parliamentary elections has been a major cause of the growing percentage of women in parliament.

Accepted Answer

Gender-based quota systems have been implemented in many countries and have resulted in an increase in the percentage of women in parliament. These systems require a certain percentage of candidates or elected officials to be women, which helps to address the gender imbalance in politics.

Question 9

Female United Nations peacekeepers

Accepted Answer

Female UN peacekeepers are particularly valuable in areas where there have been instances of sexual violence, such as widespread rape, because their presence can help in engaging with survivors and communities in ways that male peacekeepers might not be able to.

Question 10

So-called "honor killings" are directed by a woman's male relatives against men who have "dishonored her," as,for example,a man who returns a woman's dowry and announces he no longer wants to marry her.

Accepted Answer

Honor killings are directed against women, not men. It is a form of violence in which men murder female relatives who are perceived to have brought shame or dishonor to the family.

Question 11

Using measures of women's empowerment (GEM)as well as measures of gender equality in education and life expectancy (GDI),democratic (Free)Third World governments performed better on these measures than authoritarian governments did.

Accepted Answer

The statement correctly states that Third World governments that are democratic (Free) performed better on measures of women's empowerment (GEM) and gender equality in education and life expectancy (GDI) compared to authoritarian governments.

Question 12

When women have been able to head Third World governments,their administrations have usually made significant gains in women's status and social conditions.

Accepted Answer

While there have been instances where women leaders have made progress in improving women's status and social conditions, this is not universally true. The impact of women leaders on women's status and social conditions varies greatly depending on the leader's policies, priorities, and the socio-political context of their country. Some women leaders have indeed made significant gains, but others have not prioritized or achieved substantial improvements in these areas.

Question 13

Because of the growing availability of legal jobs,fewer Asian women have had to turn to prostitution in recent decades.

Accepted Answer

Despite the growing availability of legal jobs, many Asian women still turn to prostitution due to factors like poverty, lack of education, and limited job opportunities in their home countries, which outweigh the impact of increased legal job availability.

Question 14

The gaps between male and female adult literacy rates are greatest in South Asia and the Arab world.

Accepted Answer

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, as of 2018, the gaps between male and female adult literacy rates are greatest in South Asia and the Arab world. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 15

Which one of the following statements about the place of women in revolutionary regimes is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

Revolutionary governments have not had remarkable success in changing male chauvinist attitudes in society. Despite rhetoric stressing gender equality, women still face many barriers in accessing equal rights and opportunities. While some revolutionary governments have made efforts to promote women's participation in politics and the workforce, progress towards gender equality remains limited.

Question 16

When women's advocates criticize the "double day" they are referring to the fact that,to stay afloat in the current Third World economic crisis,both the husband and the wife in poor families need to work.

Accepted Answer

The term "double day" refers to the phenomenon where women, especially in poor families, have to work a paid job outside the home and then come home to perform unpaid domestic labor, essentially working two shifts.

Question 17

Africa has the lowest percentage of female members of parliament of any developing region,yet it has had the largest number of women heads of government or heads of state.

Accepted Answer

While Africa does have a relatively low percentage of female members of parliament compared to some regions, it does not have the lowest; regions like the Middle East and North Asia often have lower percentages. Additionally, while Africa has had notable female leaders, other regions, such as Europe and Asia, have also had significant numbers of women heads of government or state.

Question 18

To the surprise of academic specialists,modernization has actually brought about a short-term decline in the percentage of women in Third World parliaments.

Accepted Answer

Modernization theory suggests that as societies develop, they become more inclusive and democratic, which would theoretically increase the representation of women in political institutions, including parliaments. However, the relationship between modernization and women's political representation is complex and can vary by region and cultural context.

Question 19

In the Gulf States of Saudi Arabia and Qatar,women are prohibited from attending university.

Accepted Answer

This is false. Women are not prohibited from attending university in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In fact, both countries have made efforts to increase access to education for women in recent years. However, there may still be some cultural barriers and gender discrimination that could affect women's participation in higher education.

Question 20

GEM stands for "Gender Empowerment Measure."

Accepted Answer

The Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) is an index developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure gender equality and women's empowerment.

Quiz 5: Women and Development