Gender Perspectives in Development is a core course for the Bachelor of Arts in Governance and Development that equips students with theoretical and practical knowledge to analyze development processes through a gender lens. The course explores key gender concepts, including gender roles, gender equality, gender equity, and intersectionality, and examines how gender relations shape governance systems, policy outcomes, and access to resources.

The course critically analyzes the role of formal and informal institutions—including the state, family, market, and civil society—in constructing and reproducing gender inequalities. Emphasis is placed on gender-responsive governance, leadership, planning, budgeting, and accountability mechanisms in development practice. Students are introduced to gender analysis tools and frameworks used in development planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

The course also situates gender and development within global, regional, and national policy frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (with particular focus on SDG 5), human rights conventions, and African development agendas. Through case studies, group work, and applied assignments, students develop competencies to assess intra-household resource distribution, power relations, and economic empowerment initiatives, and to design basic gender training programs and gender-responsive development interventions.