Gender and rural transformation: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Rural transformation can improve poverty reduction, living standards, and health outcomes in developing countries. However, impacts associated with rural transformation vary by region, household, and individual trait (including gender). While research on rural transformation has been increasing over the last decade, there has been no comprehensive review conducted on the relationships between gender and rural transformation. Here, we conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the impacts of rural transformation on gender and the influence of gender inclusiveness on rural transformation. We reviewed 82 studies from 1960–2021 that explore the relationships between rural transformation and gender. We then developed a framework that captures incidences and flow directions between indicators. Results show that most studies examined the impacts of rural transformation on women and between gender indicators. Few investigated the role of women and the influence of gender inclusiveness on rural transformation. Overall, studies showed that rural transformation typically leads to positive outcomes for women regarding employment, income, and empowerment. However, negative impacts on women’s control over income, stability of new income sources, and access to healthy food are also common. Tailoring future development policies and programs to explicitly account for gender inclusiveness can lead to more successful rural transformation.

Keywords

• gender
• rural transformation
• structural transformation
• women’s empowerment