Gender analysis thus takes into account women's roles in production, reproduction, and management of community and other activities. Changes in one may produce beneficial or detrimental effects in others. Return to top Key Concepts Practical gender needs. These relate to women's traditional gender roles and responsibilities and are derived from their concrete life experiences. For example, when asked what they need, women usually focus on immediate practical needs for food, water, shelter, health, and so on.
Strategic gender needs.
These generally address issues of equity and empowerment of women. The focus is on systemic factors that discriminate against women. Strategic gender needs are less easily identified than practical gender needs, but addressing these needs can be instrumental in moving toward equity and empowerment. The household is a system of resource allocation. It is important to understand the social organization of these larger networks and the gender differences in roles, functions, and access.