MODERNIZATION AND WOMEN

Modernization refers to the transition of societies from agricultural days to hi-tech world of today where technology and knowledge have replaced manual labor. Modernization has brought many benefits to the western countries especially to the status and condition of women in wealthier nations. women who were once kept out of the workforce have now become an integral part of it and have reshaped the demographic make-up of western workforce. With more job opportunities, they have also seen a significant improvement in their living standard, education, power, social and financial status and their overall worth. on the other hand, modernization, which should have also proved beneficial to the third world countries, has not been able to deliver its pr

Most of the women in third world countries were contribution "to theirhouseholds as primary subsistence farmers, producing crops for theirfamilies" (Bonvillain, 192). they were in an already 'ready and fit' mode and thus as soon astechnology took over and more brains were needed, women jumped in andcashed in on the new demand for intelligent workforce. they were not ready for change and in fact were playingthe role of equal economic contributors before modernization stepped in. for one, third world countries didnot have enough resources to modernize all their sectors so technology isstill in its infancy in these countries. Hence, "as a result,women's work receives less financial reward and consequently less socialvalue" (Bonvillain, 196). However with more technology coming in and with modernization agriculture,women were no longer needed and they lost "their important economic andsocial roles as subsistence food producers" (Bonvillain, 193). so when modernization came and changed the face of the world,women benefited since they were ready for the change and were willing toaccept it. This means that lack of education and poor access toeducational facilities are still very much a major problem in the thirdworld countries. Most of them were illiterateand many still are. In wealthier nations, women had been given equal access to education a longtime ago. secondly, even where modernization has been introduced, it has only resulted in even lower living standardfor many people especially women of these countries. However to be able to make use of new technology, womenneed new and better skills which education and vocational training canprovide that most women are unable to readily receive in poorer countries. Because ofmodernization, third world women suffered the most since no alternativeeconomic path was open to them and other sectors had not improved as muchas economic sectors.