Marie Michael Library

Faith-based organizations and service delivery: Some gender conundrums

Tadros, Mariz

This report is concerned with faith-based organizations (FBOs) delivering services and issues that arise as a result.  The first issue is the difficulty in determining the nature of an FBO's gender agenda. The second issue is the way in which some FBOs provide women with a range of activities while limiting the ways in which they may exercise their skills. The third issue is concerned with the fact that while many FBOs may be working at the grassroots level, this does not mean that they all grow from within the community. The fourth point addresses the issues women face when the extension of services and assistance is conditional on their conforming to the FBOs' gender roles and behavior. The paper cautions when developing policy recommendations applicable to all faith-based actors engaged in service delivery.