Gender and the Development Agenda: female agency and overseas development, 1964-2018. Helen Ette | [email protected] | 160212420 | BA History | Supervisor: Dr Martin Farr

Introduction Development: a token department for token women? Mainstreaming Women’s Rights With 2018 marking the centenary of the Representation of Discussion of Gender and International Development Judith Hart: ‘When I first went to the House of Commons, 100 the People Act 1918, the history of women in British politics 90 women were expected to concern themselves only with welfare 80 has been of particular public interest. Despite their 70 matters. The breakthrough into economics and foreign affairs 60 presence since its 1964 creation, the influence and 50 has only occurred during my time.’ 40 30 experience of women in the Department for International Press Releases on India visit July 1977, HART 07/02 Hart Papers, People’s History 20 10 Museum, Manchester. 0 Development (DFID) lacks scholarly attention. My project 1997 2000 2005 2010 2015 2018 provides a novel perspective to contemporary themes of Number of references to ‘women and girls’ and ‘international development’ in the House of Commons since the creation of DFID gender, diversity, and political agency. Valerie Amos: ‘I don’t consider development per se to be a • Millennium Development Goal Three, 2000-2015 feminine or feminist subject if you look at the elements of it …. • International Development (Gender Equality) Act, 2014 History of Female Cabinet Members since 1929 I know that there are notions around philanthropy … and that • Sustainable Development Goal Five, 2016-2030 women warped issues around concerns about family, women, Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Changing language of women’s rights Leader of the House of Commons and girls, but I think it would be very simplistic to talk about Leader of the development as a ‘female’ subject.’ ‘Family planning’ & ‘population control’  ‘poverty reduction’ Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Interview by Helen Ette, 7 September 2018. & ‘women’s education’  ‘empowerment’ & ‘gender equality’

Work and Pensions International Development Limits to Development, 1964-1997 Education • Cold War concerns: development as ‘soft power’ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 number of female leaders • Domestic economic benefits: Aid and Trade Provision #HerPotentialOurFuture *all other cabinet offices with a history of female ministers had a total of three or less women leading the department • Popular racial attitudes Contemporary relevance: Has the issue of women’s rights become internationalised? ‘COW! … It’s cheap cows like you Sexual Exploitation Scandal Key considerations that let the nation down.’ • #MeToo influencing revelations • Has DFID and its predecessors provided an avenue for ‘This slag kisses niggers’ and reaction women to exercise political agency? Public correspondence to Castle, December 1964, MS • Response – gender equality in • Have women’s rights become established in the 261, Castle Papers, Bodleian Library, Oxford. aid sectors and donor countries development agenda? “… Babs seems such a hit with Africans, it’s a pity we didn’t drop her on the Congo to pacify the rebels.” Reactions to meeting between Castle and Malawian PM, Michael Cummings, Daily Express, 18 December 1964. Hastings Banda, Dec. 1964 Conclusion Ministry of Overseas Development Towards greater consensus, 1997-2018 • Movement from welfare-based ‘female’ subjects - created 1964 • C20 Conservative gov.: institutional itineracy • Increased prominence since 1997 creation of DFID - appointed as first minister • Conservative commitment to 0.7% GNI on aid: • Reciprocal relationship between women’s rights in the Department for International Development - 2010 Manifesto domestic and their place on the development agenda - Tony Blair created 1997 - International Development (Official - appointed as first minister Development Assistance Target) Act, 2015 Next steps: Interviews with Baroness Chalker and

Barbara Castle: Judith Hart: : Clare Short: Valerie Amos: Justine Greening: : Cabinet Minister, 1964-65 Minister, 1969-70; 1974-75; 1977-79 Minister, 1989-1997 Cabinet Minister, 1997-2003 Cabinet Minister, 2003 Cabinet Minister, 2012-16 Cabinet Minister, 2016-17 Cabinet Minister, 2017-