Gender Realities - Identities, Inclusion and Development

About the Course

Gender is among the most powerful forces that shape individual experiences, identities, and social behaviours in everyday life. Understanding gender as a social construction necessarily underpins any meaningful engagement with questions of equity, inclusion, and justice in development processes. The Constitution of India guarantees equality and non-discrimination, yet gender continues to influence access to opportunity, decision-making spaces, and development outcomes. Understanding gender, therefore, becomes important for recognizing and addressing systemic imbalances that touch the lives of individuals in various contexts and institutions.

The course aims to build a comprehensive understanding of the core topics related to gender. It builds upon the foundational concepts of sex and gender and explores the influence of patriarchy in shaping and perpetuating gender inequality. This knowledge on patriarchy is essential to understand the other related concepts of sexuality, intersectionality, division of labour, which collectively shape experiences of inequality in different spheres of life.

This course will foster sensitivity, build awareness and reflection, to promote equality and gender justice.

The course emphasises:

• Understanding key concepts related to gender, patriarchy, and intersectionality in social and developmental contexts.
• Developing critical perspectives to analyse how gender shapes access, opportunities, and participation across institutions.
• Building reflective and analytical skills to challenge biases, promote inclusion, and contribute to gender-just development practices.

Objectives of the Course

• Understand the difference between biological sex and gender, and recognize how everyday gender shapes identities, roles, and behaviours.
• Recognize how patriarchy, stereotypes, and social institutions shape identities, influence access, participation, and opportunities.
• Explore gender and sexuality acknowledging different gender identities.
• Analyze how gender intersects with other social categories.
• Develop understanding about gender roles, unpaid work, and systemic participation.

Who is this Course for?

This course is designed for students, teachers, grassroot functionaries, researchers, academicians, consultants, development professionals, CSR managers and anyone who is interested in understanding gender as a social construct and how it shapes individual experiences and societal structures, which can lead to inequalities in different spheres of life.

Learning Approach

The course is structured into multiple sections, providing learners with a comprehensive understanding of key concepts through interactive and engaging modes of learning, including text, videos, audios, case studies, graphics, assignments, and additional reading materials. It is advised that you complete this course in a quiet environment, to enhance your learning and given that the material in the course might be sensitive in nature. Additionally, a stable and high-speed internet connection is essential to ensure smooth access to all course content.

You will have two weeks to complete the entire course, from the date of signing-up and receiving your login details. You can save your progress at any point and come back to the course within this two-week period. You can use different devices to complete the course, such as laptops/ desktops, smartphones and tablets.

Upon successful completion, including completing all assignments, learners will receive a certificate.

People Behind the Course