SNSF/SDC scheme: No. 1270-059596
"Local Social Security and Gender in India and Burkina Faso"

Abstract of the research project (July 2000 - June 2003)
Our project deals with the innovative issue of local social security, i. e. activities to overcome insecurities concerning basic needs, particularly food, shelter and care, by members of the household, family and community in the Indian state of Kerala and in Burkina Faso in West Africa. Social security has been investigated mainly in western societies, from a governmental perspective and withouth explicit consideration of the dimension of gender. Considering the increasing economic difficulties related to globalization and demographic changes of a growing proportion of aged people, particularly women, in many developing countries, the issue of social security and gender becomes more and more important.
A comparison between local social security in Kerala and Burkina Faso is of particular interest because of similar economic problems such as high unemployment rates, but different governmental and kinship structures. In our research in these societies we depart from a similar conceptional background (theoretical approach, research questions, hypothesis, methods), and we look at both rural and urban contexts.
Our research questions are: How supportive are existing networks of social security (provided by kin, local community, and the state) in cases of deprivation, and why? What kind of strategies do actors, especially female and male actors, pursue to prevent a decline in living standards? What concepts of social security, gender, and other relevant categories (e. g. family, kinship, community, state) do these actors have? And what impact do structural and historical factors have on both social practices and cultural concepts? To answer these questions we analyze social relationships and identities as well as institutions at the level of family and kinship, local community, and the state. Thereby we use current approaches of agency, social processes and structures in anthropology, sociology, and development studies.
We are a research team of four female scholars, two partners from the North, anthropologists from Switzerland, and two partners from the South, a sociologist from India and a sociologist from Burkina Faso. Each of us has research experience in Asia or in Africa. Through this kind of North-South partnership we also aim to build research capacity by an intensive cooperation in our research work, and by conducting yearly workshops, to discuss the results within the research team together with experts, as well as a final international conference (in cooperation with the Swiss Society of African Studies (SAG–SSEA)).
Generally, the objective of our research is generating new insights into the local conditions of social security in Kerala and Burkina Faso with a special focus on gender. This may also provide a base for new perspectives in development efforts.

Abstract of results of the first year of research (July 2000 – June 2001)
Both in the context of Kerala, India, and of Burkina Faso marriage and family are perceived as retreats of security. In reality, however, they are ambivalent institutions as far as the social support of its members concerns, particularly among the poor population. The reasons are an accumulation of critical events in later phases of the developmental cycle of the domestic group (e.g. marriage ceremonies of children and illness of parents) on the one hand, and a drain of household ressources or a lacking contribution by members who neglect the norms of familial responsibility and solidarity, often males, on the other hand.
In general, in Kerala notions of solidarity are not homogeneous, with different ideas even within the same caste and gender category in the urban context. In practice, there is a stronger reliance on interpersonal relationships (kinship, friendship, patronage) than on local organizations and on the state for social security, although systems of public provision are rather well developed. In Burkina Faso there is a clear notion of "African solidarity", but the scale of the available ressources determines whether social security is guaranteed, or whether marginalization is operative. Kinship is most important for social support. Provisions by local organizations and the state can harldy be claimed, because in this context they are only available to a minimal extent.

More Information can be found here: http://www.northsouth.ch/