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Gender and development Gender and Development approach focus on the socially constructed basis of differences between men and women and the need to challenge existing gender roles and relations. This approach was majorly influenced by writing of academic scholars such as Oakley (1972) and Rubin (1975) which emphasize the social relationship between men and women. These relationships they argue have systematically subordinated women. This departs from WID which perceived women problem in terms of their biological differences rather than gender. Influenced by this work, by the late 1970s, some practitioners working in the development field stated questioning the adequacy of focusing on women in isolation. GAD challenged the WID focus on women as important ‘target group’ and ‘untapped resources’ for development. GID marked a shift in thinking about the need to understand how women and men are socially constructed and how ‘those constructions are powerfully reinforced by the social activities that both define and are defined by them.’ GAD focus primarily on gender division of labor and gender as a relation of power embedded in institutions. Consequently, two major frameworks ‘Gender roles’ and ‘social relations analysis’ are used in this approach. Gender role focus on social construction of identities within the household, it also reveals the expectations from ‘maleness and femaleness’ in their relative access to resources. Social relations analysis exposes the social dimensions of hierarchical power relations imbedded in social institutions; also its determining influence on ‘the relative position of men and women in society.’ This relative position tends to discriminate against women.

In an attempt to create gender equality, (denoting women having same opportunities as men, including ability to participate in the public sphere; GAD policies aims to redefine traditional gender role expectations. Women are expected to fulfill household management tasks, home based production as well as bearing and raising children and caring for family members. The role of a wife is largely interpreted as 'the responsibilities of motherhood' Men however, are expected to be breadwinners whom are associated with paid work, and market production. In the labor market, women’s overall financial related payment tend to be lower usually earning less.For instance, 'a study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission found massive pay inequities in some United Kingdom’s top finance companies,women received around 80% less performance-related pay than their male colleagues.' In reaction to inequalities between gender, Beijing Platform for Action established Gender mainstreaming in 1995 as a strategy across all policy areas at all levels of governance for achieving gender equality.

Gender and Development approach has been subjected to many criticisms. GID perspective is theoretical distinct from WID, but in practice, a program seem to have the element of the two. Whilst many development agencies are now committed to a gender approach, in practice, the primary institutional perspective remains as WID. There is a slippage in reality where gender mainstreaming is often based in a single normative perspective as synonymous to women. Development agencies still advance gender transformation to mean economic betterment for women.