North America's Savior Approach To Development

Too often development efforts portray non-Western women as victims and subjects of vulnerability whom need ‘saving’. This paper addresses the ‘savior’ approach to development to demonstrate how North America has created false images of women in developing areas. Like wise, it explores the role of power/knowledge hierarchies, development discourse and NGOs role in the process. Development discourse and institutions tend to marginalize and disempower the Third World ‘other’. How could one resist that there is a way to ‘end poverty for women’ or ‘ensure access to education for young girls?’ The strength of development discourse comes from its power to seduce, to attract, and to please, but also to abuse, and to deceive (Peet, 1999). Development
An example of this idea is North America’s view of Muslim women covering themselves. The assumption is Muslim women are ‘forced’ to cover themselves with a hijab. Although in some countries this is true, the assumption groups all Muslim women as one entity, oppressed. In reality, many Muslim women wear the hijab willingly and confidently. The hijab is simply a woman's assertion that judgment of her physical person is to play no role whatsoever in social interaction and has also been used as a political
If NGOs trust incorrect, generalizing image of “Third World women”, the solutions they promote for development will be inadequate. This is not only problematic for the women the NGOs are assisting, but also to the viewers around the world coming across the NGOs material who become manipulated by a distorted image of women ́s situation in the “Third World”. Continuously NGOs represent women as mothers and nurturers. Photos appear where they are shown with an infant or child who is often malnourished and suffering. Such women, usually very young mothers have sad eyes and helpless expressions. They are also found waiting for food or medical aid (Mohanty, 1986). These representations indorse the argument that mothers are ideal victims. Women come across as the most vulnerable face of disaster, which develops their ‘suitability’ for help. The excessive propaganda portrayed by these organizations disempowers women to act as their own agents of change and makes them believe they need external assistance to better their