Editing Gender studies (section)

===Gender in Asia and Polynesia===
{{See also|Women in Asia}}

Certain issues associated with gender in [[Eastern Asia]] and the [[Pacific Region]] are more complex and depend on location and context. For example, in [[China]], [[Vietnam]], [[Thailand]], [[Philippines]] and [[Indonesia]], a heavy importance of what defines a woman comes from the workforce. In these countries, "gender related challenges tend to be related to economic empowerment, employment, and workplace issues, for example related to informal sector workers, feminization of migration flows, work place conditions, and long term social security".<ref name="auto">The World Bank. [http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/EXTEAPREGTOPSOCDEV/0,,contentMDK:20327365~menuPK:502969~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:502940,00.html "Gender in East Asia and Pacific"], Social Development. The World Bank, 2013. Web. March 2015.</ref> However, in countries who are less economically stable, such as [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Timor Leste]], [[Laos]], [[Cambodia]], and some provinces in more remote locations, "women tend to bear the cost of social and domestic conflicts and natural disasters".<ref name="auto"/>

Places such as India and Polynesia have widely identified third-gender categories. For example, the [[Hijra (South Asia)|hijra]]/kinnar/kinner people of India are often regarded as being a third-gender. Hijra is often considered an offensive term, so the terms kinnar & kinner are often used for these individuals. In places such as India and Pakistan, these individuals face higher rates of HIV infection, depression, and homelessness.<ref>{{cite book |last=Talwar |first=Rajesh |author-link= |date= 1999 |title= The Third Sex and Human Rights |url= |location= |publisher= Library of Congress - New Delhi Field Office |page= |isbn= 8121206421}}</ref> Polynesian languages are also consistent with the idea of a third-gender or non-binary gender. The Samoan term ''[[fa'afafine]]'', meaning "in the manner of a woman", is used to refer to a third-gender/non-binary role in society. These sexualities are expressed across a spectrum, although some literature has suggested that ''fa'afafine'' individuals do not form sexual relations with one another.<ref>{{cite journal | url = https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16909317/ | journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior | title = A retrospective study of childhood gender-atypical behavior in Samoan fa'afafine| year = 2006 | pmid = 16909317 | last1 = Bartlett | first1 = N. H. | last2 = Vasey | first2 = P. L. | volume = 35 | issue = 6 | pages = 659–666 | doi = 10.1007/s10508-006-9055-1 | s2cid = 22812712 }}</ref>

One issue that remains consistent throughout all provinces in different stages of development is women having a weak voice when it comes to decision-making. One of the reasons for this is the "growing trend to decentralization [which] has moved decision-making down to levels at which women's voice is often weakest and where even the women's civil society movement, which has been a powerful advocate at national level, struggles to organize and be heard".<ref name="auto"/>

East Asia Pacific's approach to help mainstream these issues of gender relies on a three-pillar method.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/EXTEAPREGTOPSOCDEV/0,,contentMDK:20327365~menuPK:502969~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:502940,00.html#EAP_approach | website = The World Bank | title = Gender in East Asia and Pacific}}</ref> Pillar one is partnering with middle-income countries and emerging middle-income countries to sustain and share gains in growth and prosperity. Pillar two supports the developmental underpinnings for peace, renewed growth and poverty reduction in the poorest and most fragile areas. The final pillar provides a stage for knowledge management, exchange and dissemination on gender responsive development within the region to begin. These programs have already been established, and successful in, [[Vietnam]], [[Thailand]], [[China]], as well as the [[Philippines]], and efforts are starting to be made in [[Laos]], [[Papua New Guinea]], and [[Timor Leste]] as well. These pillars speak to the importance of showcasing gender studies.<ref name="auto"/>