Reality Check Nation Mothers On a Mission (Mama bear effect)

Women set the temperature of society, culture, community, and homes The role of women in community development can be crucial to the health of a society. According to some sociologists, women make many of the decisions that determine a household's participation in the community, including healthcare, educational, and cultural decisions. In many families, women often decide where the family will shop, what schools and activities children will attend, and the extent to which the family will participate in community events. As a powerful decision-making force, women are often well acquainted with the pros and cons of their community, and may be in a good position to analyze how best to improve society. As members of community development organizations such as outreach programs, parent-teacher associations, cultural societies, and city planning boards, women can use the knowledge they garner from household decisions to make a substantive contribution to the future of their city or town. Some sociologists also claim that the way women process information, prioritize, and plan, may be highly beneficial to community development. In general, women may be likely to consider community development as a holistic process, in which the goal is the improvement of society for everyone. Furthermore, some studies suggest that many women work better as collaborators and teammates, making them ideal candidates for community organizations in which decisions must be made together. While these tendencies are far from universal, increasing the role of women in community development can lead to more cooperative organizations that seek to improve life for all citizens.