An examination of the characteristics and evolution of both Home Economics (HE) and women in development focuses on pivotal issues at the intersection of these two fields. Data obtained from Denmark, the Caribbean, Africa, and the US show that HE was only for girls and focused on domestic work in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Africa and the Caribbean HE was aimed at training girls as domestic servants. In the last half of the 20th century HE welcomed, and sometimes even required, males to attend classes and the criteria was broadened to include health and consumer education. In many areas HE has improved standards of living and helped to address such important issues as teenage pregnancy, school dropout, and domestic violence.
"First let me congratulate UNESCO, UNICA and UWI for taking the initiative to host this Conference, and let me say how much I have enjoyed the enthusiastic advocacy for this field by Ms. Helene-Marie Gosselin of UNESCO. Her quarterly reports on Education and HIV/AIDS are a joy to read, both for substance and method of presentation. I also wish to congratulate Professor Kochhar and PVC Hamilton of the University of the West Indies for their work in organizing the conference...."
