The welfare activities by women's voluntary groups in the British colonies during 1940s and 50s

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25871013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: History of Europe and America; Gender
• Research Institution: Shigakukan University
• Principal Investigator: Okamoto Hiromi (溝上宏美) 志學館大学, 人間関係学部, 准教授 (10464215)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: イギリス帝国 / 植民地 / 社会福祉政策 / 婦人会 / コミュニティ・デヴェロップメント / 脱植民地化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

After the Second World War, the British Colonial Office deepened its involvement in social welfare in the Colonies, in close cooperation with non-state actors; voluntary groups and universities. Based on historical documents held by the Women's Library and the UK National Archives, this study explored the details of Colonial social welfare policy and the activities by non-state actors, especially the National Federation of Women's Institutes. From 1945 to 1954, the Colonial Office social welfare policy went through its particular formative process, with increased priority given to Community Development. This resulted in official focus on native women, which led to the formation of special working group (in 1950) and sub-committee on women's activities in colonies. Activities of the NFWI during the 1950s reflected this official social welfare policy. Indeed, in 1952, the NFWI succeeded in founding a Women's Institutes in Malaya. This experience widened the NFWI's overs activities.

Free Research Field

イギリス現代史