The Reality of Gender Mainstreaming

Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 2011

Despite initial optimism, gender mainstreaming often turns into a formalistic exercise whilst losing sight of its broader goal of promoting gender equality. This article suggests that a problem is gender mainstreaming's largely undefined goal, combined with a rational logic underpinning its implementation. We apply a typology distinguishing substantive, procedural, and combined gendermainstreaming initiatives to analyze Belgian gender-mainstreaming policies since 1995. Our findings suggest an evolution from more procedural to more combined mainstreaming policies. The rationalist perception underlying gender mainstreaming, in combination with the absence of a gender equality policy objective, turns gender mainstreaming into a formal exercise.

GENDER MAINSTREAMING COMPLETE NOTES 3. 1 Define and explain gender mainstreaming in social work practice 3.2 Identify global trends and mandates in gender main streaming 3.3 Apply theories of feminism in gender mainstreaming approaches in social work 3.4 Identify challenges faced by society and social workers in embracing gender mainstreaming 3.5 Evaluate and analyse local policies and strategies implemented to foster gender mainstreaming in social work practice in Zimbabwe 4.0 CONTENT 4.1 Conceptual framework 4.1.1 Conceptualising gender mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is an international phenomenon, originating in development policies, and adopted by the UN at the 1995 conference on women in Beijing, before being taken up by the European Union (EU) and then its Member States. Gender mainstreaming is conceptualised as a 'cross cutting socio-cultural variable' and requires integration throughout all areas of development including ' policy development, research, advocacy, development, implementation and monitoring of projects.' (1997/2). Importantly it emphasises that gender mainstreaming should 'not replace the need for targeted, women specific policies and programmes or positive legislation, nor does it substitute for gender units or focal points' (1997/2). Instead gender mainstreaming should be implemented in conjunction with targeted women initiatives and initiatives that encourage male support for gender equality. Important distinctions are also made between gender mainstreaming and empowerment whereby neither initiative nor strategy should be used instead of another. Empowerment is explained as a process of change with gender mainstreaming acting as a facilitator of this process (UN Women). Nevertheless, many of these examples of gender mainstreaming have been criticised of merely implementing a WID approach, where programmes seek to include women, not transform gender relations (Chant and Gutmann, 2005). Kate Young describes how the term gender is often used synonymously with women/woman (Young, 2002, quoted in Momsen, 2008). This means that, while programmes to involve women are important endeavours, they often ignore greater gender inequalities and the status quo remains unchanged. 4.1.2 DEFINING GENDER MAINSTREAMING Gender Mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality. GENDER Gender are socially constructed roles of women and men ascribed to them on the basis of their sex. According to March, Smyth and Mukhopadhyay, (1999), gender is a sociological concept that describes all the socially given attributes, roles, activities and responsibilities connected to being male or female in a given society. GENDER EQUILITY Gender equality, refers to women having the same opportunities in life as men, including the ability to participate in the public sphere. It assumes that once the barriers to participation are removed, there is a level playing field. GENDER EQUITY Gender equity means fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits, power, resources and responsibilities between women and men. The concept recognizes that women and men have different needs, power and access to resources, and that these differences should be identified and addressed in a manner that rectifies the imbalance between the sexes. (World Health Organization 2002: 3) GENDER DISCRIMINATION. Gender discrimination refers to unfair differential treatment meted out usually to girls and women in comparison to boys and men. Such differential treatment or discrimination is

2016

An enduring legacy of the Beijing conference, gender mainstreaming has been widely implemented and widely critiqued since the 1990s. But the basis of these critiques has changed over time: this article charts a typology of critique approaches. It shows how the central problem is diagnosed variously as the loss of the political dimensions of gender in the course of mainstreaming; or technical shortcomings; or the gendered nature of organisations as the causes of technical failure. For others, the problem has been the failure to scrutinise the connection between gender mainstreaming and changes in gender relations in women’s real lives. More recently, another group asserts that the trajectory of gender mainstreaming is simply part of the much broader logic of neoliberal governance. Understanding the technologies of power that shape a feminist practice suitable for the governance institutions into which it is inserted can help guide future feminist engagement. 1 Introduction – the gend...

2015

Policy and Society, 2008

Although gender mainstreaming (GM) has been endorsed officially at the international level since 1995, the efficacy of this strategy is being increasingly questioned. More research is focusing on understanding the progress and impact of various mainstreaming strategies across jurisdictions and in a comparative context. This article contributes to the literature in the GM field by examining the role and experiences of three key sectors in GM advancement and implementation in Canada and Australia: institutional machineries, women's movements and feminist and gender research within academe. Drawing on policy documents, textual materials and interviews with 30 key stakeholders in each country, the investigation illuminates the historic development and current situation of GM. Significantly, the research highlights common challenges and shortcomings of GM in Canada and Australia and in the final analysis, provides suggestions for future mainstreaming strategies.

Gender mainstreaming is the answer of international bodies and UN agencies which seeks to address the age old bias against women who form 50% of the population and workforce but are eligible for benefits of only half the above proportion. This paper tries to list out, analyze and understand the position of gender mainstreaming in its entirety and compare it with the socio economic realities in SC ST Communities and tries to evaluate the reasons for divergence.

2018

As a starting point, this paper recognizes the importance of gender equity for economic growth, societal well-being, and sustainable development. Moreover, the paper acknowledges that while women make up half of the world's population, most policy, program and government initiatives affect women and men differently. To address gaps in policies, implementation and impacts the authors propose a strategic approach to gender mainstreaming that strengthens inclusive policy making by adding a gender lens and tools for assessing the impact of policies on women and other under-represented groups and targets the determinants of gender inequity, based on three pillars: systematic reviews of policies, laws and regulations that limit women's economic activity; gender budgeting; and improving the quality of gender disaggregated data to support impact assessments, policy analyses, and advocacy. The commitment of the Argentine presidency to fostering a gender mainstreaming strategy across ...

2005

2005

Abstract In the policies and practices of gender mainstreaming, gender itself is a contested concept. This article examines versions of gender mainstreaming in two countries, focusing on approaches we term the Canadian and Netherlands models. We show how different understandings of gender are attached to different reform approaches, and intimate how particular ways of conceptualising gender inhibit the efficacy of the mainstreaming strategy.

Journal of International Development, 2014

Since the early 2000s, disappointment has grown about the realization of the transformative potential that was ascribed to gender mainstreaming at its launch at the Beijing conference in 1995. The critiques on gender mainstreaming tend to represent gender mainstreaming as a 'mythical beast', and as such take for granted the social change it is intended to produce. This special issue seeks to look both beyond and inside the mythical beast. By approaching policy making as a social practice embedded in discursive politics, we seek to advance the theoretical underpinnings of gender mainstreaming and argue for a rethinking of agency and transformation.

Davao Research Journal, 2022

The integration of gender-responsive teaching strategies in public schools remains to be a challenge among educators. This social issue entails more in-depth investigation, especially in primary public education, to promote gender-responsive instruction and increase inclusiveness in education. This study aimed to assess the level of gender mainstreaming efforts of public elementary and secondary schools in the City of Mati, employing the Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF). A quantitative design through purposive sampling methods where the respondents are the GAD focal persons was used in this study. The study found out that the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division in the City of Mati's level of gender mainstreaming is still in the Foundation Formation stage (Stage 1). There's a long way to integrate gender into its systems, programs, and services. The study recommends that the agency may craft policies to attain the maximum level of mainstreaming efforts and be modeled and replicated by other agencies in the future.

In Richard P. Barth, Jill Messing, Trina R. Shanks and James Herbert Williams, Eds. Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society. (2nd Edition), 2022

Article for Capacity4dev by Olinda Martinho Rio Education is important for everyone, but is especially significant for girls and women. “Investing in a girl’s education diminishes her poverty risk and gives her stronger economic leverage. Schooling girls also leads to lower infant mortality, lower maternal mortality and lower demographic growth. Also makes girls and women more empowered and emancipated. They are more likely to participate in public life and grow more confident to stand up for their own rights”.

International Journal of Public Policy, 2010

Gender mainstreaming has been established as an element in European legal and political documents in the course of the last decade. As a general principle, it has not yet clear judicial contours. It seems appropriate to take a closer look at the legal sources because it proves that the commitment to gender mainstreaming by member states governments does not take place within an 'extralegal sphere'. Despite the generality of the legal obligations inherent in the gender mainstreaming, the author will show that member states are not totally free to adapt or reject it within their national laws. Substantial arguments support the assumption that the principle laid down in Art. 3 Para. 2 Treaty on European Community binds member states in any case when they become active in areas in which they share the legislative competence with the EU. Therefore, gender mainstreaming cannot be disputed to be valid for domestic legislation and implementation-at least as a procedural measure of rationality and argumentation. The author shall argue that at least the obligation to a gender impact assessment has to be seen as a procedural minimum in decision-making.

British Politics , 2011

Gender mainstreaming (GM) has been hailed as a ‘potentially revolutionary concept’ a significant policy innovation, and even a paradigm shift for thinking about gender equality in policymaking processes (Rees). Despite the rhetoric about GM, there are growing concerns about its ability to realize its perceived potential. Increasingly calls are being made to evaluate GM to better understand the complexity of factors inhibiting or leading to its promotion and operationalization. In some jurisdictions, the need to move from GM to equality or diversity mainstreaming has been recognized and alternative frameworks to GM are in their nascent stages of conceptualization and implementation. The purpose of this article is to examine GM in the UK context, especially in light of recent developments in equality law and policy. In so doing, the article will present data from 30 qualitative interviews conducted between 2007 and 2008 with feminist academics, representatives from women's/equality-seeking organizations and policy decision-makers across the United Kingdom, including the devolved states. Together with textual analyses of key government documents and reports, the article seeks to illuminate some of the current tensions between gender and diversity within equality policy and to consider what their implications may be for the future of GM.