Gender Mainstreaming: an overview

1. Gender Mainstreaming: an overview

2. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender mainstreaming associated with the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing and the Beijing Platform of Action that signaled the UN’s first official use of the term call for “gender mainstreaming” seems to have been a culmination of two inter-related changes in discourse prior to Beijing: Women in Development to gender and development “integrating women” to “mainstreaming gender”

3. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender mainstreaming Women in Development to gender and development some improvements in women’s material conditions, but little in their status women remained marginalized from “mainstream” development, mainly due to how WID was implemented: the establishment of women’s national machineries and WID units and the emphasis on “women’s projects” “integrating women” to “mainstreaming gender” relates to the second problem associated with WID, the continued marginalization of women and women’s issues “mainstreaming” was seen as a way of promoting gender equity in all of the “organization’s pursuits” The changes from WID to GAD should not, however, be seen as complete, consistent or uniformly applicable to state bureaucracies, development agencies or academic institutions. While the introduction and popularization of GAD signified a conceptual change, mainly in academic circles, the degree to which GAD was adopted, in rhetoric or in practice, varies considerably. Some organizations more fully internalized the concept in theory and practice; others did so in name only whilst others simply adopted the term “gender” without changing their WID focus (and as a result there are many situations in which ‘gender’ is just another way to say ‘women’). As a result, the appearance of “gender” and the disappearance of WID are deceptive, making assessment of what actually changed difficult. The changes from WID to GAD should not, however, be seen as complete, consistent or uniformly applicable to state bureaucracies, development agencies or academic institutions. While the introduction and popularization of GAD signified a conceptual change, mainly in academic circles, the degree to which GAD was adopted, in rhetoric or in practice, varies considerably. Some organizations more fully internalized the concept in theory and practice; others did so in name only whilst others simply adopted the term “gender” without changing their WID focus (and as a result there are many situations in which ‘gender’ is just another way to say ‘women’). As a result, the appearance of “gender” and the disappearance of WID are deceptive, making assessment of what actually changed difficult.

4. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl The purpose of gender mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is a strategy to get development organizations to promote gender equality It is not an end in itself This is a basic understanding of gender mainstreaming, but how it has been defined varies. We will look at some of them and their different emphasisThis is a basic understanding of gender mainstreaming, but how it has been defined varies. We will look at some of them and their different emphasis

5. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Definitions …governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes so that, before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men, respectively. (Beijing, POA, 1995) The Beijing Platform of Action was vague in its exact meaning of gender mainstreaming with an emphasis on gender analysis before decisions are made The Beijing Platform of Action was vague in its exact meaning of gender mainstreaming with an emphasis on gender analysis before decisions are made

6. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Definitions the strategy/process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and social spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality (ECOSOC, 1997) The ECOSOC definition, which followed the Beijing definition, emphasized gender mainstreaming as a process and stated the goal, gender equality. It also emphasized gender analysis throughout the policy/programme cycleThe ECOSOC definition, which followed the Beijing definition, emphasized gender mainstreaming as a process and stated the goal, gender equality. It also emphasized gender analysis throughout the policy/programme cycle

7. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Definitions Taking account of gender equality concerns in all policy, programme, administrative and financial activities, and in organizational procedures, thereby contributing to a profound organizational transformation. Bringing the outcome of socio-economic and policy analysis into all decision-making processes of the organization, and tracking the outcome. (UNDP, 2000) The UNDP definition includes organizations (as opposed to programmes) as well as organizational transformation putting results of analysis into action The UNDP definition includes organizations (as opposed to programmes) as well as organizational transformation putting results of analysis into action

8. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Definitions Gender mainstreaming is a process of ensuring that all of our work, and the way we do it, contributes to gender equality by transforming the balance of power between women and men. The process involves: recognising the links between gender inequality and poverty assessing the different implications for women and men of our development, humanitarian and advocacy work devising strategies and systems to ensure that the different concerns, experiences and capacities of women and men fundamentally shape the way we plan, implement and evaluate all programme and advocacy work ensuring that Oxfam’s internal practices are consistent with the above Oxfam GB (2002) The Oxfam definition stresses what an organizations does and how it goes about doing it the aim, which concerns transforming gender relations the inherent links between gender inequity and poverty the need for organizational practices to be consistent with the aims and process of gender mainstreamingThe Oxfam definition stresses what an organizations does and how it goes about doing it the aim, which concerns transforming gender relations the inherent links between gender inequity and poverty the need for organizational practices to be consistent with the aims and process of gender mainstreaming

9. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Definitions Mainstreaming has two mains aspects: Integration of gender equality concerns into the analyses and formulation of all policies, programmes and projects Initiatives to enable women as well as men to formulate and express their views and participate in decision-making across all development issues (OECD-DAC, 1998) The OECD-DAC definition emphasizes integration as well as participation, in its most basic sense The OECD-DAC definition emphasizes integration as well as participation, in its most basic sense

10. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Integrationist or Agenda-setting? integrationist “builds gender issues within existing development paradigms” agenda-setting “implies the transformation of the existing development agenda with a gender perspective.” (Jahan, 1995:13). Overall, we can discuss two types of gender mainstreaming approaches: integrationist and agenda-settingOverall, we can discuss two types of gender mainstreaming approaches: integrationist and agenda-setting

11. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender Mainstreaming: key “Elements” Policies and plans Leadership, Commitment and Accountability Advocates Support mechanisms Organizational change

12. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender Policies What is most noted is the nature of the policies adopted and the quality or lack of implementation also referred to as policy evaporation But we have to remember some things about “policy”: policies are political policies entail struggle good policies are unimplementable Policies are political: “…besides underpinning and defining its practice, (it) forms the link between internal institutional issues…and external programme issues…They are political, not technical issues, determining the agency's credibility and its qualifications to administer aid.” (Macdonald, 1994: 23) Policies entail struggle implementation of gender policies entails “…struggles (among and within activism, academia and development assistance/cooperation) over meanings and pragmatic measures…in order to determine courses of action and pursue specific gains” (Woodford-Berger, 2004: 67) Good policies are unimplementable “Policy discourse generates mobilizing metaphors (“participation”, “partnership”, “governance”) whose vagueness, ambiguity and lack of conceptual precision is required to conceal ideological differences so as to allow compromise and the enrolment of different interests, to distribute agency and to multiply the criteria of success within project systems. But ideas that make for “good policy”, policy that legitimizes and mobilizes political and practical support, are not those that provide good guides to action. Good policy is unimplementable; it is metaphor not management.” (Mosse, 2005) Policies are political: “…besides underpinning and defining its practice, (it) forms the link between internal institutional issues…and external programme issues…They are political, not technical issues, determining the agency's credibility and its qualifications to administer aid.” (Macdonald, 1994: 23) Policies entail struggle implementation of gender policies entails “…struggles (among and within activism, academia and development assistance/cooperation) over meanings and pragmatic measures…in order to determine courses of action and pursue specific gains” (Woodford-Berger, 2004: 67) Good policies are unimplementable “Policy discourse generates mobilizing metaphors (“participation”, “partnership”, “governance”) whose vagueness, ambiguity and lack of conceptual precision is required to conceal ideological differences so as to allow compromise and the enrolment of different interests, to distribute agency and to multiply the criteria of success within project systems. But ideas that make for “good policy”, policy that legitimizes and mobilizes political and practical support, are not those that provide good guides to action. Good policy is unimplementable; it is metaphor not management.” (Mosse, 2005)

13. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Leadership Leadership is discussed in a least three respects: organizational management (i.e., lower level managers) change leadership (e.g., gender advocates) But mostly in terms quantity (“more leadership”) not quality organizational leadership is credited with making major inroads in the organizations’ overall efforts to integrate gender concerns by taking initiative, being and demonstrating commitment, giving direction and delegating power organizational leadership does not have to be particularly feminist in orientation But gains can be precarious: a change in leadership unsympathetic to gender equality can be the unwinding of any gains moreover, appearance of strong leadership does not translate automatically into policies being implemented e.g., World Bank and FAO (Geisler et al., 1999) organizational leadership is credited with making major inroads in the organizations’ overall efforts to integrate gender concerns by taking initiative, being and demonstrating commitment, giving direction and delegating power organizational leadership does not have to be particularly feminist in orientation But gains can be precarious: a change in leadership unsympathetic to gender equality can be the unwinding of any gains moreover, appearance of strong leadership does not translate automatically into policies being implemented e.g., World Bank and FAO (Geisler et al., 1999)

14. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Commitment Commitment is also discussed in a number of respects - leadership, management, staff. Policies need to be translated into action and the allocation of sufficient resources, human, as well as financial is a common indicator of commitment. but key questions are often left unanswered: What is being committed to? Who is accountable to who for commitments? Also, commitment, like leadership, can be a double-edged sword: ultimately dependent on individuals, thereby creating vulnerabilities and dependency as such personalities change or are forced to leave Also, commitment, like leadership, can be a double-edged sword: ultimately dependent on individuals, thereby creating vulnerabilities and dependency as such personalities change or are forced to leave

15. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Accountability gender policies are perceived as optional due to their invisibility, particularly, among senior and line management often, there is a lack of incentives to follow organizational gender policies, systems and procedures disincentives (e.g., sanctions) are often lacking and where they exist seem to only harden those resistant and encourage superficial changes “accountability” often refers to being accountable internally but rarely includes being accountable to organizational supporters, such as donors, as well as women who are supposed to benefit from the organization

16. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender Mainstreaming Advocates usually refer to external organizations or internal staff that take on the job of getting “gender” on the agenda and keeping it there one of the most recurring elements and, for some, the most critical we can speak of external advocates and internal advocates

17. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl External advocates include women’s organizations and feminist academics essential role in inspiring motivating and, in some cases, forcing organizations to initiate a gender mainstreaming process have played particularly catalytic and mobilizing roles and taken up opportunities to raise the awareness of, inspire and cajole governments, donors and development agencies

18. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Internal advocates includes gender advisors, gender units and gender focal points generally failed to live up to the expectations of effecting change and have faced numerous interrelated challenges: roles, responsibilities, mandate and authority; structure and location; and capacity and resources

19. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender advocates: roles, responsibilities, mandate and authority roles and responsibilities seem to be either ambiguous, at best, or include everything concerning women fall under one or all of the following: “advocacy”, “advisory”, policy “oversight” or “monitoring”, or implementation (Goetz, 1995) spend much all their energies simply just to get recognized as legitimate organizational actors but rarely have the chance to transform the organization

20. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender advocates: structure and location The choice of structure and location are full of contradictions and complications. structure refers to having specialized gender units or advocates diffused throughout the bureaucracy as well as their roles location refers to where advocates sit within the organization structure Structural paradoxes units become ghettoized and isolated from program realities while diffused advocates remain isolated as they are often alone and/or have other duties over and above gender units and advocates can have management responsibility (i.e., over budgets) and can be reported to therefore affording them authority. But then they are seen as being responsible for gender mainstreaming when they realistically cannot be held responsible. OR units and advocates can be seen as performing advisory functions only, but then have no power or authority Location contradictions units/advisors can sit close and directly report to senior management, therefore having some power. But then they are seen as extensions of management and may not be trusted therefore putting them in potentially adversarial positions. OR they may be placed within a programme area but will then have little influence over the rest of the organization Structural paradoxes units become ghettoized and isolated from program realities while diffused advocates remain isolated as they are often alone and/or have other duties over and above gender units and advocates can have management responsibility (i.e., over budgets) and can be reported to therefore affording them authority. But then they are seen as being responsible for gender mainstreaming when they realistically cannot be held responsible. OR units and advocates can be seen as performing advisory functions only, but then have no power or authority Location contradictions units/advisors can sit close and directly report to senior management, therefore having some power. But then they are seen as extensions of management and may not be trusted therefore putting them in potentially adversarial positions. OR they may be placed within a programme area but will then have little influence over the rest of the organization

21. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender advocates: limited capacity and resources lack of capacity can be seen from a number of interrelated respects but all with a common starting place: gender work is specialist work requiring a range of skills as well as attitudes and knowledge in order to undertake a variety of often conflicting roles but often estimation of capacities and resources required is NOT commensurate with gender mainstreaming policies and plans, which are often ambitious

22. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Common problems and responses Lack of capacity resulting from lack of knowledge (“know-how”) and supporting resources is often identified as a barrier to gender mainstreaming Also, there is a lack of understanding of the conceptual and practical links between poverty reduction and gender equality (including human rights) conceptual clarity about gender mainstreaming (e.g., it’s a goal or just about staff gender parity, or women’s projects) as well as a lack of “know-how” hence gender training, experience sharing and tools/guidelines are most commonly recommended

23. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Support for Gender Mainstreaming training efforts have been largely insufficient in terms of scope and depth recommendations for more tools, checklists and other resources are common to address the common finding that staff are underutilizing such resources. also focus is often on staff to use what is already available and focusing on how to make these resources more accessible , e.g., publicizing them better the fundamental issue of why they are not being used, beyond the issue of time constraints is rarely addressed.

24. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender and Organizational Change the third “shift”: from a focus on programmes to the organizations themselves comes from a recognition that organizations themselves are gendered and, in turn, produce gendered results only gender sensitive organizations can undertake gender sensitive programmes gender and organizational change initiatives go beyond introducing gender infrastructure (for example, gender focal points) but requires changes in organizational policies, procedures and culture The previous two shifts discussed are from WID to GAD and integrating to mainstreamingThe previous two shifts discussed are from WID to GAD and integrating to mainstreaming

25. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Approaches to assessing gender mainstreaming There are generally two approaches to how gender mainstreaming has been assessed: Positivist: assumes a linear relationship between policy, practice and outcomes. Change is just a matter of implementing “policy” failure of policy implementation is seen as “gaps” that need to be filled Radical: views relationship between policy, practice and outcomes as political processes of contestation over power, meaning and interpretation

26. Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl Gender mainstreaming: a failure? overall, gender mainstreaming has failed to deliver on the promise the approach once had there are two schools of thought: gender mainstreaming should be abandoned and the focus should be on women’s rights and empowerment still valid but different strategies need to be used both need to be pursued