Mainstreaming gender, democratizing the State? (original) (raw)
Related papers
Mainstreaming Gender in Global Public Policy.
Efforts to mainstream a gender perspective in global public policy have been prompted by the proliferation of transnational networking among women's movements. Collaboration among feminist researchers, advocates and policymakers is making gender analysis part of the routine practices and institutions of global governance. For feminist scholars of international relations, gender mainstreaming in global public policy opens up an important new area for critical scrutiny. How do feminist ideas about gender get translated into global policy? To what extent is gender mainstreaming transforming policy outcomes and the process of policymaking? Here, I explore the factors that have given rise to gender mainstreaming across nation-states and international organizations. I also consider those factors that currently serve to constrain and weaken the effectiveness of mainstreaming initiatives from a feminist perspective. I conclude that gender mainstreaming is an open-ended and potentially transformative project that depends on what feminist scholars, activists and policymakers collectively make of it. The major question raised by this article is not how feminist scholars and activists can avoid cooptation by powerful institutions, but whether we can afford not to engage with such institutions, when the application of gender analysis in their policymaking is clearly having political effects beyond academic and feminist communities.
The broader context : mainstreaming gender in public institutions of governance and democracy
2004
The theme of the workshop was democratic values, processes and institutions and my paper addresses gender mainstreaming, equal and effective participation of women and men in democratic processes, and the methods of ensuring genuine and effective partnership between them. The paper specifically addresses the following question: How can Government, Opposition and Parliament ensure that all their activities are characterised by gender sensitivity, full and equal participation of both women and men in the democratic process and (ensure) a genuine and effective partnership between them? Gender mainstreaming, equality, parity, equity and sensitivity are social justice concerns and for democracy and human rights to thrive it is essential that these concerns be effectively addressed. There cannot be democracy and genuine partnership between women and men if there is no equality and mutual respect founded on the above principles.
This book offers an innovative rethinking of policy approaches to 'gender equality' and of the process of social change. It brings several new chapters together with a series of previously published articles to reflect on these topics. A particular focus is gender mainstreaming, a relatively recent development in equality policy in many industrialised and some industrialising countries, as well as in large organisations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the International Labour Organization. The book draws upon poststructuralist organisation and policy theory to argue that it is impossible to 'script' reform initiatives such as gender mainstreaming. As an alternative it recommends thinking about such policy developments as fields of contestation, shaped by on-the-ground political deliberations and practices.
Playing Their Part? Parliamentary Institutions and Gender Mainstreaming
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000
During the 1990s, campaigns to increase the number of women in parliament became an important part of the international agenda; in countries transitioning from Communist or authoritarian regimes the under-representation of women was seen as a significant democratic deficit. However it was soon recognised that there was a need to move 'beyond numbers' and to examine the kind of institutional supports that facilitated the representation of women's interests or the so-called 'substantive representation of women'. The first wave of research in this area was concerned primarily with the role of women's policy agencies, which had multiplied across the world in the UN Decade for Women . 1 Other sources of institutional support for gender equality agendas that have received critical attention include transnational institutions, 2 transnational advocacy networks and, in developing democracies, bilateral or multilateral donors.
Gender Mainstreaming: Policies at the National and International Level
Journal of Population and Development
This paper tries to highlight the existing gender mainstreaming policies and practices at national and international level, to establish a clear vision and make commitments to guide the process of gender mainstreaming and women empowerment to achieve the gender equality, justice and fundamental human rights. The advancement of the rule of law at the national and international levels is thus, essential for the protection of fundamental human rights and freedom. Nepal has an obligation to take an effective action against all such malpractices. Nepal has participated and ratified the gender policies in all Conventions and conferences. To fulfill this very obligation, it has introduced some legal provisions and made an attempt to implement them. Due to this region, Nepal has started to address the gender issues from sixth five year plan to till now. Planned efforts to improve the situation of women began during the Sixth Plan (1981- 1985) but its approach was welfare-driven. The Interim...