printhomeGM Briefing Package 6Gender Mainstreaming Debates Introduction In GM Briefing Pack 5 you will explore key gender mainstreaming debates. To assist we provide you with a list that briefly...

Introduction

In GM Briefing Pack 5 you will explore key gender mainstreaming debates. To assist we provide you with a list that briefly summarises three key debates. We also provide you with a list of readings that explore one or more of these debates.

You will chooseONEof the 3 debates. Each debate has one/two critical references that have already been provided (in bold). Use the list of potential references to identify other relevant readings that will assist you to explore those debates. You should identify at least two other relevant reading from the list provided as well as at least one other relevant reading from outside the list that sheds light on the debates that you are exploring.

Staff based in Adelaide would have attended the panel discussions on these debates. Views expressed in these discussions can also be used to inform your understanding of these debates.

Staff based in the field offices can access these panel discussions by listening to the FLO Live recording of these sessions.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the two selected gender mainstreaming debates


2. Critically summarise the two selected gender mainstreaming debates

Selected Debates

1.
Gender mainstreaming: Integrationist or agenda setting?

This debate focuses on unpacking the reasons behind why women's empowerment appears to be elusive. On the one hand there is a greater focus on gender issues in policy, planning and implementation yet disturbingly trends suggest that the world’s women are getting poorer. Jahan (1995) categorizes equal treatment and positive action approaches to mainstreaming gender in public policy as "integrationist".

She suggests that most countries attempt to broaden the dominant paradigm "to fit women 'in' without directly challenging power structures," (Riley 2004, p 111). A more radical approach, gender mainstreaming, is "agenda setting" where there is a shift from focusing on women, to focusing on the institution, and involves an overhauling of the objectives, priorities, structures and processes though which policy is formulated (Alston, 2006).

2.
Gender mainstreaming or women's mainstreaming: Where do men fit?

There is a growing concern that without support from men, women's empowerment will remain an elusive agenda. Naturally we need to ask what roles men can play in women's empowerment. Some argue that, "[o]n a rhetorical level, many men will state their commitment to women's issues or gender equality" (Lang & Prewitt 2001).

This commitment stems either from personal experiences and relationships or a general belief in human rights and democracy. "These internal beliefs, however, are rarely translated into external advocacy and action. This contrast between men's good beliefs and intentions but unwillingness or inability to act publicly in the name of gender equality," (Lang & Prewitt 2001) is the central concern of this debate.

3.
Gender mainstreaming efforts to date: Success or failure?

In the last decade research indicates that progress has been made in "ensuring that development organisations adopt gender as an integral part of their terminology and discourse. However some analysts are concerned that this has not always been translated into real changes in the lives of women on the ground," (North, 2008: 2).

This debate looks at whether gender mainstreaming is an effective strategy for achieving gender equity. As Jahan (1996: 826) puts it, "Is progress elusive because the women's agenda has not been clearly defined, or is it because policies and measures have not adequately addressed that agenda?"

Recommended Readings on Selected Key Debates

Alston, M. (2006).Gender Mainstreaming in Practice: A view from rural Australia
NWSA Journal, 18(2), 123-147.

Barnett, T.D. (2003)Mainstreaming: Northern Ireland's Participative-Democratic Approach, Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics, School of Politics, Queens University Belfast, Occasional paper # 2 February 2003.

Barnett, T.D (2003)Gender and Public Policy Making in Australia:The Howard Government's Big Fat Lie, Hawke Research Institute, University of South Australia, Refereed paper presented to the Australasian Political Studies Association Conference, University of Tasmania, Hobart 29 September – 1 October 2003.

Chant, S.H. and Gutmann, M.C. (2000)Including men in gender and development: Practice, experiences, and perspectives from development organisations,Mainstreaming men into gender and development: debates, reflections, and experiencesOxfam, UK, pp,. 30-39.

Cornwall, A., Harrison, E., and Whitehead, A. (2007).Gender Myths and Feminist Fables: The Struggle for Interpretive Power in Gender and Development,Development and Change38 (1): pp. 1-20.

Daly, M. (2005).Gender Mainstreaming in Theory and Practice,Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State and Society, 12 (3): pp. 433-450.

Porter, F. and Sweetman, C. (2005).Editorial,Mainstreaming Gender in Development, Oxfam, London, UK pp. 2-10.

Flood, M. (2004).Men, Gender, and DevelopmentinDevelopment Bulletin, 6: 26-30

Hafner-Burton, E and Pollack, M.A. (2000).Mainstreaming Gender In Global Governance
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Working Papers No 2001/46.European University Institute.

Hawthorne, S. (2004).The political uses of obscurantism: Gender mainstreaming and intersectionality,Development Bulletin, 64: 87-91.

Riley, J. (2004).Some reflections on gender mainstreaming and intersectionality,Development Bulletin, 64: 82-86.

Jahan, R. (1996).The Elusive Agenda: Mainstreaming Women in Development.
The Pakistan Development Review35 (4): 825—834

Moser, C. (2005).Has Gender Mainstreaming Failed?
International Feminist Journal of Politics,7(4): 576-590.

Mukhopadhyay, M., Steehouwer, G., and Wong, F. (2006)Politics of the possible: gender mainstreaming and organizational change: Experiences from the field, KIT-Royal Tropical Institute; Den Haag, Netherlands and Oxfam Novib.

North, A. (2008).From Checklists to Transformation: Gender Mainstreaming Since Beijing,Beyond Access: Gender, Education and Development,Issue 20.

Pialek, N. (2008).Is this really the end of the road for gender mainstreaming? Getting to grips with gender and institutional change,Can NGOs's make a difference? The Challenge of Development Alternatives. Zed Books. London. pp. 279-297.

Squires, J. (2005).Is Mainstreaming Transformative? Theorizing Mainstreaming in the Context of Diversity and Deliberation,Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State and Society, 12 (3): 366-388.

Verloo, M. (2001)Another Velvet Revolution,IWM Working PaperNo. 5/2001, Vienna.

Verloo, M. (2005).Displacement and Empowerment: Reflections on the Concept and Practice of the Council of Europe Approach to Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Equality,International Studies in Gender, State and Society, 12 (3): 344-365.

Walby, S. (2005).Gender Mainstreaming: Productive Tensions in Theory and Practice,Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State and Society, 12 (3): 321-343.

de Waal, M. (2006).Evaluating gender mainstreaming in development projects,Development in practice. 16 (2): 209 - 214.

Williams, M., Win, E., Johnsson-Latham, G., and Sandler, J. (2004).Gender Mainstreaming: Can it Work for Women's Rights?inSpotlightIssue 3, AWID.

Woodward, A. (2003).European Gender Mainstreaming: Promises and Pitfalls of Transformative Policy,Review of Policy Research, 20 (1): 65-88.

Discussion Board 7: Due October 8, 2018

On the Discussion Board allocated to the debate you have chosen, post a critical summary of the debate. You will need to draw on the Gender mainstreaming panel presentations, relevant readings and any new references that you found. You should identify at least two other relevant readings from the list provided as well as at least one other from outside the list that sheds light on the debate you are exploring.

Gender mainstreaming: Integrationist or agenda setting?


Add your post

Gender mainstreaming or women's mainstreaming: Where do men fit?




Add your post

Gender mainstreaming efforts to date: Success or failure?




Add your post

Key Learnings

You should now have an understanding of at least one key gender mainstreaming debates.

If you believe that you have achieved the learning outcome/s outlined at the beginning of the Briefing Pack, you are ready to proceed. If you feel that you have not achieved these outcomes please discuss this with IDO's Chief Executive Officer, Cara Ellickson in a private email. The subject of the message should read DVST 9032.

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