scholarly journals Promoting Gender Equality in EU Development Aid: From Transformative Policy to Transformative Practice?

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Debusscher
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Transformative Potential ◽  
Transformative Practice

Promoting gender equality in EU development aidThe European Commission combines specific funds for women's empowerment with gender mainstreaming in its twin-track approach to gender equality in development aid policies. The strategy is successful in terms of budgets and formal appearance but it is implemented in a limited, interest-guided and expertbureaucratic manner. Furthermore by privileging EU interests the strategy fails to address the needs of the poorest developing countries and it ignores civil society concerns. In practice, the twin-track strategy severely limits the transformative potential of gender equality policies.

scholarly journals Gender equality in European Union development policy: incorporating women’s voices or confirming hierarchies?

Afrika Focus ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Debusscher
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Eu

This paper examines gender mainstreaming in European Union (EU) development aid towards Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim is to detect how gender (in)equality in Sub-Saharan Africa is framed by the EU by critically assessing the nature and range of the differences between EU and civil society framings of gender (in)equality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using the method of Critical Frame Analysis, 28 EU programming documents have been analysed and compared to 10 civil society texts on gender equality. I conclude that the EU’s approach to gender mainstreaming in its development aid towards Sub-Saharan Africa is to a large extent integrationist and predominantly instrumentalist as it is framed as a way of more effectively achieving existing policy goals. The more transformative issues that are put forward by Sub-Saharan African civil society organisations do not t within the EU’s dominant development paradigm that is focused on achieving the Millennium Development Goals and does not signficantly challenge gender relations or power structures. The gap between the analysed civil society views and those expressed by the EU can be explained by the EU’s reluctance to include in its policy drafting the promotion of gender equality by civil society organisations. Moreover, the gap seems to have both practical and ideological grounds. Key words: gender equality, European Union, Sub-Saharan Africa, development policy, civil society, millennium development goals, critical frame analysis 

scholarly journals Políticas de empoderamento das mulheres como ferramenta para o desenvolvimento: a experiência do Estado Plurinacional da Bolívia e a possibilidade de uma alternativa a partir do Bem Viver

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-442
Author(s):  
Letícia Maria Antunes do Carmo
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Gender Issues ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Transformative Potential ◽  
Western Concept ◽  
Key Words Development ◽  
Good Living

O presente trabalho analisou as normas, planos e políticas voltadas para as mulheres desenvolvidas no âmbito do Estado Plurinacional da Bolívia e de seu projeto político, baseado nas ideias do Bem Viver, a fim de verificar em que medida estas podem ser consideradas uma alternativa para os problemas identificados nas políticas para o empoderamento das mulheres planejadas e implementadas como ferramenta para o desenvolvimento, em sua acepção convencional e ocidental. Para tanto, apresentou-se uma discussão teórica acerca da inclusão das questões de gênero e empoderamento das mulheres nos debates do desenvolvimento, seguida de uma análise das políticas implementadas pelo governo boliviano em três áreas – educação, emprego e participação política – que correspondem a indicadores comumente utilizados para monitorar o progresso na igualdade de gênero e empoderamento, buscando identificar as limitações e potencialidades destas políticas. Como resultado, foi possível observar que os planos de ação e normas voltados para as mulheres, desenvolvidos no âmbito do Bem Viver, parecem conseguir incluir os conceitos de igualdade de gênero e empoderamento sem esvaziá-los de seus significados. Apesar disso, a implementação destes planos e normas ocorre, na maior parte das vezes, apenas de forma parcial, comprometendo o potencial transformativo das políticas executadas.   Abstract: This paper analyzes the norms, plans and policies aimed at women that were developed within the framework of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and its political project, based on the ideas of Good Living, in order to verify to what extent these can be considered an alternative for the problems identified in policies for the empowerment of women planned and implemented as a tool for development in its conventional and Western concept. For that, a theoretical discussion was presented on the inclusion of gender issues and women's empowerment in the development debates, followed by an analysis of policies implemented by the Bolivian government in three areas - education, employment and political participation - that correspond to indicators commonly used to monitor progress in gender equality and empowerment, seeking to identify the limitations and potentialities of these policies. As a result, it was observed that the action plans and norms aimed at women, developed under the Good Living, seem to be able to include the concepts of gender equality and empowerment without depriving them of their meaning. Despite this, the implementation of these plans and norms occurs, in most cases, only partially, jeopardizing the transformative potential of the policies implemented. Key-words: Development; Women’s Empowerment; Good Living; Bolivia.     Recebido em: janeiro/2018 Aprovado em: agosto/2018

scholarly journals Alliances of Instrumental Advantage: Supporting Women’s Agency in Civil Society Organisations in Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 147-156
Author(s):  
Stephen Sherlock
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Political Incentives ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
Members Of Parliament ◽  
Funded Project ◽  
And Gender

This article examines how Indonesian civil society organisations (CSOs) working for women’s empowerment and gender equality have worked together with members of parliament (MPs) to support processes of developmental change. Examples are taken from initiatives supported by MAMPU, an Australian government funded project that promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment in Indonesia, describing ways in which gender-focused organisations have engaged with, and had an impact upon, the actions of political leaders in parliament. The article focuses on interaction between institutions and the agency exercised by individuals within institutions. MPs act within a structure of institutional and political incentives, but they also have the power to make choices about how they respond to incentives. Moreover, the leaders of outside actors such as CSOs can modify the structure of incentives by both applying pressure on MPs and providing opportunities for legislators to make different choices. One of MAMPU’s tools for targeting MPs has been political economy analysis. Having correctly understood the pressures and incentives facing MPs, CSOs can target their actions to bring about outcomes favourable to both sides in what the article calls ‘alliances of instrumental advantage.’ Organisations supported by MAMPU achieved success where relationships were forged between the organisations and politicians based on the identification of mutual advantage.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Success of Gender Mainstreaming in New Zealand Official Development Assistance Since 2000

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Philippa Bennett
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Gender Issues ◽  
Official Development Assistance ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Gender Policy ◽  
And Gender

<p>Gender mainstreaming is one of the most widespread methods employed by donor countries and their partners to address gender equality and women’s empowerment in development. New Zealand has had a varied history of engagement on gender issues within its aid programme. As reportedly one of the first countries within the OECD to have a specific gender policy, New Zealand’s commitment to women has waxed and waned. Case and point, in 2011, when asked where women came into New Zealand’s growing Pacific focus for aid, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that he was not interested in prescribing a gender within the aid programme. This research evaluated how gender mainstreaming has been implemented into the policies of New Zealand’s Official Development Assistance (NZODA) since 2000.   Research methods used included reviewing past and present NZODA policies, carried out alongside interviews with development specialists who had worked in the New Zealand aid and gender environment. Using a feminist lens, the research revealed that New Zealand’s ODA has had limited investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment, despite gender being mainstreamed or mandated as a cross-cutting issue since 2002. The previous structure which administered NZODA, NZAID, released an in-depth gender policy late in its existence and struggled to retain staff in the gender advisor role. The refocus of NZODA, with the subsequent reintegration of aid into foreign affairs in 2009 meant the expiration of this policy. Two years later, the new body established to administer NZODA, the NZ Aid Programme, released its only policy, where gender equality and women’s empowerment featured little and appeared tokenistic. As well as this lack of investment in women, this research revealed that gender mainstreaming appears to be misunderstood, which can only contribute to its widely perceived ineffectiveness. Recommendations argue for a committed focus on gender best practice within NZODA, alongside greater investment in programmes and activities that specifically focus on women and gender issues.</p>

scholarly journals Gender equality in European Union development policy: incorporating women’s voices or confirming hierarchies?

Afrika Focus ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-45
Author(s):  
Petra Debusscher
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Eu

This paper examines gender mainstreaming in European Union (EU) development aid towards Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim is to detect how gender (in)equality in Sub-Saharan Africa is framed by the EU by critically assessing the nature and range of the differences between EU and civil society framings of gender (in)equality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using the method of Critical Frame Analysis, 28 EU programming documents have been analysed and compared to 10 civil society texts on gender equality. I conclude that the EU’s approach to gender mainstreaming in its development aid towards Sub-Saharan Africa is to a large extent integrationist and predominantly instrumentalist as it is framed as a way of more effectively achieving existing policy goals. The more transformative issues that are put forward by Sub-Saharan African civil society organisations do not fit within the EU’s dominant development paradigm that is focused on achieving the Millennium Development Goals and does not significantly challenge gender relations or power structures. The gap between the analysed civil society views and those expressed by the EU can be explained by the EU’s reluctance to include in its policy drafting the promotion of gender equality by civil society organisations. Moreover, the gap seems to have both practical and ideological grounds.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Success of Gender Mainstreaming in New Zealand Official Development Assistance Since 2000

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Philippa Bennett
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Gender Issues ◽  
Official Development Assistance ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Gender Policy ◽  
And Gender

<p>Gender mainstreaming is one of the most widespread methods employed by donor countries and their partners to address gender equality and women’s empowerment in development. New Zealand has had a varied history of engagement on gender issues within its aid programme. As reportedly one of the first countries within the OECD to have a specific gender policy, New Zealand’s commitment to women has waxed and waned. Case and point, in 2011, when asked where women came into New Zealand’s growing Pacific focus for aid, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that he was not interested in prescribing a gender within the aid programme. This research evaluated how gender mainstreaming has been implemented into the policies of New Zealand’s Official Development Assistance (NZODA) since 2000.   Research methods used included reviewing past and present NZODA policies, carried out alongside interviews with development specialists who had worked in the New Zealand aid and gender environment. Using a feminist lens, the research revealed that New Zealand’s ODA has had limited investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment, despite gender being mainstreamed or mandated as a cross-cutting issue since 2002. The previous structure which administered NZODA, NZAID, released an in-depth gender policy late in its existence and struggled to retain staff in the gender advisor role. The refocus of NZODA, with the subsequent reintegration of aid into foreign affairs in 2009 meant the expiration of this policy. Two years later, the new body established to administer NZODA, the NZ Aid Programme, released its only policy, where gender equality and women’s empowerment featured little and appeared tokenistic. As well as this lack of investment in women, this research revealed that gender mainstreaming appears to be misunderstood, which can only contribute to its widely perceived ineffectiveness. Recommendations argue for a committed focus on gender best practice within NZODA, alongside greater investment in programmes and activities that specifically focus on women and gender issues.</p>

UNFSS Science Days Side Event: Gender equality, women’s empowerment, and food systems

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Self Employeed Women's Association ◽  
International Food Policy. Research Institute
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Women’S Empowerment
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document