Mainstreaming gender in development: a critical review

Has gender mainstreaming made a difference after 10 years?

Edited by: Porter F & Sweetman C
Published by: Oxfam , 2005
Via: Eldis

This edition of the Oxfam publication, Gender and Development, critically explores how gender mainstreaming has been implemented in development organisations. The articles presented in the journal assess the impact of gender mainstreaming in grassroots, national, and international organisations, and suggests ways of overcoming the challenges of mainstreaming. The journal makes the following conclusions regarding the impact of gender mainstreaming after 10 years of action:

• gender mainstreaming has experienced limited success
• integrationist approaches (i.e., add women and stir) have not rather unsuccessful addressing ‘women’s issues’ within existing development agendas
• agenda-setting approaches to mainstreaming have not been embraced by a most organisations
• development organisations can support women by giving them the chance to obtain resources that enable women to further their practical and strategic interests of different kind. This can be made possible regardless of the political intentions of the organisation
• development organisations, whether local or international, can be powerful allies for women in bringing about structural change to end discrimination against women as a sex

The articles in this edition include:

• gender mainstreaming since Beijing: a review of success and limitations in international institutions. By Caroline Moser and Annalise Moser
• freedom for women: mainstreaming gender in the South Africa liberation struggle and beyond. By Shamim Meer
• NGOs, gender mainstreaming, and urban poor communities in Mumbai. By Vandana Desai