THE MAINSTREAMING CONUNDRUM

[Laeticia Mukurasi]

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to share a poem to stimulate a reflection and possibly a discussion about gender mainstreaming, particularly the challenges that confront those who work at the coalface of gender policy implementation. As everyone is aware, the world governments as well as members of Civil Society Organizations ies and Non-Governmental Organizations are gathered in New York to review progress in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPfA) that was adopted 20 years ago. An authoritative global review reveals that while there has been some progress, advancement in the status of women has been unacceptably slow with areas of stagnation and even regression. This situation has been attributed to world leaders who are said not to have done as expected in operationalizing the commitments made in the visionary BDPfA.

As a person who attended the Beijing Conference and witnessed the adoption of the gender mainstreaming strategy and then went on to pioneer its implementation in two multi-lateral organizations, namely UNDP (1993-1998) and the African Development Bank (1998-2010), I have an insider’s view regarding some of the factors that have stymied effective action. My poem, provides a humorous insight regarding some of the barriers. Some of those that I refer to include the inappropriate positioning and lack of power and authority on the part of Gender Specialists and Gender Focal Points; the practical problems of integrating women/gender in development project documents; the hypocrisy employed in some organizations to impress donors in order to access funds which ultimately fail to trickle to women; and, the attitudes, beliefs and mental struggles of men who are supposed to implement equality policies. The poem ends with a note of caution to those who do gender work who may at times be misunderstood given that they seek to promote a redistributive issue that deals with access to and control over power and resources.

 

The%20Mainstreaming%20Conundrum.pdf

[Kathy Selvaggio]

Well put and very sharp.  But awfully cynical, perhaps deservedly so.  Perhaps it is best to give up on lip service and rhetoric and posturing of these large institutions, and stick with the international and local NGOS that really mean it when they talk about gender equality. 

[Kristy Kelly]

Wonderful - thank you for finding new creative venues for sharing the challenges we face!  I will share this with my students and colleagues - thank you!  

[NUTAN PRABHA JAIN]

So true. Beautifully you have put feelings of many of us in lovely words. It is a continuous journey till we achieve gender equality and equity. Hope for the best!

[Nite Tanzarn]

Thanks a lot Laeticia. Reading through the 11 poems made me relive some of my gender mainstreaming efforts...the question is: "In light of what has been done [the thinking, the strategizing, the lobbying, the commitment to the cause, etc.] how do we move forward?"

[KIMES]

Great work from our neighboring Country, lets steer this discussion forward

[Barbara Rosenstein]

Thank you for sharing that. So true. I never understood why gender is a separate issue that had to be added on and why some countries are proud that they devote 9%of their budget to gender and why they talk about gender when what they mean is "women". Hey, we are 50% of the population if not more. I suppose when gender is no longer an issue, it will be a sign that we no longer divide the population into "regular=men" and "gender=women". In the meantime, we are moving in the right direction slowly.

[KALYANI MENON-SEN]

This is lovely, Laetitia - speaks to the experience of so many of us!

Thanks - am going to share this widely :)