Progress with Gender Equality

Progress with Gender Equality: Men, women and organisational cultures. Perspectives from DFID and other aid agencies.

A note to accompany the presentation

Progress since Beijing: the need for more active involvement of men

The OECD/DAC's 1996 "Strategy for the 21^st Century: The Contribution of Development Co-operation" sets targets for people-centred sustainable development. These imply a transformation in gender relations and a major re-orientation of resources in favour of women and girls.

Since 1995, all donors have made advances in promoting gender equality objectives in their bilateral aid programmes. But progress has been uneven, too slow and often disappointing. No organisation has yet fully mainstreamed gender in its work. There is still much to do.

Goals will only be reached if men as well as women are fully involved in taking responsibility for gender issues - men are part of the solution.

DFID: Social development advisers as gender champions

While most organisations have gender units with female gender experts, responsibility for gender in DFID has rested with the men and women advisers in Social Development Department. DFID has always had a gender rather than a WID approach and has never had a discrete budget for women's projects. Because of its unique position in involving men professionals and mainstreaming gender from the outset, DFID's rich experience is used to inform this paper.

What are the advantages of a man taking forward the gender agenda?

Examples:-

Men influence other men....
Men uncover other men's prejudices and identify "entry points"
Men add prestige and weight to gender issues
Men make gender work "normal" .......etc

What advantages does a woman have in promoting and implementing gender equality objectives?

Examples:-

The support of the sisterhood
Easy communication with other women.....
The assumption of shared experience
Commitment - or is passion a problem?

What are the risks/disbenefits of men being responsible for gender concerns?

Examples:-

Men have less knowledge
In many societies, men have restricted access to women
Men easily feel uncomfortable with gender matters
Will men stand firm if vested interests are at stake?

What are the disadvantages of a woman being responsible for gender concerns?

Examples:-

Women may be seen as "minorities" and gender issues marginalised
Lack of "voice" in senior decision-making fora both at home and abroad
Persistence of unfortunate feminist stereotypes
Lack of mobility

Overall Reflections - optimism about men's involvement - but doubts remain.....

The way forward: practical suggestions for better implementation of gender equality policies in development co-operation work

Create mixed teams in gender units
Monitor gender policy implementation, develop staff accountability,
Demonstrate and celebrate success
Give all development personnel confidence and "know-how" (guidelines and technical tools )
Generate stronger commitment and leadership from senior men staff
Which will be reflected in more resources.

Presenter:

Anne Coles
e-mail: sir_j_coles@compuserve.com

See published paper in:

Sweetman, C. (ed.) Men's Involvement in Gender and Development Policy and Practice: Beyond Rhetoric. Oxfam Working Paper Series, Oxford, 2001.