Governance & Decision-making Structures

Governance processes should be a means to social transformation. So why are they failing to deliver on gender equality? This theme explores key issues from a gender perspective such as women’s political participation, pro-gender equality legislation, implementation of international rights instruments, the rise of political decentralisation processes and the role of civil society.

Gender and Governance Cutting Edge Pack

Governance processes - with their emphasis on principles of accountability, transparency, responsiveness and inclusiveness - should be a means to social transformation. But despite this potential, they are failing to deliver on gender equality, and women are having to struggle to get their voices heard and needs met. This Cutting Edge Pack maps out persistent obstacles to gender equality in governance and offers possible ways forward - including promoting gender balance in positions of authority, making rights central to governance institutions and processes at all levels, and building political will for change.

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Gender and Citizenship Cutting Edge Pack

There are those for whom citizenship is a site of achievement, of power and validation of their place in the world - a way of achieving positive change and gaining a better standard of living for all groups. For others it can be a malign concept - exclusive, alienating or threatening - serving only to marginalise and exclude by allowing some in and expelling those who do not fit on the basis of gender, class or race. Many development workers though have argued that using the language and the arguments of citizenship is a powerful way of working in development programmes that seek to bring about gender equality through focusing on people.

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