What Is Gender Mainstreaming?
In the society we live in, men and women and people of other genders have different needs and varying access to physical, sociology-economic, and financial resources. Among the factors that affect the distribution of power and resources include ethnicity, religion, age, social origin, etc.
Based on the gap between genders, policies or decisions made by one party alone cannot be comprehensive enough to cater to the needs and the growth of all parties.
One way to ensure that all parties are involved in decision-making and implementation is gender mainstreaming.
Gender mainstreaming refers to the process of incorporating gender equality across all stages of policy and decision-making- It integrates gender perspectives in all phases including:
- Preparation
- Design
- Implementation
- Monitoring
- Evaluation of policies
- Regulatory measures
Gender mainstreaming applies to all sectors and levels of society, from the home and workplace to the government.
For us to effectively create plans and policies for all genders, accurate data is paramount for success. All necessary criteria such as the problems, concerns, and needs of the perceived less dominant gender and minority groups have to be well accounted for- This point highlights the importance of feminist facilitation and gender analysis training and documentation.
Importance Of Gender Mainstreaming
Incorporating multiple perspectives in all phases of policy implementation and regulation makes for a more effective and robust system of governance- This means that policies would be more relevant in society because they cater to the needs of everyone.
Gender mainstreaming aims to lessen gender inequality, which benefits all parties.
Mainstreaming not only helps me make new policies but to identify, and addresses inept legal systems.
Principles Of Gender Mainstreaming
The number one goal of gender mainstreaming is to promote gender equality in all facets of life and society. Let us look at the five principles that guide gender mainstreaming.
Gender-Specific Language
Fully integrating all genders must reflect in our choice of language and the media- this applies to all forms of media outlets, including print, radio, television, and online media.
Relevant Data Collection And Analysis
Relevant data collection refers to gathering, analyzing, and presenting relevant data on all genders and feminist facilitation. Other factors such as age, ethnicity, income, and education levels must be well represented in the data collection and presentation. Relevant data collection ensures that policymakers are well informed and make the right decisions.
Equal Access And Utilization Of Services
Policymakers must understand how men and women are affected by the lack of services- For this to happen, they need to understand the unique needs of both parties; this is where gender-based data comes in. For example, with gender surveys and gender studies, lawmakers can access relevant information.
Collaborative Decision-Making
Women and men need to be involved in decision-making across the board. Given that each party roughly makes up 50% of the global population, men and women need equal representation at all levels.
Equal Treatment
As stated above, the aim of gender mainstreaming is to promote equality_ This means that all parties of the society must be treated equally.