Gender Mainstreaming: A road well­-travelled, but miles to go for equality

This paper for the UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Human Development Report (APHDR) presents a critical review of the gender mainstreaming experience in the Asia­-Pacific region. It is not the outcome of an academic exercise, but is focused on highlighting the complex issues involved in interpreting concepts and implementing strategies at the field level. The first section of the paper presents a brief overview of the historical origins of gender mainstreaming and its location within the larger canvas of development. The basic conceptual framework that underpins the approach is discussed with a focus on its political moorings in feminist theory and its normative grounding in discourses on women’s rights, human rights and human development. The second section of the paper reviews the insights and lessons from the global experience of diverse actors, counterposing these against experiences in the Asia-­Pacific region to assess the extent to which they reflect an understanding of mainstreaming as social transformation. The final section surveys the pros and cons of the mainstreaming approach and presents some possibilities for strengthening its potential as a vehicle for achievement of women’s rights and gender equality.