Gender and Governance

Introduction
Whether policy makers can take steps to reduce women’s poverty or address
gender injustice depends upon the implementation of policies on the ground. Signing up
to international treaties and passing legislation on issues such as women’s rights,
equal access to education and equal eligibility to credit and property ownership is
only a first step.

Gender Equality
There is growing global awareness that gender equality is the cornerstone of
inclusive growth. Providing equal access to public and economic opportunities to both
men and women is vital to accomplishing a more sustainable economy and improving
national well-being. Failing to do so means losing the human capital of approximately
half the citizenry, thus heavily compromising countries’ full potential for growth and
national development.

Gender Equality depends on democratic, and gender-sensitive governance since

typically women, who are or feel marginalised from the public sphere and
administration do not feel empowered to take action or participate in governance. More
importantly, they do not take steps to make changes to ensure that governance is
gender-sensitive. As a result, laws, policies and government institutions do not reflect
the needs of all citizens, nor may they be conducive to encouraging progress, and
protecting women’s rights.
Role of United Nation in Gender Equality
UN agencies like United Nations DP and United Nations IFEM and other Non-
Governmental Organization invest in programmes that strategically build the capacity of
women and democratic systems to encourage women’s political empowerment.
Improving literacy, training future women leaders and helping women into all levels of
government are key tools. In addition, ensuring that legislation is gender-sensitive is
also a priority.

Gender Justice
Gender Justice requires every dimension of justice to incorporate gender
perspectives. It rests upon the full participation of women in shaping legal institutions
that promote their rights, equality and inclusion. UNIFEM supports women’s efforts to
change discriminatory laws, address violations of human rights and war crimes, and
eliminate the injustices stemming from political, economic and social inequalities.

Role of Governance
Governance is key to delivering gender equality results. Meaningful changes on
the ground require a coordinated, competent and powerful whole-of-government
commitment, and clear and effective mechanisms in place within and across
government institutions to be able to translate public policies, programmes, services
and budgets into concrete benefits for men and women.

The recognition that the lives of women are deeply and systematically
conditioned by a host of social norms and expectations implies that a productive study
of gender and governance must understand governance in a broader way than was
customary in some earlier studies.
Levels and Modes of Gendered Governance
The core of the papers lies in their extensive analysis of different ways in which
women have been transforming the process of governance through their participation in
both government (legislative politics, courts, administrative agencies, the military) and
in institutions of civil society (movements, groups, NGOs).

A factor in all these papers is the increasing pressure of the global market, an
institution that is not “private” in the traditional sense of the public/private distinction,
but that also stands outside government while both shaping and being shaped by
government.

Conclusion
Finally, despite all the flaws, I must say that the state must continue to play a
powerful role in providing equal opportunity for women, particularly at a time when the
power of states appears to be weakening and the power of corporations and the global
market to be increasing. It is important not to lose sight of the vital functions the state
performs in protecting the fundamental rights of all its citizens.