Taking on the gender challenge in organisations: what does it take?

ABSTRACT

Clear patterns emerged and are summarised on conditions for success in integrating a gender equality perspective across organisational programmes and culture. In short, organisations should consider five key ‘ingredients’ when designing their approach to integrating a gender equality perspective: (1) have a clear vision of success with measurable indicators; (2) have high-level, consistent, visible support; (3) take an intentional approach deeply rooted in the organisational culture and competencies; (4) ensure accountability at all levels and (5) invest both financial and technical resources. A vibrant community exists in virtually every region of the world of highly experienced gender equality experts that can support organisations on this path. Late adopters of integrating a gender equality perspective can benefit from decades of practice and a robust evidence base which has shifted focus among development organisations from asking ‘why’ addressing gender inequalities is important to learning ‘how’ to most effectively do this in programmes, policies, research and organisational culture while building a strong results framework.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• gender equality perspective
• gender equality
• strategy
• organisational change management

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the many individuals who took time out of their busy days to speak with us. A special thankyou to Aruna Rao and Rieky Stuart from Gender at Work for their guidance, expertise and time.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. In recent years, many organisations have begun to refer to their policies and strategies as ‘gender equality policies’ or ‘gender equality and women's empowerment strategies’ and are moving away from call them ‘gender mainstreaming policies’. This signals a positive move by organisations to put the goals and objectives, rather than the approaches, front and centre.

2. United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UK Department for International Development (DFID), World Bank, CARE, Mercy Corps, Oak Foundation, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Vision, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Canadian International Development Agency (now the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development).