Gender mainstreaming in Free State municipalities: the case of Matjhabeng and Mohokare local municipalities
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Date
2020
Authors
Kuzwayo, Emily Kenalemang
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Abstract not available
Throughout the world, gender inequality between men and women persists to exist and stalls the development of women. According to Robeyns (2003), inequality limits women access to the same opportunities as men, therefore, hinders their capabilities to perform and excel in the environment traditionally reserved for men. Labour division is predominantly along gender lines, wherein men are mostly found in both public and private sectors in positions that require strategic decision-making (Connell, 2006). In some parts of Europe and Africa the majority of women are found employed in the areas that are traditionally welfarism, health and social development without strategic decision-making powers where they care for others and are less paid (Omotosho, 2015). The traditional arrangements of division of labour alongside gender, fail to recognise the capabilities that each person possess without describing them in accordance to the system, as Sen (cited in Robeyns, 2003) that capabilities are people’s potential functioning, therefore it cannot be evaluated exclusively on utilities and income. Women often have to work harder, in order to attain the same accolades and recognitions as their men counterparts. Whilst there has been a noticeable effort and progress towards gender equality over the years, it is evidence that women remain at the periphery in terms of empowerment and equality as compared to men (Sen, 2000). Internationally there has been a concerted effort by UN to strengthen gender equality efforts. This has been amplified by the development of international gender protocols and instruments, such as CEDAW and Beijing Platform of Action in 1995 (Moser & Moser, 2005). The protocols created an enabling environment to achieve gender equality and transformation. These protocols are applicable to member countries that are signatories and had ratified UN protocols. According to the UN (2015), the evaluated progress made by member countries since the adoption of Beijing Platform of Action in 1995, have shown skewed progress made 2 by countries, which remained low as countries reported different achievements on different indicators. Part of the challenges towards the achievement of gender equality was the lack of a framework that guided all countries towards the achievement of gender equality. The 2000 Beijing review session adopted gender mainstreaming as the strategy to be implemented by member countries, to achieve gender equality and Empowerment. In 2000 UN adopted eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of which goal five (5) is, “women empowerment and equality became the cornerstone for redressing gender imbalances between men and women towards achieving gender equality”. However, the MDG fell short on addressing some of the indicators that addresses women’s socio-economic status, as it mainly centred on education and women’s representatives in parliament (Kabeer, 2017). Similarly, South Africa is a signatory and has ratified both the Beijing Platform of Action and CEDAW. It has since 1994 transformed from a system of governance that did not promote equality across race and gender to one that is entrenched in human rights, therefore promoting equal rights for all, irrespective of race, creed, including the commitment to gender equality. The constitution, which the supreme law of the country enshrines in Chapter 2, the Bill of Rights is a cornerstone to realise equality, including gender equality. Mechanisms were put in place post 1994 that ensured that governance systems across all spheres of government, entities and business, transform from an exclusive to inclusive system that promoted, amongst others, gender equality. The mechanisms included the development of legislations, such as an employment equity act that promoted gender equality, and further developed the National Gender Policy Framework. It has however been noted that the progress towards the implementation of gender mainstreaming in different spheres of government, including municipalities has been stalled. What causes the slow progress could be attributed to a lack of understanding the concept ‘gender mainstreaming’ (CGE, 2016) or internal systemic and structural mechanisms (Mompei, 2015) that enable gender mainstreaming, as a tool towards gender empowerment and equality to achieve transformation. This study would therefore determine how municipalities are implementing gender mainstreaming. The study would examine business processes and procedures, 3 knowledge of gender mainstreaming and internal mechanisms in Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities. The study would therefore outline the background profile of Matjhabeng and Mohokare Municipalities and the problem statement. Further outlines would be the aims and objective of the study. Literature review would be done to determine what other researchers have written and their findings about gender mainstreaming in internationally, regionally, and nationally and in the municipalities. The study would outline the research design, the method, which in this case would be qualitative. Further outlines would be data collection and sampling strategy, research ethics, measurement map, data analysis and timelines outlining the anticipated research period.
Throughout the world, gender inequality between men and women persists to exist and stalls the development of women. According to Robeyns (2003), inequality limits women access to the same opportunities as men, therefore, hinders their capabilities to perform and excel in the environment traditionally reserved for men. Labour division is predominantly along gender lines, wherein men are mostly found in both public and private sectors in positions that require strategic decision-making (Connell, 2006). In some parts of Europe and Africa the majority of women are found employed in the areas that are traditionally welfarism, health and social development without strategic decision-making powers where they care for others and are less paid (Omotosho, 2015). The traditional arrangements of division of labour alongside gender, fail to recognise the capabilities that each person possess without describing them in accordance to the system, as Sen (cited in Robeyns, 2003) that capabilities are people’s potential functioning, therefore it cannot be evaluated exclusively on utilities and income. Women often have to work harder, in order to attain the same accolades and recognitions as their men counterparts. Whilst there has been a noticeable effort and progress towards gender equality over the years, it is evidence that women remain at the periphery in terms of empowerment and equality as compared to men (Sen, 2000). Internationally there has been a concerted effort by UN to strengthen gender equality efforts. This has been amplified by the development of international gender protocols and instruments, such as CEDAW and Beijing Platform of Action in 1995 (Moser & Moser, 2005). The protocols created an enabling environment to achieve gender equality and transformation. These protocols are applicable to member countries that are signatories and had ratified UN protocols. According to the UN (2015), the evaluated progress made by member countries since the adoption of Beijing Platform of Action in 1995, have shown skewed progress made 2 by countries, which remained low as countries reported different achievements on different indicators. Part of the challenges towards the achievement of gender equality was the lack of a framework that guided all countries towards the achievement of gender equality. The 2000 Beijing review session adopted gender mainstreaming as the strategy to be implemented by member countries, to achieve gender equality and Empowerment. In 2000 UN adopted eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of which goal five (5) is, “women empowerment and equality became the cornerstone for redressing gender imbalances between men and women towards achieving gender equality”. However, the MDG fell short on addressing some of the indicators that addresses women’s socio-economic status, as it mainly centred on education and women’s representatives in parliament (Kabeer, 2017). Similarly, South Africa is a signatory and has ratified both the Beijing Platform of Action and CEDAW. It has since 1994 transformed from a system of governance that did not promote equality across race and gender to one that is entrenched in human rights, therefore promoting equal rights for all, irrespective of race, creed, including the commitment to gender equality. The constitution, which the supreme law of the country enshrines in Chapter 2, the Bill of Rights is a cornerstone to realise equality, including gender equality. Mechanisms were put in place post 1994 that ensured that governance systems across all spheres of government, entities and business, transform from an exclusive to inclusive system that promoted, amongst others, gender equality. The mechanisms included the development of legislations, such as an employment equity act that promoted gender equality, and further developed the National Gender Policy Framework. It has however been noted that the progress towards the implementation of gender mainstreaming in different spheres of government, including municipalities has been stalled. What causes the slow progress could be attributed to a lack of understanding the concept ‘gender mainstreaming’ (CGE, 2016) or internal systemic and structural mechanisms (Mompei, 2015) that enable gender mainstreaming, as a tool towards gender empowerment and equality to achieve transformation. This study would therefore determine how municipalities are implementing gender mainstreaming. The study would examine business processes and procedures, 3 knowledge of gender mainstreaming and internal mechanisms in Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities. The study would therefore outline the background profile of Matjhabeng and Mohokare Municipalities and the problem statement. Further outlines would be the aims and objective of the study. Literature review would be done to determine what other researchers have written and their findings about gender mainstreaming in internationally, regionally, and nationally and in the municipalities. The study would outline the research design, the method, which in this case would be qualitative. Further outlines would be data collection and sampling strategy, research ethics, measurement map, data analysis and timelines outlining the anticipated research period.
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Keywords
Dissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2020, Gender inequality, Women -- Empowerment, Transformation, Women -- Socio-economic status, Free State municipalities