Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Institutional Bureacratic Representation in Gender Mainstreaming

Sebawit G. Bishu and Jean-Claude Garcia-Zamor

The theoretical framework of theory of bureaucratic representation is used to explore the stances on which gender mainstreaming is being implemented in development administration in the 21st century. This paper argues that, in order to ensure effective gender mainstreaming in development administration, national machineries should not only focus on increasing the head counts or women’s (quota) representation in politics and policy making positions but that active bureaucratic representation of both men and women with shared values and goals on gender equality issues. Second, the paper argues that gender mainstreaming in development administration should not only be focused on policy agenda setting but also in all other stages of the policy process (agenda setting, implementation and evaluation). Third, the paper also argues that gender mainstreaming in the national machineries should focus on active representation at all levels of national machineries bureaucracies (policy makers as well as mid and street level bureaucracies)