A guide for gender mainstreaming in Agroforestry research and development

Abstract

Gender mainstreaming is defined by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC, 1997) as the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in any area and at all levels. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as of men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres; so that women and men benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal of mainstreaming is to achieve gender equality. Gender mainstreaming is a process rather than a goal. Gender concerns need to be mainstreamed in order to achieve gender equality and improve the relevance of development agendas