• Energy Research

Strategies to empower women in development contexts frequently address their authority to take decisions within their household, including decisions that are taken jointly by couples. Assessing empowerment in joint decision-making has traditionally followed a dichotomous approach: decisions are either joint or not, with the former associated with women’s empowerment. This paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the empowerment effects of joint decision-making, based on case study data from Uganda. We present survey data revealing significant gender differences in perception of decision-making over the adoption of agricultural practices and consumption expenses. Women reported joint decision-making more often than men, who presented themselves more as sole decision makers. We supplement the survey data with an in-depth study in Lodi village, where we reconstruct meanings attached to joint decision-making using focus group discussions, a decision-making game and participant observation. Reported joint decision-making included a range of practices from no conversation among partners to conversations where female spouse’s ideas are considered but the man has the final say. The findings suggest that local interpretations of joint decision-making, in at least this case of a dominantly patriarchal context, can limit its potential for assessing women’s empowerment.

Emerging global crises such as climate change, massive migrations, pandemics, and environmental degradation are posing serious risks to humanity, threatening ecosystems and rural livelihoods across...

Much of the literature examining the role of gender in processes of climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector has focused primarily on differences between male and female farmers, implicitly treating men and women as homogenous groups. Where heterogeneity exists within these groups which impacts climate change adaptation efforts and outcomes, an understanding of such intersectionalities is vital to the design of effective and equitable policy. The objective of this study is to investigate whether interaction effects among socio-economic factors are meaningful drivers of observed differences among female farmers in their adoption of climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices, as well as their use of climate information and financial services. This study employs data from farmer surveys in three Climate-Smart Villages in Latin America, analyzed using ordinal logistic regression and canonical correspondence analysis. The results indicate that important interaction effects are present: the relationship between higher educational attainment and increased adoption of CSA practices, for example, is conditional on the degree of livelihood diversification. The relationship between greater educational attainment and increased use of climate forecasts is likewise conditional on age. These results suggest the need for researchers and policymakers to anticipate potential intersectionalities when designing research efforts and development interventions.

AbstractMotivationGender mainstreaming has been increasingly viewed as a fundamental element of agricultural climate adaptation policies. However, the expectation that gender‐mainstreaming efforts would contribute towards greater gender equality has been mostly disappointed. Our starting point is this disjuncture between a firm establishment of the gender mainstreaming discourse and the limited visible effects in reducing gender inequalities.PurposeTo understand this disjuncture we examine the meanings through which policy makers relate to, and dis/engage with gender issues. The article draws attention to the role of narratives in micro‐processes of policymaking that support, perpetuate or create resistance against the concept of gender mainstreaming, or against policy change more broadly.Approach and methodsThe study deploys a multi‐step narrative analysis in which we identify story episodes, co‐construct stories, identify and interpret the narratives and finally study these narratives in interaction. The empirical material consists of thirty semi‐standardized expert interviews as well as excerpts from ten multi‐stakeholder meetings on the themes of climate change, agriculture, rural livelihoods and gender in Uganda.FindingsThe analysis reveals a complex ecology of 22 stories, clustered in five main narratives. While most stories unfold a Gender Equality narrative, four competing narratives emerge. Shifts during conversations from the Gender Equality narrative to other narratives reveal that the discursive engagement with gender mainstreaming is accompanied by simultaneous resistance, deconstruction and revocation. These narrative shifts exercise four distinct power effects: They (1) shift blame for ineffective gender implementation; (2) legitimize policy inaction; (3) foreground and naturalize patriarchy; and (4) promote the diversion of resources. The implicit communicative strategies exercise power through ideas (persuade listeners that the equality narrative is inappropriate), power over ideas (gender equality ideas are rejected or frustrated) and power in ideas (entrenched patriarchy ideas are reproduced).Policy implicationsAttention to ideational power through policy narrative contributes to explain implementation issues with gender mainstreaming in Uganda, and is likely to be relevant beyond this case.

Gender mainstreaming is seen, at international level, as critical to achieving national development goals and addressing key global challenges such as climate change and food and nutrition insecurity in the agriculture sector. Our study examined the barriers leading to poor gender mainstreaming and potential solutions in policies applying to gender, agriculture, climate change, food security and nutrition, in both Guatemala and Honduras. We used a case study approach to analyze the barriers to gender integration in these governments' policies. Based on semi-structured interviews and policy document analysis, we conducted a methodology based on policy mix, policy integration and policy translation. Results show that, despite having made multiple international commitments on gender issues and having gender-labeled policy and governmental gender bodies, gender mainstreaming in the policy cycle is lagging. There are multiple barriers of a different nature and at different levels that explain the lack of gender integration in the policy cycle, related and linked to: (1) policy translation from the international level; (2) structural policy barriers at national level; (3) behaviors and corruption; and (4) lack of knowledge and capacity. Solutions to address these barriers have been identified. Our results confirmed the literature findings and also introduce new elements such as the importance of considering the nature of the relationship (purely technical and/or political) between governments and international cooperation actors to evaluate the level of gender integration in policy. Furthermore, we stress that for key informants, there are no (easy) solutions to redress the poor gender integration strategies implemented. Finally, we noted that no solutions were provided relating to structural racism and machismo, religious extremism, power groups, and censorship of civil society.

L'intégration de la dimension de genre a été reconnue comme une stratégie indispensable pour parvenir à l'égalité des sexes dans le Programme d'action de Beijing de 1995. Depuis lors, les gouvernements ont déployé des efforts considérables pour élaborer des politiques et des stratégies de mise en œuvre sensibles au genre. L'avènement du changement climatique et de ses effets, qui ont continué d'avoir un impact sur les moyens de subsistance ruraux et en particulier sur la sécurité alimentaire, exige que les efforts d'intégration de la dimension de genre soient accélérés. Une intégration efficace de la dimension de genre nécessite que le genre soit suffisamment intégré dans les politiques, les plans de développement et les stratégies de mise en œuvre, soutenu par des allocations budgétaires. Cette étude analyse l'ampleur de l'intégration du genre dans les politiques agricoles et de ressources naturelles en Ouganda et en Tanzanie, et comment le genre est budgétisé dans les plans de mise en œuvre aux niveaux de gouvernance de district et inférieurs. Au total, 155 documents politiques, plans de développement et plans d'action annuels des niveaux national, de district et de sous-comté/district ont été examinés. En outre, les budgets des districts et des sous-comtés pour quatre exercices consécutifs de 2012/2013 à 2015/2016 ont été analysés pour les allocations de genre. Les résultats montrent qu'alors qu'il y a une sensibilité croissante au genre dans les deux pays, (i) les questions de genre sont toujours interprétées comme des « questions de femmes », (ii) il y a un manque d'harmonie dans l'intégration du genre à tous les niveaux de gouvernance, (iii) la budgétisation du genre n'est pas encore pleinement adoptée par les gouvernements, (iii) les allocations au genre au niveau infranational restent incohérentes avec de fortes différences entre les budgets estimés et réels, et (iv) les activités de genre ne traitent pas des inégalités structurelles. Nous proposons des approches qui augmentent la capacité à élaborer et à mettre en œuvre des politiques, des plans de mise en œuvre et des budgets sensibles au genre. La incorporación de la perspectiva de género fue reconocida como una estrategia indispensable para lograr la igualdad de género en la Plataforma de Acción de Beijing de 1995. Desde entonces, los gobiernos han realizado esfuerzos sustanciales en el desarrollo de políticas y estrategias de implementación con perspectiva de género. El advenimiento del cambio climático y sus efectos, que han seguido afectando a los medios de vida rurales y especialmente a la seguridad alimentaria, exige que se aceleren los esfuerzos de incorporación de la perspectiva de género. La incorporación efectiva de la perspectiva de género requiere que el género esté suficientemente integrado en las políticas, los planes de desarrollo y las estrategias de implementación, con el apoyo de asignaciones presupuestarias. Este estudio analiza el grado de integración de género en las políticas agrícolas y de recursos naturales en Uganda y Tanzania, y cómo se presupuestan las cuestiones de género en los planes de implementación a nivel de distrito y de gobernanza inferior. Se revisaron un total de 155 documentos de políticas, planes de desarrollo y planes de acción anuales a nivel nacional, de distrito y de subcondado/barrio. Además, se analizaron los presupuestos de distrito y subcondado para cuatro ejercicios consecutivos desde 2012/2013 hasta 2015/2016 para las asignaciones de género. Los resultados muestran que, si bien hay una creciente capacidad de respuesta de género en ambos países, (i) las cuestiones de género todavía se interpretan como "cuestiones de la mujer", (ii) hay desarmonía en la incorporación de la perspectiva de género en todos los niveles de gobernanza, (iii) los gobiernos aún no adoptan plenamente la presupuestación de género, (iii) las asignaciones de género a nivel subnacional siguen siendo inconsistentemente bajas con marcadas diferencias entre los presupuestos estimados y reales, y (iv) las actividades de género no abordan ninguna desigualdad estructural. Proponemos enfoques que aumentan la capacidad para desarrollar y ejecutar políticas, planes de implementación y presupuestos con perspectiva de género. Gender mainstreaming was acknowledged as an indispensable strategy for achieving gender equality at the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action. Since then, governments have made substantial efforts in developing gender-responsive policies and implementation strategies. The advent of climate change and its effects, which have continued to impact rural livelihoods and especially food security, demands that gender mainstreaming efforts are accelerated. Effective gender mainstreaming requires that gender is sufficiently integrated in policies, development plans, and implementation strategies, supported by budgetary allocations. This study analyzes the extent of gender integration in agricultural and natural resource policies in Uganda and Tanzania, and how gender is budgeted for in implementation plans at district and lower governance levels. A total of 155 policy documents, development plans, and annual action plans from national, district, and sub-county/ward levels were reviewed. In addition, district and sub-county budgets for four consecutive financial years from 2012/2013 to 2015/2016 were analyzed for gender allocations. Results show that whereas there is increasing gender responsiveness in both countries, (i) gender issues are still interpreted as "women issues," (ii) there is disharmony in gender mainstreaming across governance levels, (iii) budgeting for gender is not yet fully embraced by governments, (iii) allocations to gender at sub-national level remain inconsistently low with sharp differences between estimated and actual budgets, and (iv) gender activities do not address any structural inequalities. We propose approaches that increase capacity to develop and execute gender-responsive policies, implementation plans, and budgets. تم الاعتراف بتعميم مراعاة المنظور الجنساني كاستراتيجية لا غنى عنها لتحقيق المساواة بين الجنسين في منهاج عمل بيجين لعام 1995. ومنذ ذلك الحين، بذلت الحكومات جهودا كبيرة في وضع سياسات واستراتيجيات تنفيذ مراعية للمنظور الجنساني. يتطلب ظهور تغير المناخ وآثاره، التي استمرت في التأثير على سبل العيش الريفية وخاصة الأمن الغذائي، تسريع جهود تعميم مراعاة المنظور الجنساني. يتطلب تعميم مراعاة المنظور الجنساني بشكل فعال أن يتم دمج النوع الاجتماعي بشكل كافٍ في السياسات وخطط التنمية واستراتيجيات التنفيذ، مدعومة بمخصصات الميزانية. تحلل هذه الدراسة مدى دمج النوع الاجتماعي في سياسات الموارد الزراعية والطبيعية في أوغندا وتنزانيا، وكيف يتم وضع ميزانية النوع الاجتماعي في خطط التنفيذ على مستوى المقاطعات ومستويات الحكم الأدنى. تمت مراجعة ما مجموعه 155 وثيقة من وثائق السياسات وخطط التنمية وخطط العمل السنوية من المستويات الوطنية ومستويات المقاطعات والمستويات الفرعية/المقاطعات. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تم تحليل ميزانيات المقاطعات والمقاطعات الفرعية لأربع سنوات مالية متتالية من 2012/2013 إلى 2015/2016 لمخصصات النوع الاجتماعي. تظهر النتائج أنه في حين أن هناك استجابة متزايدة للنوع الاجتماعي في كلا البلدين، (1) لا تزال القضايا الجنسانية تفسر على أنها "قضايا المرأة"، (2) هناك تنافر في تعميم مراعاة المنظور الجنساني عبر مستويات الحوكمة، (3) لم تتبنى الحكومات بعد وضع الميزانية للنوع الاجتماعي بشكل كامل، (3) لا تزال المخصصات للنوع الاجتماعي على المستوى دون الوطني منخفضة بشكل غير متسق مع وجود اختلافات حادة بين الميزانيات المقدرة والفعلية، و (4) لا تعالج الأنشطة الجنسانية أي تفاوتات هيكلية. نقترح مناهج تزيد من القدرة على تطوير وتنفيذ سياسات وخطط تنفيذ وميزانيات مستجيبة للنوع الاجتماعي.