The ‘Problem’ of Gender and Development Evaluation in the Pacific

R E F E R E E D A R T I C L E
E v a l u a t i o n J o u r n a l o f A u s t r a l a s i a , V o l . 1 1 , N o . 1 , 2 0 1 1 , p p . 2 6 – 3 7
The ‘problem’ of gender and
development evaluation in the Pacific
Karen Newton
Gender equality is generally accepted within the
international development community as being
critical for achieving the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) agreed to by member nations of the
United Nations in 2000. However, this article suggests
that there are tensions between the MDGs and the
strategies to achieve gender equality on the one hand,
and international development policies, such as the
Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005), on the
other. Furthermore, rather than gender equality being
central to achieving the MDGs it appears that since the
Paris Declaration, gender equality has ‘dropped off’ the
Karen Newton is an independent evaluator
mainstream international development agenda.
with a special interest in health, gender and
the Pacific. Prior to becoming an evaluator
This article reviews the policy and practices of NZAID
she worked for 15 years in New Zealand and
(New Zealand’s international aid and development
Singapore in social and marketing research.
agency) to help illustrate the difficulty of keeping
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a focus on gender within the current international
development policy context. The impact of this issue
on the effectiveness of official development assistance
(ODA) in helping to achieve the MDGs in the Pacific
is examined, as are the implications for evaluative
policy and practice of a weakened focus on gender. In
conclusion, it is suggested that, although evaluators do
not set the development agenda of either aid agencies
or developing countries, it is still possible to conduct
evaluations that are ‘gender sensitive’ and that have
the potential to transform gender relations of those
women and men that development assistance is
intended to benefit.
Introduction
There has been general acceptance within the international development
community that gender equality, as well as being a fundamental human right,
is critical to the success of development activity and the alleviation of poverty
globally (OECD 2008; Oxfam International 2007; World Bank 2008).
This importance of gender equality is reflected in the United Nation’s eight
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The aim of these goals is to halve
extreme poverty by 2015, the third goal of which (MDG3) is to: ‘Promote
gender equality and empower women’ (United Nations 2000).
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Sadly, 10 years on, little progress appears to
some possibilities for conducting evaluations that
have been made in reaching the gender equality
(always) address gender relations but in such a way
and women’s empowerment goal in regions that
that they are sensitive to local social and political
receive official international development assistance,
contexts.
including Oceania—the UN region that covers the
Pacific (United Nations 2009). This article suggests
that the likely failure to reach MDG3 by 2015
Gender policy in international
may, in part, be attributable to a weakened focus
development
within the international development community
Within the international development context,
over the past 10 years on gender and ‘gender
gender equality and women’s empowerment has
mainstreaming’—the strategy adopted in 1995
been widely considered to be critical to the success
to achieve gender equality by the UN member
of development activity and the alleviation of
countries (the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
poverty globally (OECD 2008; Oxfam International
Action).
2007; World Bank 2008). In the year 2000, under
I suggest that a key reason why the goal of
the auspices of the United Nations, world leaders
gender equality and the gender mainstreaming
from 189 countries—including New Zealand—
strategy appears to have ‘dropped off’ the
agreed on eight goals to halve extreme poverty by
mainstream development agenda is because the
2015. These goals are generally referred to as the
promotion of gender equality is an inherently
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the third
political activity that challenges existing gender
of which is: ‘Promote gender equality and empower
relations—with the intention of realigning the
women’ (United Nations 2000). Pillai, Asalatha
distribution of social, political and economic
and Ponnuswamy (2009, p. 7) note subsequently
power between women and men. Development
that:
organisations and the international development
community do not generally promote political
The significance of gender development is evident
realignments, especially if this is not on the
from the pride of place it commands in the
development agenda of the developing countries
United Nations Millennium Development Goals
they are assisting. For example, in 2005 the
(MDGs), now the commonly accepted framework
international development community made a
for measuring development … Without gender
commitment to support developing countries to
development, there is no development.
exercise ownership over their own development
This ‘pride of place’ that gender equality
activity (the developing country determines their
commands within the MDGs has received
development activity) and to align donor country
widespread policy support from other international
support regarding the strategies, institutions and
organisations and aid agencies. For example,
procedures of the developing country (OECD 2005).
the World Bank has played a significant role in
Therefore, it may be the case that advancing gender
advocating and supporting the integration of gender
equality through development is at odds with the
as an essential ingredient for achieving all the
development strategy and aims of a developing
MDGs. As it stated, ‘Gender equality is not only a
country and, consequently, is not a realistic official
goal in its own right, but an essential ingredient for
target for the development community.
achieving all the other Millennium Development
So, in the absence of (mainstream) gender
Goals’ (World Bank 2003, p. 21).
equality policies and practices in a development
In the World Bank’s first progress report in
context, what role does, or can, evaluation play
2008 on their strategy of, ‘Gender Equality as
in improving the lives of women and girls in
Smart Economics’, the Introduction commences by
development contexts? I suggest some possibilities
noting that:
whereby evaluation can promote gender equality.
This involves ‘gender work’ while always renaming
There is a business case for investing in reducing
it and reworking it in specific development contexts
gender disparities in developing countries—
so that it responds to, and connects with, the lived
increasing women’s health and education
experience of gender and gender relations of the
and boosting their labor force participation,
women and men, that development assistance is
productivity and earnings as this reduces current
intended to benefit.
poverty and promotes growth. (World Bank 2008,
The article commences by reviewing the place of
p. 1)
gender and ‘gender mainstreaming’ in international
Similarly, Oxfam International (2007, p. 4)
development policy since the Beijing Declaration
states that:
and Platform for Action (United Nations 1995).
I then review the gender policies and practices
Achieving greater equality is a crucial factor in
of NZAID—New Zealand’s international aid
reducing poverty … We know we also need to
and development agency—as an example of the
reduce inequality, especially for women, if we are
challenges for a development agency to incorporate
to achieve greater economic justice.
international development gender policies into
The OECD also acknowledges that gender
its official development assistance activities,
equality is key to achieving poverty reduction,
including evaluation. I conclude by discussing
pointing out:
N e w t o n — T h e ‘ p r o b l e m ’ o f g e n d e r a n d d e v e l o p m e n t e v a l u a t i o n i n t h e P a c i f i c
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Attention to gender equality and women’s
The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness
empowerment in analysis, policy formulation,
In 2005 the French Government hosted a high-
resource allocation and implementation can
level forum attended by development officials and
ensure that poverty reduction strategies and other
ministers from 91 countries, 26 donor organisations,
development strategies are more operationally
representatives from civil society organisations and
effective and results-driven (OECD 2008, p. 2).
the private sector. The key objective of the forum
Thus gender equality as a millennium
was to reform the way in which aid was managed
development goal appears to have strong support—
and delivered as ‘we look ahead to the UN five-
at least at the policy level—within the international
year review of the Millennium Declaration and the
development community. This is supported further
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) later this
by the strategy of ‘gender mainstreaming’ which is
year’ (OECD 2005, p. 1). Countries and institutions
discussed next.
at this...