Including Women? (Dis)junctures Between Voice,
Date
2010-02-05
Authors
Todes, Alison
Sithole, Pearl
Williamson, Amanda
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Urban Forum. Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
Abstract
Abstract Integrated development plans (IDPs) are municipal strategic plans designed
to bring about developmental local government. They have been criticised for
providing insufficient space for democratic participation. This paper explores the
extent to which a marginalised group—women—has been incorporated into the IDP
process, in response to three questions. First, how have IDP participatory processes
incorporated women’s voice, and are the new participatory spaces realising their
transformative potential? Secondly, how have women’s interests and a gender
perspective been mainstreamed in the IDP, and has it promoted transformation? And
finally, at the interface between officials and women themselves, how are IDP projects
implemented and does agency promote or impede the goals of gender equality? A
study of three KwaZulu-Natal municipalities reveals some achievements, but unequal
gender relations have not been transformed. These case studies demonstrate some of
the complexities and difficulties in the practice of democratic governance.
Description
Keywords
Gender .Women . Planning . IDPs . KwaZulu-Natal . Municipalities
Citation
Urban Forum (2010) 21:69–84