Gender mainstreaming recognises that initiatives specifically directed at women, though needed, are insufficient on their own to bring about major change. While many such initiatives are indeed innovative and benefit women who participate directly, they do not sufficiently affect the services or resource distribution of mainstream policies and projects; hence they do little to reduce or end inequalities between women and men. Gender mainstreaming recognises the strong interlinkage between women’s relative disadvantage and men’s relative advantage. It focuses on the social differences between women and men: differences that are learnt, are changeable over time, and vary within and between cultures. The root cause of the problem of inequality lies in the social structures, institutions, values and beliefs which create and perpetuate the imbalance between women and men. Gender mainstreaming starts with an analysis of the everyday life situations of women and men. It makes their differing needs and problems visible, thereby ensuring that policies and practices are not based on incorrect assumptions and stereotypes. Steps in gender mainstreaming • Survey the community and do not just rely on one source of information. Remain open-minded. Remain aware of the hidden ‘etcetera’ attached to each piece of information you obtain. • Avoid overgeneralising. Statements such as ‘Women feel…’ or ‘Women need…’ create stereotypes by implying that all women have a single set of values or goals. • Describe issues in terms of degree. Do not categorise issues in extreme terms such as ‘wrong’ or ‘right’, ‘equal’ or ‘unequal’, ‘exploiter’ or ‘exploited’. Reality is more complex, so look at the ‘grey area’ that must be taken into account. • Examine different viewpoints. Look at different sources of information. Information is not necessarily neutral. It reflects the author’s goals, intentions, personal limitations, history, attitudes, etc., and may not even fit the facts accurately. • Date events, noting changes in information over time. Economic, social and environmental information is rarely stable: knowing when it has been gathered can make a big difference to your analysis. • Think politically. Solutions are found through free and equitable negotiations and transactions among different people and their varying perceptions and understandings. • Think in complex ways. Identify and take account of interconnections and relationships with other areas. • Ensure the present, but plan for the future. Be practical and strategic. Work cooperatively. To tackle inequalities, you need to develop a sense of solidarity that brings on board women and men. Module 4: Gender and community healing 79 4