Cross-cultural Gender Mainstreaming: Issues of Transformation and Power

The following research examines the key issues that emerge in gender mainstreaming as a transnational strategy for achieving gender equality, acknowledging that gender mainstreaming occurs within the context of differing and changing values and norms. The primary focus of this research is on Interkerkelijk Vredesberaad (IKV) a peace and democracy building organization working in the context of the Netherlands and thus in the European Union. The research examines the extent to which gender mainstreaming 'trickles-down' to organizations and the amount that organizations define their own strategies within a larger gender mainstreaming paradigm. The research also discusses the debate between cultural relativism and universalism, as these are used as key areas of contestation and debate within gender mainstreaming as a transnational strategy and specifically within IKV as they attempt to mainstream gender concerns in the different regions where they work. Finally the research attempts to identify various anchoring points on which IKV can build its gender mainstreaming strategy, in order to have a firm grasp of concepts yet at the same time a flexible ability to analyze the different gender regimes that guide policies and practices within their own organization and their partner agencies.