Case study: Mainstreaming gender in local governance processes in Afghanistan
09 September 2011
To minimize gap between the Community
Development Councils and Provincial Government Organizations, Afghanistan’s National Area-Based
Development Programme (NABDA) started to establish District Development Assemblies (DDAs) in
2006. This case study describes the process used to mainstream gender in these local governance
processes and some of the concrete results achieved so far.
The experience of the Sub National Consultations (SNC) process indicates that equity can be achieved even in extremely conservative communities if the basic equity principles are presented early in the mobilisation process and time is taken to work with provincial, district and community leaders to identify ways in which the principles can be honoured without compromising cultural and religious norms. In particular, given the local influence and/or prestige that can be exerted by provincial and district governors, gaining their support may be critical in determining the extent to which communities will endorse enhanced participation of women in public life, including DDAs.
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