Guidelines on Gender Mainstreaming in Alternative Development

Friday, January 21, 2000
Author: 
United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)

The UNDCP, as part of the United Nations system, is required to promote the gender mainstreaming policy under its mandated function as the coordinator and centre of expertise in drug control. Mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action. It is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and experiences an integral dimension in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality (ECOSOC, 1997).

In the Political Declaration adopted by the member states at the UN General Assembly Special Session in June 1998, a commitment is made to “Undertake to ensure that women and men benefit equally, and without any discrimination, from strategies directed against the world drug problem, through their involvement in all stages of programmes and policy-making” (UNGASS, 1998).

Furthermore, the Action Plan on International Cooperation on the Eradication of Illicit Drug Crops and on Alternative Development also endorsed by the member states at the UN General Assembly Special Session in June 1998, includes gender issues as a special point of attention. Under the heading ‘Improved and innovative approaches to Alternative Development' it is stated that: “Alternative development programmes and international cooperation for that purpose should …incorporate the gender dimension by ensuring equal conditions for women and men to participate in the development process, including design and implementation.”

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Guidelines on Gender Mainstreaming in Alternative Development