Mainstreaming gender in Korean development assistance: A review of Vietnam's “selective ownership” and the local gender network

Abstract

Korea, once a recipient turned donor, faces deficit in addressing gender mainstreaming within its Official Development Assistance (ODA). This paper asserts that it is imperative to close gender gaps, as it seeks to consolidate its standing as a reliable donor. The article starts by examining efforts to establish a Korean development model rooted in the historical Saemaul Undong (SMU). Recognizing that SMU lacks a substantial legacy in terms of gender projects and acknowledging the dissenting points of debate regarding the model's contribution to the partner country's local ownership, this research dissects the meaning and practical application of local ownership. Shifting to the specific context of Vietnam, a major partner country of Korea where the preference for ODA loans has been increasing, the article draws from field research to expose the selective ownership of the government. The research emphasizes the crucial role of the local gender network in such selective ownership, where the government shows interest solely in the lending terms of loans, with no attention to gender mainstreaming. Alongside the active involvement of national women's machinery and civil society activists, the significance of national gender consultants in loan projects is stressed, who play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between global donors' gender mainstreaming policies and on-the-ground local implementation.