Public policy dilemma—gender equality mainstreaming in UK policy formulation

Abstract

The UK government has committed itself to improving the representation of women in public service and has introduced a number of legislative measures, policies and development programmes to do this. In 2006, the government enacted a regulatory duty, placed on public sector organizations, to mainstream gender equality in policy and service delivery. This article explores the extent to which this duty could promote gender equality and makes some recommendations for improving the representation of women.