Gender Equality Change Research Articles

Social and economic impact analysis of solar mini-grids in rural Africa: a cohort study from Kenya and Nigeria

This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the social and economic effects of solar mini-grids in rural African settings, specifically in Kenya and Nigeria. A group of 2658 household heads and business owners connected to mini-grids over the last five years were interviewed both before and one year after their connection. These interviews focused on changes in gender equality, productivity, health, safety, and economic activity. The results show notable improvements in all areas. Economic activities and productivity increased significantly among the connected households and businesses. The median income of rural Kenyan community members quadrupled. Gender equality also improved, with women gaining more opportunities in decision making and business. Health and safety enhancements were linked to reduced use of hazardous energy sources like kerosene lamps. The introduction of solar mini-grids not only transformed the energy landscape but also led to broad socioeconomic benefits in these rural areas. The research highlights the substantial impact of decentralized renewable energy on the social and economic development of rural African communities. Its findings are crucial for policymakers, development agencies, and stakeholders focused on promoting sustainable energy and development in Africa.

Changes in the Fashion Preferences of Women in their Twenties according to Awareness of in Gender Equality

In response to recent changes in gender equality and social awareness among female college students, we sought to investigate whether there were corresponding changes in their preferred fashion styles and items. A survey was conducted with 200 women in their twenties to determine whether they were aware of gender equality and social change, as well as their preferred fashion styles and items at both the time of college admission and the current time. Awareness of gender equality was divided into two factors: feminism and a perceived increase in women’s social power. A significant difference was observed in the fashion styles of female college students in their twenties between the time of admission and the current time. Compared with the past, the preferred style has changed to gender-neutral rather than feminine, useful rather than aesthetics, character rather than fashion, sporty rather than elegance, and casual rather than formal. Preferred items included pants rather than skirts, sneakers rather than shoes, socks rather than stockings, long skirts rather than short skirts, and backpacks rather than handbags. The level of attention paid to campus attire per week decreased over time. No correlation was found between gender equality awareness and preferred fashion style, while feminism was correlated with preferred fashion items. The degree to which attention was paid to campus attire per week was correlated with feminism, but was not correlated with a perceived increase in womens’ social power.

Gender equality and smoking among 15 to 25 year olds-a time-based ecological analysis of developments in Germany from 1960 to 2005.

Smoking is a major risk factor for premature death and health problems in which there are significant gender differences in the prevalence of smoking. This ecological study examines the correlation between changes in gender equality and prevalence of smoking among young adults (15-25 years old) in Germany over a period of 45 years (1960-2005). Gender inequality was measured using the United Nations Gender Inequality Index (GII), which is composed of three dimensions; health, empowerment and labour market. It was calculated for the entire registered German population in five-year intervals with values between 0 and 1 (1 = highest inequality). The smoking prevalence of young women and men in Germany was established using a reconstruction method. A gender smoking ratio (GSR) with values between 0 and 1 was determined (1 = identical smoking prevalence among men and women). The smoking behaviour was illustrated and stratified by education. The correlation between the GII and the GSR was analysed. The GII decreased from 0.98 to 0.56 between 1960 and 2005. The GSR increased from 0.34 to 0.93. There was a strong negative correlation between the GII and the GSR (r = -0.71). The strength of the correlation fell slightly as the level of education decreased. An increase in gender equality as measured by the GII came along with similarities of smoking prevalence between young women and young men. Successful tobacco prevention among young women and men may benefit from involving experts in gender-specific public health research to develop counter-advertising and gender-specific information as needed.

Gender equality in oil mining companies: a case of Lokichar, Kenya

This paper is on the findings of a study done by the authors of this paper in 2019 on Change in Gender Roles as a Factor in Gender Participation and Empowerment in the Oil Mining Industry: Case of Lokichar. One of the objectives was establishing the extent to which oil mining in Turkana County has contributed to changes in gender equality. Sample size of three hundred (300) respondents was selected through systematic random sampling. Finding indicated that there is no relationship between involvement in oil mining activities and equal opportunity for men and women to work in mining activities. The paper recommended that issues like compensation, decision making, royalty sharing, power relations should be well spelt out in policies like the Mining Bill (2014) to ensure gender mainstreaming and no ambiguity in interpretation and Quality Assurance and gender audits should be adopted by companies ensuring a robust Monitoring and Evaluation.

Changes in Gender Equality on the Labor Market: How Do Business Students Update Their Beliefs of Future Earnings in Response?

Changes in Gender Equality on the Labor Market: How Do Business Students Update Their Beliefs of Future Earnings in Response?

Towards a transformative vision for gender and Canadian international policy: The role and impact of ‘feminist inside activists’

In this paper, we consider the role of “feminist inside activists” in shaping the Canadian international policy landscape and provide examples of how government employees have actively promoted feminist and gender equality priorities. Specifically, this paper advances our understanding of how policy translates into action, and the transformative potential of agents of change in gender equality and feminist policy-making within Canada’s international policy machinery. Building on studies that identify the significant contributions of mid-level government employees who fight to keep gender equality a priority in government programming, we explore these contributions in the context of inside activism, documenting the significance of the work of both senior and mid-level government officials in advancing feminist policies and priorities. As an agency-focused analysis, this study complements and builds on critical feminist analyses of structural and systemic inequality.

The Quest of the Grassroots Heroes: Narrative Resilience in Nonprofit Organizing for Human Trafficking Prevention

ABSTRACT Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) dedicated to human trafficking prevention – like the A21 Campaign – can inspire grassroots organizing and localize international advocacy through their websites’ rhetorical narratives. Through the strategic embodiment of organizational identification and narrative resilience, the A21 Campaign motivates members to further the NPO’s activism in their respective communities. By centering volunteer advocates as heroes, framing advocacy outcomes as multi-dimensional, and localizing outreach to globalize impact, the A21 Campaign’s website underscores that narrative-based advocacy must recognize the importance of place, actively support grassroots abolitionists, and reaffirm that survivors’ stories persist far beyond their initial escapes. Implications regarding moral subjectivity, power tensions, and survivor representation emerge, warranting continued discussion of how colonization, surveillance, and inequity can thwart critical efforts to seek transformative global change in gender equality and inclusive activism.

Contested gender mainstreaming in the European Parliament: political groups and committees as gatekeepers

This article analyses the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the European Parliament and aims at deciphering the role of its committees and political groups in advancing or hindering the integration of gender perspectives. The article engages with feminist institutionalism and micro-political approaches, and is based on interview and documentary data. It examines how formal and informal institutions and micro-political strategies within committees and political groups affect the abilities of this representative European Union institution to ensure a gender perspective is present in European Union policies. We suggest that although the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (the gender-focused parliamentary body) oversees gender mainstreaming, committees and political groups, as the core actors of European Parliament policymaking, are the gatekeepers that determine the outcomes. Our findings advance understandings of the limits of gender mainstreaming in European Union policymaking and shed light on the specific challenges of gender mainstreaming and broader gender equality change in parliaments.

How change agents mobilise masculinities to support gender equality in academia

This paper theorises the role of men and mobilising masculinities in organisational change towards gender equality by investigating how change agents in academia give meaning to their involvement in such change. Via narrative inquiry I compare the working of emotions and affective solidarity in narratives of 15 male and female change agents at nine universities in four countries. The analysis shows that both male and female change agents mobilise different types of masculinities to foster gender equality: chivalrous masculinity, disruptive masculinity and inclusive masculinity. This paper contributes to the gender equality change literature by theorising masculinities as not only hindering but also potentially transforming organisations in the direction of gender equality. The interplay between knowledge and affect in the narratives of gender equality change agents suggests that interventions should aim to move emotions and support affective solidarity through recognising and understanding participants’ experiences with systems of inequality.

Beyond inclusion: practical lessons on striving for gender and disability transformational changes in WASH systems in Cambodia and Timor-Leste

Abstract Women and girls, and people with disabilities are often excluded from governance systems and decision-making on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) at all levels – from household to the national level. This paper analyses inclusion and empowerment outcomes for these two groups in three WASH system-strengthening programmes in Cambodia and Timor-Leste. The analysis used WaterAid's ‘Equality and Inclusion Framework’ to assess the quality of inclusion and empowerment outcomes at different levels of WASH systems. The review found that household gender equality changes in Timor-Leste were empowering because they shifted women's and men's roles, relationships and attitudes. It found that women's leadership and disability-inclusive approaches in Cambodia achieved inclusive outcomes because they enhanced women's critical consciousness and increased WASH leaders' awareness of the importance of disability inclusion. There was evidence of either individual/self-empowerment changes or changes to the enabling environment; however, no intervention achieved a comprehensive combination of both. The authors conclude that both individual and environmental outcomes contribute to empowerment outcomes in WASH systems at different levels that can shift gender norms, redistribute power and benefit women and people with disabilities. These findings will enable WASH practitioners to better understand empowerment outcomes and how to integrate them with system-strengthening approaches.

Leading gender equality change in higher education – the case of forestry

ABSTRACT Purpose The aim of this article is to examine the role of formal and informal leadership for advancing gender equality in forestry education. Methodology The article builds on empirical material from focus group interviews and semi-structured interviews with students, teachers and leaders at an agricultural university in Sweden. Findings The article finds that leadership for gender equality is not exclusively the role of formal leaders. We show that students and teachers, together with the formal leaders at the university, all expect others to take responsibility while expressing uncertainty about their own opportunities to effect change. Still, teachers appear as a group with great potential to make a difference. Practical Implications The article reveals a need for case-based research to clarify issues of gender equality in education and, in particular, how change might happen and who is expected to lead it. We suggest that higher education institutions address this ambiguous division of responsibilities. Theoretical Implications The role of formal leadership in gender equality change is continuously stressed in research, policy and practice. We have broadened the definition of leadership in this context beyond formal leadership, and we highlight, for example, teachers and professionals as role models and agents of change. Originality/Value The study generates important insights about why gender equality work often fails in higher education, and in particular in the male-dominated forestry sector. It also sheds light on the value of comprehensive case study research.

Learning outcomes of leader and leadership development: Method of Soft and Female leadership (SFL) empirical framework for driving the gender equality change in Mediterranean Engineering Education.

The foundation of gender equality was built some decades ago, but higher education institutions are far from achieving it. Perhaps the leadership needs to integrate new narratives for a greater commitment especially in engineering, and new tools for the existing toolbox. This study aims to share the outcomes of soft female leadershipframework (SFL) development for gender equality at the RMEI network, entailing the commitment of top-managers from engineering schools, creation of new leaders to lead the change at their institutions, students acting as change-agents, and an active community of practice. The SFL toolbox comprises self-awareness, humanistic care, intuition, creativity, and trust. The transformation of mindset, skillset, and culture entails using Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 'Systemic View of Life' arguments, and drawing knowledge from organizational learning frameworks, scientific phenomena, and mechanisms, such as a) 4I-Intuiting-Interpreting-Integrating-Institutionalizing organizational learning process starting from intuition to achieve an institutional change; b) 'Stigmergy' scientific mechanism of self-organized collective schemes with coordinated actions and interactions, in which the action performed by an agent leaves a trace in the environment that stimulates subsequent actions; c) 'Spillover' phenomenon advocating that the behavior of an agent can bring the adoption of related behaviors by other agents. The RMEI gender equality plan (GEP) was evaluated by the HORIZON2020 TARGET project consortium. The SFL excelled as successful in setting goals, articulating a policy that integrates systems approach frameworks, insights from science and technology, innovation, ecology, philosophy, self-awareness, ethics, and values. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted physical meetings, but the process of change was not ceased at the network because we disrupted the disruption by boosting collaborative knowledge, consolidation and dissemination processes. TheSFL framework integrates context, regional, and temporal characteristics, alongside cognitive, affective, and motivational outcomes over behavioral outcomes, new mindsets beyond organizational skills, and collaborative learning over individual learning.

Soft female leadership (SFL) framework for driving the gender equality change in engineering education: learning outcomes of leader and leadership development

The foundation of gender equality was built some decades ago, but higher education institutions are far from achieving it. Perhaps the leadership needs to integrate new narratives for a greater commitment especially, in engineering and new tools for the existing toolbox. This study aims to share the outcomes of soft female leadership (SFL) development for gender equality at the RMEI network, entailing the commitment of top-managers from engineering schools, creation of new leaders to lead the change at their institutions, students acting as change-agents, and an active community of practice. The SFL toolbox comprises self-awareness, humanistic care, intuition, creativity, and trust. The transformation of mindset, skillset, and culture entails using Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ‘Systemic View of Life’ arguments, and drawing knowledge from organizational learning frameworks, scientific phenomena, and mechanisms, such as a) The 4I-Intuiting-Interpreting-Integrating-Institutionalizing organizational learning process starting from intuition to achieve an institutional change; b) The ‘Stigmergy’ scientific mechanism of self-organized collective schemes with coordinated actions and interactions, in which the action performed by an agent leaves a trace in the environment that stimulates subsequent actions; c) The ‘Spillover’ phenomenon advocating that the behavior of an agent can bring the adoption of related behaviors by other agents. RMEI gender equality plan was evaluated by the HORIZON2020 TARGET project consortium. The SFL excelled as successful in setting goals, articulating a policy that integrates systems approach frameworks, insights from science and technology, innovation, ecology, philosophy, self-awareness, ethics, and values. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted physical meetings, but the process of change was not ceased at the network because we disrupted the disruption by boosting collaborative knowledge consolidation and dissemination processes. The SFL framework integrates context, regional, and temporal characteristics, alongside cognitive, affective, and motivational outcomes over behavioral outcomes, new mindsets beyond organizational skills, and collaborative learning over individual learning.

Gender Equality in Business Action: A Multi-Agent Change Management Approach

Critical to social sustainability and organizations’ growth, at present, is gender equality. Yet, egalitarian principles are difficult to apply in the practice, particularly in private firms. Acknowledging previous calls that research should respond to these concerns and support practitioners, we provide a theory-grounded conceptual framework to address change management in this field, aimed at providing applicable guidelines in the organizational practice. Integrating utilitarian and social justice perspectives about gender action, we call for multi-agent collaboration involving coordinated action from policymakers, private firms and gender experts. We provide an overview of how public policies and legislation guide organizational action by providing key statutory norms and procedures. We then address the relevance of organizational commitment and the alignment of gender goals with the organizational strategy and decision-making, involving managers. Finally, we underscore the benefits of implementing evidence-based action based on academic and consultancy collaboration. The implementation of these principles is illustrated with a multi-agent practice developed in the Basque Country (Spain) between gender equality change agents, suited to apply academic principles to real-world organizational practices. Recommendations for gender equality and corporate social action are provided.

Governing development: global performance indicators and gender policy change in Sub-Saharan Africa

Past decades have witnessed an upsurge in the use of global performance indicators (GPIs) to influence state behaviour. Within international development, the millennium development goals (MDGs) introduced an era of indicator-based governance, which now continues with the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The article provides a theoretical and empirical account of the workings and effectiveness of GPI-based development governance. Focusing on MDG 3, which concerned gender equality, the article presents the results of (1) a mapping of GPI adjustment in 15 Sub-Saharan African countries from 2000 to 2015, and (2) a study of the causal mechanisms of gender policy change in Kenya and Ethiopia. The findings demonstrate that MDG 3 was effective in influencing domestic policy commitments but struggled to generate further behavioural change, highlighting the risks of superficial GPI adjustment. The case studies show that domestic change was primarily driven by the donors’ economic conditionality and social influence strategies, leveraged through MDG performance assessments. The reason why material and social pressure was unable to close the gap between commitments and implementation efforts rests with its reliance on incentives as a source of change. These findings have implications for GPI-based governance, SDG implementation and gender equality change.

Network assessment: Design of a framework and indicators for monitoring and self-assessment of a customized gender equality plan in the Mediterranean Engineering Education context

With more than 28 active members, the Mediterranean Engineering Schools Network (RMEI) is the most active network on gender equality in the Mediterranean area. Supported by the HORIZON2020 TARGET project ‘Taking a Reflexive Approach to Gender Equality for Institutional Transformation’, in conceptualizing gender equality learning and system change, the network took a context-specific approach based on a theory of change and other STEM organizational frameworks, to design a self-assessment framework and indicators, considering the systemic view of SDG5 horizontally connected to all SDGs, national context complexity, and transdisciplinary requirements. 95 simple, practical, user-friendly indicators were designed, fitting in the specificities of the Mediterranean-Engineering context. The analysis showed that the network realized its vision, made the ‘passage’ from theory to praxis on gender equality change, effectively developed meaningful processes/structures, formulated a policy statement, built a community of practice and inspired members. It also achieved trustful relationships and inspired outputs, effective communication, sharing of information and resources, and top management commitment. Critical aspects are a) the analysis in depth of issues linked to the existence of gender-based stereotypes and bias in engineering schools of the Mediterranean that entails tackling gender ideologies considering the whole national social system and existing structures; b) sustainability of gender equality structures created at the member institutions with the support of TARGET project which is depending on the willingness of institution’s leaders to continue/advance with gender-sensitive strategies in their institution.

New Forms of Social Learning in Mediterranean Higher Engineering Education: Change Lab for Gender Equality Transformation, Methodology, Design Principles

Educating students to understand the dynamics of complex systems and acting with responsibility and equality in their professional/private life is pivotal. Implementing social changes in higher engineering education institutions is a challenge. This work is grounded empirically in the tailored practices of the gender equality Change Lab embedded in the network of Mediterranean engineering schools, which is a collective organizational integrity. We used action research and practical learning in our methodology. Design principles are provided, and methodological setup is included. We advocate that in order to mainstream gender equality, develop structures, and overcome some of the known limitations, we need to have conceptual clarity, well-targeted interventions, reflexivity, and empirical evidence. Moving from separate bureaucratic centrally-managed higher education institutions to interconnected networks that can organize self-assembling collaboration in the form of labs, with mutually beneficial partnerships contemplating social innovations, can challenge the melting of the traditional boundaries towards inclusive education. This can be done amidst university reforms conducive to such a transformation. Particular attention is paid to the role of HORIZON 2020 Taking a Reflexive Approach to Gender Equality for Institutional Transformation (TARGET) project in conceptualizing gender equality learning and system change in Mediterranean engineering schools.

Shifts in gender equality and suicide: A panel study of changes over time in 87 countries

BackgroundIncreasing gender equality remains an imperative for countries and organisations worldwide, and is associated with the improved life outcomes of men and women. Unlike many health and wellbeing indicators, death by suicide is more common among men, but suicidal behaviours are more common among women. Understanding of the relationship between gender equality and suicide is inchoate, and limited to cross-sectional work. We sought to address this gap by examining within-country changes in gender equality over time, in relation to suicide rates. MethodsData from 87 countries for the years 2006–2016 were used in this analysis. Gender Equality was measured using the Gender Gap Index (GGI), produced by the World Economic Forum. Male and female suicide rates came from the World Health Organization. Fixed and random-effects unbalanced panel regression models were used, adjusting for: GDP/capita; population; urban/rural ratio; number of children/person;% unemployed; year. Models were stratified by gender. ResultsIncreasing within-country gender equality was associated with a significant reduction in suicide rates for women (Coef. −7.08, 95% CI −12.35 to −1.82, p = 0.009). For men, there was insufficient evidence that increasing within-country gender equality was associated with reduced within-country suicide rates (Coef. −5.76, 95% CI −19.40 to 7.86, p = 0.403). LimitationsThe reporting and collection of suicide data is known to vary across countries. ConclusionThere is evidence that within-country increases in gender equality are associated with significant reductions in within-country suicide-rates for women. More research is needed to understand the drivers of these associations.

Summary of the 2nd Workshop on Gender Equality in Software Engineering (GE 2019)

The 2nd Workshop on Gender Equality in Software Engineering was a continuation of the first workshop with a goal to increase awareness of gender-related challenges in Software Engineering community. Further the workshop's goals were to illuminate the problem in a variety of contexts, evaluate proposed solutions, discuss approaches to move towards gender equality, and to develop a community to support meaningful change in gender equality in software engineering. In its second year, the workshop featured a keynote from ACM-W president Jodi Tims, ten papers, two posters on work-in-progress, and a fivemember panel. Jodi Tims presented principles and best practices of work to improve the gender balance. Paper topics focused on gender in computer science in a variety of domains, including in education, parenting, and industry, and on creating inclusive environments, including in open source. The panel discussed particularly difficult challenges-including the potential bias of data that is used by artificial intelligence to make decisions-and how aggressive institutions can be to make meaningful change. Thirty-eight people from seventeen countries participated in the workshop, and even more people were reached via Twitter.

Stilettoed Damsels in Distress: the (un)changing depictions of gender in a business English textbook

Appropriate gender representation in textbooks is crucial for socially educating professionals who use English for work-related communication. It is further important to longitudinally understand how these textbooks keep up with changes in gender equality taking place in the real world. This study critically analyses two editions of a popular international business English textbook for equality of gender representation. Improvement in the visibility and portrayal of women and men was found between the older and newer editions. Results suggested that gender bias has reduced in the newer edition of the textbook, especially at the level of images. However, much more change is needed to bring them to the level of current equality guidelines published by government and independent organizations. The study recommends that, instead of imitating the realities of the world, textbooks developers must consider presenting scenarios that societies aim to achieve. Furthermore, in the absence of gender equality in textbooks, stereotypical depictions of gender need to be discussed critically in classrooms.