Exploring Opportunities and Challenges of Gender Mainstreaming Process in Safety and Security Service Department of Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa
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Date
2019-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study entitled Opportunities and Challenges of Gender Mainstreaming Process in the Safety
and Security Service department of Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa has
conducted with the main objective to explore the existing Gender Mainstreaming practices in
line with Opportunities and challenges in the study department. In order to achieve this objective
qualitative research approach was used. For selecting participants of the study purposive
sampling technique was applied. To gather the necessary data, the study employed interview,
document review and observation.
The major findings of the study reveals that, by recognizing the importance of gender equality
and the empowerment of women, gender issues are clearly articulated and included with
specified objectives and mandates on the strategic plan of United nation Department of Safety
and Security and gender policy of Economic Commission for Africa. Practically female security
officers are highly underrepresented in all managerial level and gender imbalance was highly
observed. Majority of the respondents had not clear understanding about the concept of Gender
and Gender mainstreaming. Due to; the so called gender focal person of the study department
has been working mainly as administrative assistance very few works are done by the office with
regard to gender. The partnership between the Economic Commission for Africa and Africa
Union to enhance gender mainstreaming strategy, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human
and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), the Solemn
Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, the existence of Economic Commission for Africa
gender policy and United nation Department of Safety and Security strategy on Gender Equality
and women were identified as a good opportunity to implement gender mainstreaming strategy
whereas the external entry barriers to join the Safety and Security Service department such as:
small number of female applicants with compared to male counterpart, lack of language skill,
confidence and competency, lack of awareness for internet technology and information gap to
follow vacancy was identified as a challenge for female security officers. Thus, to mitigate the
factor that hindering Gender mainstreaming strategy rather than depending on the external
factor, the department should be take internal organizational encouragement method.
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Keywords
Economic, Challenges, Opportunities