Mainstreaming Gender in European Commission Development Policy towards Liberia and Rwanda

This paper examines gender mainstreaming in European Commission (EC) development policy in post-conflict settings. The aim of the research is to examine which factors contribute to successfully mainstreaming gender in EC development aid in post-conflict countries by in-depth analysis of a best and worst-case practice: EC aid towards Liberia and Rwanda respectively. The research question is answered by relying on two key methods, notably process-tracing and Critical Frame Analysis. By means of process-tracing, we unravel the causal chain linking the independent variables (= the role of the EC delegation, the headquarters, the local government and civil society) with the dependent variables (= success or failure). The data for process-tracing are qualitative and include primary resources and elite-interviews with representatives from the European Commission, women’s organizations and the partner government. The data collected is analysed and structured with the methodology of Critical Frame Analysis to detect the diverse meanings of gender equality and the ways in which these different political debates crosscut. Furthermore I reflect upon the specific contexts in which these visions on gender equality are located. The paper concludes that divergence/convergence in framing between the EC delegation, civil society, the gender machinery and the wider government of the partner country are crucial factors in the failure or success of gender mainstreaming.