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The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation
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The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 13458

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Angela Wroblewski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institut fur Hohere Studien, 1080 Vienna, Austria
Interests: (higher) education research with a focus on question about gender, evaluation of equal policy in science, education and labour market; qualitative and quantitative methods and their triangulation
Univ.-Doz Beate Littig

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institut fur Hohere Studien, 1080 Vienna, Austria
Interests: socio-ecological transformation; gender studies and participatory technology assessment
Dr. Astrid Segert

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institut fur Hohere Studien, 1080 Vienna, Austria
Interests: socio-ecological transformation; sustainable mobilities; sociology of consumption

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To overcome the current challenges caused by climate change and COVID-19, societal as well as economic transformation are necessary. In order to prevent the unintended consequences of policies aiming at transformation, it is necessary to take a comprehensive perspective which pursues several SDGs simultaneously. The World in 2050 report (2018: 5) formulates as one of its key messages that transformations to achieve the sustainable development goals require a holistic perspective. “The 2030 Agenda is holistic with deep and complex interactions across the SDG domains. (…) Focusing on individual or selected SDGs—be this during policy analysis or implementation—comes with the danger of adverse side effects related to other SDG domains or missing out and potential synergies and the resulting multiple co-benefits.”

A main driver for societal change in the recent past can be attributed to women—their increasing participation in education and employment, their claim for an equal share of resources and the equal appreciation of their contribution. Developing just solutions combatting the socio-ecological crisis also requires the inclusion of and contribution to women. At the political level, this is reflected in the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as one of the 17 SDGs focuses on gender equality—mainly on equality between women and men. The other SDGs contain a gender dimension which must not be overlooked (Lee, Pollitzer 2020). Furthermore, a broad consensus is reached in science and innovation policy that engaging diverse social groups has a positive impact on policy making as well as innovation (EC 2020).

Several linkages between SDGs are obvious as well as the related gender dimension: quality education (Goal 4), decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), the prevention of poverty and hunger (Goals 1 and 2) are linked with each other as well as with gender equality (Goal 5) and reduced inequalities (Goal 10). However, we are still far away from the ideal world where the gender dimension is considered a standard in policy making, the development and implementation of concrete measures as well as their evaluation. Ignoring the gender dimension may lead to policies or measures strengthening existing gender imbalances, missing their transformative potential or to biased evaluations.

Following this, adequately considering the gender dimension becomes a fundamental requirement for transformative policies aiming at sustainable development. Hence, not only policy development and implementation, but also its evaluation needs to be gendered.

The scope of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for researchers to share their innovative work, in the form of conceptual and research articles, about the gender dimension in sustainability polices and their evaluation. We strongly encourage papers which consider the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as papers which take a comparative perspective (e.g., between countries, North–South, policy fields). This Special Issue will focus on (but is not limited to) the following topics:

  • Conceptual or theoretical discussions linking gender equality and sustainability in specific areas;
  • Discussions of gendered sustainability policies from a non-binary or feminist perspective;
  • Analysis of the marginalisation of gender issues and limited effects of gender equality in sustainability policies;
  • Integration of the gender dimension in evaluations focusing on other SDGs;
  • Methodological discussions and good practices regarding gender indicators in the context of sustainability;
  • Generalised discussions of gendered sustainability policies considering potential hindrances and success factors;
  • Good practice examples of evaluations of policies focusing on SDG5.

References

European Commission (2020), Gendered Innovations 2: How Inclusive Analysis Contributes to Research and Innovation, Report by the H2020 Expert Group to update and expand “Gendered Innovations/ Innovation through Gender”, Brussels [https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/research_and_innovation/strategy_on_research_and_innovation/documents/ki0320108enn_final.pdf]

Lee, Heisook; Pollizter, Elisabeth (eds.) (2020), Applying gender lenses to the interlinkages and synergies between SDGs. Making sure that Agenda 2030 will not leave women behind, Seoul: Center for Gendered Innovations in Science and Technology Research [https://portiaweb.org.uk/assets/docs/Applying_gender_lens_to_the_interlinkages_and_synergies_betweenSDGs.pdf].

TWI2050 – The World in 2050 (2018), Transformations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Report prepared by the World in 2050 initiative. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria. www.twi2050.org [http://pure.iiasa.ac.at/15347]

UN Women (2020), PROGRESS ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALSTHE GENDER SNAPSHOT 2020, New York: United Nations [https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2020/progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2020-en.pdf?la=en&vs=127]

Dr. Angela Wroblewski
Univ.-Doz Beate Littig
Dr. Astrid Segert
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable development
  • gender equality
  • SDGs
  • socio–ecologic transformation
  • evaluation
  • comparative approaches
  • gender indicators

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 188 KiB  
Editorial
The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation
by Angela Wroblewski, Beate Littig and Astrid Segert
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3224; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043224 - 10 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 795
Abstract
Overcoming the current challenges caused by climate change and the crisis of society’s relationships with nature requires societal as well as economic transformation [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

14 pages, 1593 KiB  
Article
Gender and Equity Considerations for Building Climate Resilience: Lessons from Rural and Periurban Botswana
by Kutlwano Makwatse, Leatile Modie, Morati Mpalo and Caitlin Blaser Mapitsa
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10599; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710599 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1605
Abstract
Botswana’s new national climate-adaptation plan framework acknowledges the fundamental challenges climate change is posing to household resilience. While the plan aims to be gender-responsive, there is limited empirical data on the current gender dynamics around household-level climate-adaptive priorities and practices. This study aims [...] Read more.
Botswana’s new national climate-adaptation plan framework acknowledges the fundamental challenges climate change is posing to household resilience. While the plan aims to be gender-responsive, there is limited empirical data on the current gender dynamics around household-level climate-adaptive priorities and practices. This study aims to understand the gendered variations of how people understand resilience to climate change in both rural and a periurban areas. The authors then consider how these views are reflected in current climate-adaptation policies and responses. A household-level baseline survey with 141 participants was conducted in Ramotswa and Xhumaga, using participant-coded narratives to understand how people understand resilience to climate change. This study found that planning for the shocks and stressors of climate change is gendered, and these variations have important implications for how equity should be reflected in a policy response. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation)
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14 pages, 251 KiB  
Article
Towards Nondiscrimination and Gender Equality: The Role of International Labor Standards
by Zhanna Khamzina, Yermek Buribayev, Binur Taitorina, Ainur Yessengazieva and Anarkhan Kuttygalieva
Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5349; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095349 - 29 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1893
Abstract
Gender equality and the prohibition of discrimination are not only one of the fundamental human rights, but also a necessary basis for achieving sustainable development. Kazakhstan’s global rankings for gender equality in recent years show a steady decline, despite the legislation formed during [...] Read more.
Gender equality and the prohibition of discrimination are not only one of the fundamental human rights, but also a necessary basis for achieving sustainable development. Kazakhstan’s global rankings for gender equality in recent years show a steady decline, despite the legislation formed during the period of independence, which guarantees the prohibition of any form of discrimination and the proclamation of gender equality as a priority of national policy. An important aspect of reforms, ensuring their effectiveness, is changes in legislation. International labor agreements are mechanisms for the transformation of national legislation and practice on the basis of universally accepted standards for more sustainable development of employment and the labor market. This study analyzes the effectiveness of the national legal framework of Kazakhstan from the standpoint of implementation, compliance with international standards of prohibition of discrimination and ensuring gender equality. An analysis is made of how universal norms can affect the development of national legislation. The article concludes that the laws aimed at the implementation of international standards for promoting the prohibition of discrimination and gender parity do not fully achieve their intended goals due to a weak law enforcement mechanism and the lack of full practical implementation of the country’s obligations. Legal solutions are proposed to neutralize the inconsistency of the internal Kazakhstani labor legislation with international standards, as well as the necessary accompanying elements of changes in civil procedural, social, administrative, and criminal legislation. An overview is presented of how the ratification of ILO acts will further improve conditions in the labor market and what changes in laws will be required in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation)
26 pages, 16958 KiB  
Article
Strategic Allocation of Development Projects in Post-Conflict Regions: A Gender Perspective for Colombia
by Raphael J. Nawrotzki, Verena Gantner, Jana Balzer, Thomas Wencker and Sabine Brüntrup-Seidemann
Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2304; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042304 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2908
Abstract
We know little about the general geographic allocation of development projects in post-conflict regions, and specifically of gender-focused projects. In this study, we explore whether donor agencies prefer to work in “safe” places or dare to operate in conflict-affected zones. Using Colombia as [...] Read more.
We know little about the general geographic allocation of development projects in post-conflict regions, and specifically of gender-focused projects. In this study, we explore whether donor agencies prefer to work in “safe” places or dare to operate in conflict-affected zones. Using Colombia as a case study, we combine data on battle deaths from the UCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset (1994–2004) with georeferenced information on the location of development projects from the Colombia AIMS dataset (2006–2013) and manually geocode data for German-funded development projects (2012–2018) with gender as a significant objective. Using count models (N = 1120), we find a statistically strong and positive relationship: an increase in battle deaths increases the number of development projects (with and without gender-focus) in a municipality. Interaction models further reveal an amplification of this relationship for regions with a large proportion of female-headed households, as well as a high number of formally employed and literate women. A context-sensitive interpretation of our findings suggests that (1) development projects in general, and German-funded gender-focused projects in particular, dare to operate in post-conflict settings; (2) women may play an active role as community leaders and mobilizers to influence the allocation of development programs to certain regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation)
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20 pages, 1619 KiB  
Article
Gender Inequality in Latin America: A Multidimensional Analysis Based on ECLAC Indicators
by Edith Medina-Hernández, María José Fernández-Gómez and Inmaculada Barrera-Mellado
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13140; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313140 - 27 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4163
Abstract
This article analyzes the behavior of gender indicators on the economic, physical, and decision-making autonomy of Latin-American women, based on data compiled and published in 2020 by the Gender Equality Observatory of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean [...] Read more.
This article analyzes the behavior of gender indicators on the economic, physical, and decision-making autonomy of Latin-American women, based on data compiled and published in 2020 by the Gender Equality Observatory of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), for 17 countries. Using the HJ-Biplot multivariate technique, it is concluded that the three evaluated areas interact with each other, in such a way that they cannot be interpreted in isolation because their relationships and interdependencies explain the differences in the participation of men and women in the socioeconomic and political environment of the nations in the region. Additionally, it is concluded that in countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Bolivia, and Ecuador, greater public policy actions are required to seek the economic empowerment of women; while in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, laws are necessary to regulate violence against women. It is necessary to continue promoting gender equality in the region as a determinant factor in methodological frameworks and transformational policies to enable moving towards the construction of sustainable societies and economies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gender Dimension in Sustainability Policies and Their Evaluation)
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