This book deals with feminist institutionalism through asking the key question: can gender equality can be designed? It provides a critical analysis of the South African Commission for Gender Equality to assess its successes and failures over a more than 20-year period and provides insight into the design of structures of national gender machineries - how they are designed influences the outcomes for gender equality. The research in this collection sheds light on choices for institutional design of national gender machineries during democratic transitions, the co-optation of institutions, the silences and collusions of those selected to work in the institutions, the resourcing of institutions and their impact on policy making for women's substantive equality. This book will have a broad appeal for scholars of feminist institutionalism.
Amanda Gouws is professor of political science at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Introduction: Can Gender Equality be Designed?, Amanda Gouws The History of the National Gender Machinery in South Africa, Shireen Hassim A Feminist Footprint? The Commission for Gender Equality and the Courts, Cathi Albertyn Structure and Agency in institution-building: Identity Crisis in the Commission for Gender Equality, Sheila Meintjes Reflections of the First Chair of the Commission for Gender Equality, Tenjiwe Mtintso The journey of a gender diva through the institutions: from parliament to the Commission for Gender Equality, Gertrude Fester The Commission for Gender Equality: Leveraging Constitutional Rights to Gender Equality, Janine Hicks Reflections of the first Chair of the Joint Monitoring Commission on the Quality of Life and the Status of Women, Pregs Govender In the Belly of the Beast: Of Structural Problems and Straitjackets in the Commission for Gender Equality, Amanda Gouws Lip Servicing the Budgets; Where's the Money for Gender Equity?, Joy Watson The National Gender Machinery: From an Integrated Set of Structures to a Women's Ministry, Philile Ntuli Changing Visions? A Discursive Exploration of the National Gender Machinery in South Africa, Ubanesia Adams Gaining Power Through the National Gender Machinery, Lisa Vetten The Road to the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide: The National Gender Machinery and the Impact of African Feminist Direct Action and Protest, Simamkele Dlakavu
