Mind the Gap: Mainstreaming gender and participation in development

Preface by Michel Pimbert. This paper draws out lessons from gender mainstreaming work for those who seek to institutionalise participation. It examines the shift from Women in Development (WID) to Gender and Development (GAD) and the conceptual framework that contributes to this process. Discussions include strategies and outcomes, the shift from participation to governance, and the tensions between gender mainstreaming and participatory development. The author suggests ways of bridging the gaps between ‘gender’ and ‘participation’ and ways to mainstream both a gender perspective and participatory approaches to development and social change.