The Bigger Picture: Gender and Politics in Practice

This paper explores how the findings of the Gender and Politics in Practice (GAPP) research on development programming relate to broader processes of social, political and economic change that shape development outcomes and gender equality. Institutions remain important, but more attention needs to be given to issues of politics, power and agency. This in turn means looking more closely at the role of leaders, organisations and coalitions in shaping effective institutions, mobilising various interests, and in working strategically within existing social norms to achieve change. This research indicates that understanding the relationships between context, locally driven change and gendered power relations needs to be central to all development work