Gender In Local Government

This volume brings together international experts to examine and compare women in local government and features case studies on the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Australia and New Zealand.

"This sourcebook aims at providing local governments with the tools to better understand the importance of gender in the decision-making process and to reach better solutions for the communities they serve. For this publication the following key issues of local governance have been selected: participation in local government, land rights, urban planning, service provision, local government financing, violence against women and local economic development. Each of these issues is introduced by a brief gender analysis. Numerous case studies illustrate what local governments can do. Reflection questions and training exercises help trainers to develop successful training events. [...] [The manual] is designed as a companion to other UN-HABITAT training tools, providing local government trainers with the background and tested training methods they need to strengthen the gender dimension in their day-to-day training activities. The source book may also be used as a stand-alone tool, introducing local governments to gender issues and their importance for local government policy-making and project implementation." -- P. iv.

Women and Representation in Local Government opens up an opportunity to critique and move beyond suppositions and labels in relation to women in local government. Presenting a wealth of new empirical material, this book brings together international experts to examine and compare the presence of women at this level and features case studies on the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Uganda, China, Australia and New Zealand. Divided into four main sections, each explores a key theme related to the subject of women and representation in local government and engages with contemporary gender theory and the broader literature on women and politics. The contributors explore local government as a gendered environment; critiquing strategies to address the limited number of elected female members in local government and examine the impact of significant recent changes on local government through a gender lens. Addressing key questions of how gender equality can be achieved in this sector, it will be of strong interest to students and academics working in the fields of gender studies, local government and international politics.

Examining the South African National Gender Policy guidelines, this thorough analysis explores the extent to which integrated development plans of local municipalities uphold women’s rights as stated in the South African constitution. Based on a project carried out in KwaZulu-Natal from 2004 to 2006, this in-depth research considers the difficulties posed to South African women who wish to meaningfully participate in local government because of entrenched patriarchy in their communities. This exhaustive study also stimulates discussion on how to advance gender equality in developing countries within the context of decentralization.

"This women's participation kit is one initiative to encourage women to consider standing for councils. It was first developed by a coalition of women's and local government organisations, the Women Participation in Local Government Coalition (WPILGC). This kit contains practical advice and information for women standing for election to Victorian local governments, and those who wish to support them. The stories from past and present women Councillors offer useful examples of how individual women have approached becoming a candidate. The kit aims to support active women citizens to contribute to making local governments more representative and more responsive to citizens and communities."--from back cover.