Abstract

Boniface E. S. Mgonja* and Stella Malangalila

The need for mainstreaming gender in development was recognized by the global community since the early 1970s after realization of the important role which women just as their men counterpart can equally play in development. Nonetheless, there has been conflicting discourses on the concept of “gender equality” and the whole debate of “gender mainstreaming”. This paper draws on a critical perspective to critique the approaches taken by many governments in developing countries to promote gender equality by having more women representatives in politics and governance system. A critical perspective in this paper examines how gender facts are constructed particularly in Tanzania and whose interest they ultimately serve. Based on the critical perspective presented in this paper, it is obvious that, the challenge to improve the status and productivity of women in developing societies is not the matter of “head count” but “gender awareness” to both women and men in all levels in a given society. The paper concludes by arguing that, an increased focus on awareness will have significant impact on future strategies for working with gender perspectives in development within different societies in Tanzania and other developing countries.