Is mainstreaming gender a cultural imposition?
• cultural values are continually being reinterpreted in response to new needs and conditions • cultural values are constantly evolving rather than fixed and there are different interests intervening in this process • views about the role of women and gender equality that are held by one person or group will not necessarily be held by others • a balanced assessment of the potential for gender equality initiatives requires consultations with a range of actors including men and women who are working towards equality • a member of the Cambodian government says that the aim is not to overturn the cultural identity of a nation, but to focus on the elements within it that oppress women • many initiatives less obviously concerned with culture have impacts on the social relations that characterize a culture • even if gender equality is not explicitly considered, decisions made in the planning process will have an effect on gender equality • if we adhere to the notion that gender equality is a
