Gender is a concept that refers tosocially constructed roles, behavior, activities andattributes that a particular society considers appropriateand ascribes to men and women. A useful definition of theconcept of gender mainstreaming is provided by the UnitedNations Economic and Social Council (1997), suggests thatmainstreaming a gender perspective is the process ofassessing the implications for women and men of any plannedaction, including legislation, policies or programs, in allareas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making theconcerns and experiences of women as well as men, anintegral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoringand evaluation of policies and programs in all political,economic and societal spheres, so that women and men benefitequally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goalis to achieve gender equality. The chapters that followhighlight in a short summary form experiences ofmainstreaming gender at various levels in the water andsanitation sector. It begins with a discussion on genderresponses to policy and its requirement for analysis andclear policy objectives to guide operations. The secondsection touches on experiences of mainstreaming genderwithin sector operations, beginning with the importance ofmainstreaming in the workplace. Section three addressesgender responses to monitoring and evaluation processes,while the fourth section examines responses to gender issueswithin accountability and voice initiatives. Section fiveassesses gender responses within hygiene and behavior changeprograms, while section six examines the linkages betweenwater, sanitation and HIV/AIDS. This is followed by anassessment of the way ahead. In each section goodmainstreaming practices are highlighted, while a checklistsummarizes key points to consider when mainstreaming gender.
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