Mainstreaming Women Participation In Local Economic Development Decision Making At The Local Levels: The Case Of Adenta Municipal Assembly

Abstract

Women constitute more than half of the world’s population, their involvement and participation in all development processes is pivotal for inclusive development. However, “gender inequalities hamper the equal and significant participation of women in Local Economic Development processes. The issue of women’s participation in development, decision making and most importantly, governance, has gained global attention and has necessitated considerable efforts at both international and local levels to bridge the inequality gap between men and women’s participation in governance. Whereas previous studies have focused on gender participation in local economic development processes, little studies are found on mainstreaming women participation in LED implementation and processes at the local government level, thereby creating a gap in knowledge. The study revealed that women are fairly represented on the district LED sub-committee. They form less than one-third of the general assembly membership, needed to take major decisions. This composition does not favor the women as much as it favors men. It is therefore recommended that, there should be complete application of gender responsive approaches in all phases of the LED cycle in district planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation processes to promote women mainstreaming.