The ambiguous conceptualisation of gender mainstreaming in the Southern African Development Community

ABSTRACT This article examines the conceptualisation of gender mainstreaming by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its member state Botswana, and the SADC Gender Protocol Alliance. Critical discourse analysis based on Norman Fairclough's work is used to find out how gender mainstreaming has been conceptualised to take into account the informal sector of Botswana. The findings of the study show that gender mainstreaming is limited by structural barriers of transforming unequal gender relations, and limited coordination between government institutions, the Botswana Informal Sector Association and the SADC Gender Protocol Alliance. The paper suggests that for gender mainstreaming to be effective, it requires a clear understanding on how various policies define gender problems and shape gender relations.