What Gender Equality Are You Mainstreaming? - An Assessment of Two National Action Plans on Women, Peace, and Security

Abstract: Women are disproportionally affected by armed conflicts. The starting point of this thesis is why the situation of women has not improved considerably even though resolutions such as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) has been adopted. My objects of study are two National Action Plans, which are implementations of the UNSCR 1325; Swedens and United States of Americas. With the theoretical starting point in gender mainstreaming, discourse analysis as my methodological approach and method, the aim with this thesis is to analyze how the two National Action Plans perceive gender and gender equality. I will also, thru a ideal type analysis consisting of a typology based on gender mainstreaming approaches and feminist conceptualizations of gender equality, analyze what gender mainstreaming approach and feminist perspective that lies behind the action plans. The result revealed that in general, gender is used as a descriptive concept and that gender equality is perceived in terms of “equal opportunities” and “equal access”. In the conclusion I discuss what social consequences these understandings may have.