Purpose:

Meritocracies are the prevalent bureaucratic structure which African oversight bodies use in the execution of their audit obligation. Meritocratic principles imply that all persons, regardless of gender, race, class, sexuality or any other identity intersection, would have the same opportunities to advance simply by being hard working, intelligent, loyal and possessing the necessary educational background. Meritocracies use the principle of objective evaluation to justify their bureaucratic decisions, which as in the case of this article, has been used to perpetuate diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) discriminations through the systematic and hierarchical use of organisational structure and culture as decisive in advancing careers. In a world where the organisational structure has such an influence on both gender policy and gender advancement, the article explores the barriers and nuanced responses that women are confronted with and demonstrate within specifically English speaking African supreme audit institutions (SAIs).

Methods:

Through the use of a DEI survey administered to 25 member states (n=678) of the African Organisation of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E) supported by in-depth interviews held with at least 5 senior managers (both men and women) in 4 selected countries (Botswana, Kenya, Uganda and Sierra Leone), the findings revealed a complex and contextually laden understanding of DEI among senior management.

Findings:

All managers were proud of their merit-based recruitment, selection and advancement and while women would argue that it is difficult for them to reach the senior management positions, they would not equate that with the organisational structure or prevailing culture within. The reasons for non-advancement and barriers they identified included unconscious bias, stereotyping or prejudices; lack of DEI awareness; inadequate recruitment and hiring practices; limited access to opportunities; homogenous organisational culture; discrimination and harassment; lack of inclusive policies and practices; resistance to change; lack of resources to implement DEI interventions; lack of leadership commitment; and tokenism. While acknowledging that these barriers do limit their choices, they do not verbalise that the organisational structure perpetuates and allows senior management to perpetuate discrimination. Some of the findings from the research is that:

• Conceptual clarity around DEI is highly subjective and locally determined. Each of the different SAIs reported that they believed their countries take DEI seriously but when asked whether the SAI itself had a DEI plan or policy, very few of the SAIs could produce that. SAIs that were included in the interview process highlighted the traditional (binary) interpretation of DEI which they all favoured. For some SAIs, when they hear DEI they think of women and it being either a human resource management responsibility or a women’s issue. The benefits of having a shared understanding of DEI are not evident among the respondents or interviewees.

• Should conversations around DEI be held with SAI member states, the manner in which this will be framed is very important. The DEI conversation should be based on value principles that SAIs identify with such as transparency, accountability and integrity. SAIs are proud of the fact that their institutions have merit-based promotion, training and development and career management opportunities and do not realise the systemic inequalities which are perpetuated through this system. It allows for men to assume the senior management position because the same stereotypical gender role of having to take care of the family has not been assigned to them. When women reach senior management positions, they do so as the result of having made this decision to prioritise their career over their family early on and they also can employ additional help with their families. Concomitantly, it should also be acknowledged that the women within the SAIs are seen as being accepting of their positions, showing very little assertive behaviour and not speaking up for themselves. Thus, understanding the gender and culture dynamics within the organisational context is highly individualised.

• The fact that there are multiple categories of diversity which should be addressed through a single inclusive approach has not been prioritised in any of the SAIs. Often, SAIs would have gender forums or gender units where women comprise most of the membership and, although they would have the support from the Office in terms of resources, men would not actively participate in the conversations and what happens or might be discussed in the women’s forum remains the responsibility of women to solve, address or develop responses for. Equally, since there are women’s forums, some men feel as though a men’s forum would also be appropriate. To polarise gender into two camps, namely men and women, will not lead to mainstreaming an inclusive diversity strategy. The importance to discuss DEI when all genders are present and participate should be included as a value proposition for the DEI strategy.

• In terms of policy which may already exist within the member state countries, when DEI is mentioned as objective with very little resources or plans of action, monitoring and evaluation attached, little will happen. Thus, DEI evaluation assist in providing data to drive the development of a DEI strategy that would be contextually appropriate and relevant. The evaluation can identify specific gaps that might perpetuate systemic inequalities which should be actively talked about and addressed with the support of senior leadership. However, without the buy-in of employees, the DEI strategy will have little opportunity to succeed and the language used through which DEI strategy is mainstreamed becomes very important.

• The quantitative findings and discussions provided paints a varied and sometimes contradicting picture. While most SAIs would agree that they are doing everything they should to promote DEI, they also acknowledge that their organisation would not have the necessary policies, programmes, resources or leadership in place to mainstream DEI. While respondents did not want to commit that mainstreaming DEI is problematic in their organisations, they were equally willing to provide suggestions as to how DEI could be prioritised and specifically then identified systemic processes such as policies, programme and training as well as organisational cultural aspects, such as teamwork across diversity categories to be of importance. Understanding, development a framework around DEI mainstreaming is contextually unique although some principles such as equality, fairness, transparency could be identified as foundational for the development of the DEI strategy.

• Concerning the qualitative data collection, women are the majority of employees in Botswana while in all other member states, men far exceeded women in the composition of the SAI. Senior management, throughout all SAIs were dominated by men and it is revealing to note that one interviewee from Uganda asked the research team “not to create a problem where none exists”. Interviewing both men and women for the study proved invaluable as different perspectives and language could be observed.

Value/originality

The research concludes by offering insights into DEI policy development that is value-driven, contextually relevant and considered a crucial pillar to organisational success. A DEI policy would recognises benefits derived from a diverse and inclusive workplace, reflecting enhanced employee engagement, supportive organisational culture, increased focus on innovation and enhanced overall organisational performance.

This study examines the critical interplay between administration, diversity, and equal treatment within the context of Kenya's democratic evolution, focusing on the role of gender equality. As Kenya navigates its democratic journey, the integration of gender diversity and equity into administrative frameworks emerges as a vital component in shaping inclusive governance and policy-making processes. Historically, Kenya's governance structures have reflected global patriarchal trends, with limited representation and consideration for women and gender-diverse individuals. However, the democratic maturation of the nation has increasingly acknowledged the indispensability of embedding gender diversity within its administrative network. This paradigm shift is not merely about augmenting numerical representation but about enriching the governance fabric with diverse perspectives, thereby enhancing policy relevance and effectiveness. Administrative strategies in Kenya are progressively geared toward fostering gender inclusivity, reflecting a commitment to equal treatment and leveraging diversity as a governance strength. This involves various approaches, including legislative reforms, policy initiatives, and capacity-building measures aimed at undoing historical inequities and promoting gender parity across all strata of public administration.

Despite noteworthy progress, the journey is faced with challenges. Deep-seated socio-cultural norms, systemic biases, and economic disparities persist, posing obstacles to the full realization of gender equity in administration. The study highlights these challenges while also acknowledging the strides made in policy reforms and the implementation of gender-sensitive administrative practices. The role of administration in operationalizing gender equity is paramount, with a focus on translating policy commitments into tangible outcomes. This involves a strategic allocation of resources, fostering an inclusive organizational culture, and ensuring accountability in gender mainstreaming efforts. The study underscores that the future trajectory of Kenya's democratic journey is inextricably linked to its ability to embrace and institutionalize gender diversity and equity. This not only enhances the quality of democratic governance but also ensures that the fruits of democracy are equitably shared among all segments of the Kenyan populace, paving the way for a more inclusive, just, and resilient democratic society.

As the global conversation around gender equality intensifies, public administrations worldwide are actively seeking solutions. Gender budgeting, a strategic tool gaining significant momentum, offers a promising approach. It transcends traditional accounting practices by integrating gender considerations into budgetary processes, resource allocation, and policy outcomes. This approach aims to promote a more equitable distribution of resources, ultimately creating a just and inclusive society, a core principle of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls). Gender budgeting represents a paradigm shift in how governments approach budgetary decision-making. It empowers policymakers to analyze allocations through a gender lens, identifying and rectifying systemic biases that perpetuate inequality. By ensuring fairer and more equitable resource distribution across genders, this approach can significantly impact areas like education, healthcare, and economic participation. This shift is particularly relevant in Italy, where, like many countries, persistent gender gaps exist across various societal aspects. Gender budgeting offers a strategic framework for tackling these disparities at the local level, empowering municipalities to address historical inequalities and create a more level playing field for all citizens. This paper proposes a comprehensive analysis of the current state of gender budgeting implementation in Italy. It will delve into the progress made by Italian municipalities, exploring the concrete steps taken, their impact on gender equality, and overall effectiveness. The research will employ a mixed methodological approach. This includes a thorough review of existing literature on gender budgeting, with a particular focus on the Italian context. It will be complemented by data analysis of gender budgeting implementation in Italian municipalities. Additionally, case studies will be undertaken on a selected sample of municipalities to examine their specific gender budgeting practices. The aim will be to examine the extent to which gender considerations are integrated into budgetary processes, resource allocation, and policy outcomes. Moreover, the research seeks to identify patterns, trends, and best practices in gender budgeting across different municipalities, delving into the key factors influencing the success or failure of gender budgeting initiatives in Italian municipalities. This includes exploring institutional capacities, political dynamics, stakeholder engagement, and socio-cultural contexts that shape the implementation of gender-responsive budgeting practices. Finally, the research will formulate concrete recommendations to strengthen gender budgeting implementation and promote gender equality in Italian municipalities, with the ultimate aim of understanding the potential of gender budgeting as a tool for achieving more equitable and inclusive governance in Italy.

Urban planning has developed gender-neutral policies to meet supposedly universal needs, which conceal a false neutrality and equality as they are based on a masculine experience. This view does not take into account differences in age, origin or income. In this conception of society, women have been relegated to the private sphere and have been considered a minority, despite being 51 percent of the world's population.

This androcentric design, based on dominant values that place the male (white, middle-aged, middle-class, with full physical and mental capabilities...) as the universal prototype of society, has been reproduced in the urbanizations of our territory, where the productive world has been privileged over the reproductive sphere and the development of other tasks of daily life.

The result is an inequality from "non-representation" that calls into question the very concept of full citizenship in a democratic society, which to qualify as such cannot be based on exclusion, but must be able to authentically interpret and represent the different needs and capacity conditions of each human being and of society as a whole.

This is a fundamental principle, the application of which the Constitution postulated through the provision of substantive equality and the development of personality through participation in social formations and solidarity.

The city is, in fact, the result of factual dynamics that develop in the spatial realm of the urban context and in which are concentrated instances and needs arising from that microphysics of the everyday from which the experience of women and men is constituted, in their personal and relational dimensions, both solidaristic but also conflictual; that relationship of the individual with the physical and social complexity that characterizes urban contexts.

Urban policies can be the locus of experimentation to redefine the coordinates within which to place and manage new economic and social needs: practices, such as zoning, have favored the development of some activities (the "productive" ones) at the expense of others (the "reproductive" ones), making the latter invisible and creating unsustainable urban patterns based on the separation of workplace and home, of public and private life.

And so the city disintegrates into many fragments of itself, increasing distances, differences and fostering discrimination.

The configuration and planning of the space, therefore, condition its use.

Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate the gender perspective and women's daily experience in urban improvement and transformation projects, as historically ignored knowledge that is essential to make visible the different roles, spaces and jobs in a society. In this sense, it can be argued that a city that responds to the diversity of women's needs will be a city that benefits all people.

The intervention intends to share international, European and Italian best practices and experiences that, thanks to the emergence and enhancement of the gender perspective in the planning of cities or neighborhoods, have been translated into projects and actions attentive to multiple differences. Through such experiences, original contributions were conveyed, linked to specific needs and instances-from a point of observation, reading and interpretation, as well as community practice- different from those views assumed to be neutral and universal, but actually parameterized on the basis of indicators peculiar to the male world.