5 – Jämställdhet
Women Leading Democratic Change
Impact, Results and Lessons from ICLD’s programme Women’s Political Leadership This anthology brings together reflections, lessons, and stories from women politicians who have sought to create change in their communities. While political leadership is often described through policies, institutions, and election results, less attention is given to its everyday realities: building trust, navigating resistance, forging…
Taking the word
Indigenous Women’s Struggle for Equality in Colombia and Guatemala This roadmap provides a strategic framework for the local governments of Leticia and Panajachel to bridge the gap between legal commitments and the meaningful political influence of Indigenous women. Although current regulatory frameworks for women’s participation in Colombia and Guatemala have strengthened formal mechanisms and created…
Weaving the spoken word through sentipensar
Women transforming social norms to influencelocal governance in Guatemala and Colombia Across Latin America, important legal and policy advances have sought to expand women’s participation in public life. Yet in many local contexts, these formal gains have not translated into meaningful influence. This study explores this gap by asking: how do social norms shape women’s…
Participation is not enough
Women, intersectionality, and local democracy in Colombia In Colombia, participatory mechanisms have opened spaces for women, but these spaces have not enabled their political agency as expected. Often, these mechanisms have focused on “women” generically, reproducing discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, and class. Drawing on a case study of the Women’s Advisory Council (WAC) of…
Norrköping och Arvika förbättrar kenyansk vatten- och avfallshantering
Två nya ansökningar för demokratisamarbeten har nyligen beviljats via oss på ICLD.Det är Norrköping och Arvika kommun som nu får möjlighet att tillsammans med kenyanska partnerkommuner bygga vidare på sina erfarenheter från tidigare ICLD projekt. Norrköping samarbetar med kommunerna Embu och Homa Bay County och Arvika med Nakuru & Kwale County. Arbetet fokuserar på gemensamma samhällsutmaningar…
Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of Klapmuts & Kayamandi Townships: Stellenbosch Municipality, South Africa
This report responds to the growing need for voluntary local reviews (VLRs) of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) progress at the municipal level. It presents the findings of a community-based assessment conducted in the informal townships of Klapmuts and Kayamandi, both located within the Stellenbosch Municipality of the Western Cape Province, South Africa. In line with…
From Seeds to Assemblies. Agroecology as a Tool for Political Participation
Indigenous women’s political participation remains limited due to intersecting inequalities. Nevertheless, sustainable initiatives such as agroecology have proved to empower communities and promote social engagement. This research investigates the political dimension of agroecology by examining how it can affect Indigenous women’s political participation. Social Capital Theory and Empowerment Theory are used to identify the mechanisms…
Living Knowledge in a Changing Land
Indigenous communities in the Amazon are facing rapid socio-ecological changes that threaten traditional land management practices and food sovereignty. Indigenous knowledge and practices, essential for biodiversity conservation, are quickly being lost. I examine how changes in traditional land management affect Indigenous food sovereignty and its impact on the growth of women’s leadership in Mitú, Colombia.…
Är kvotering en väg till bättre jämställdhet?
Denna artikel finns också på spanska Lokalt exempel från Guatemala ICLD strävar efter att fler kvinnor ska få möjlighet att ta plats i ledande positioner inom lokala myndigheter. Att delta i politiken är en mänsklig rättighet och med fler kvinnor på ledande poster blir besluten mer inkluderande och präglas oftare av prioriteringar som rör social…
Unseen Spaces, Unheard Voices: Redefining Gender Roles to Enhance Women’s Political Impact in Guatemala and Colombia
Regional focus: South America – Colombia and Guatemala Time: September 2025 – May 2026 Abstract: This research project explores the role of gender social norms intersection in self-made spaces of participation (i.e. small cooperatives and informal local groups) and local governments “invited spaces” (i.e. street office, participatory budget, one-stop office, etc) and the impact those norms have…
