in each country is necessary for concrete identification of economic areas suitable for the integration of women's issue in planning. To obtain such information gender-based commercial, industrial and social statistics should be constructed and made +"Y °rder tO ident"y enterprises and other areas of
opment where most female are likely to be employed. On the
basis of well-orgnized economic and social data, it would be
possible to prepare sound planning models concerning the
integration of women. Planning models based on reliable and sound
statistical methods can provide economic and social *rea<s or
sectors where they could make better contributions to the
national development and to the society as a whole
CHAPTER V
INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS s THE ROLE OF NATIONAL MACHINERIES AND OTHER MID FOCAL POINJS IN DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Any development programmes and sectors, whether pub!ic or private, cannot be isolated -from the action or policy influence of the state which maini-fests itself in legislative and regul atory government actions. In general , the separation of the government impact -from economic and social environment would be difficult to visualize; ^and any economic and social programmes of a given society shoul d -function within the general framework of public policies laid down by the govenrment of the society.
Economic and social policies should merit executive and legislative approvals and cannot be undertaken contrary to policy regulations o-f the state. Especially, political commitments and interest o-f government in power is essent ial for the intervention and practical implementation of a given development programme.
Thus, to implement the incorporation of women in development planning, the commitments of political leaders and policy makers are the essential prerequisite.
The responsibility and guidance of development planning must come from the top of the machinery of the state. In socialist -oriented countries, the political party gives directives to the state. In all cases it must start from the top. Such guidance is very important, because the al1ocation of human and material resources to the most needed uses is invol ved. Coordination of government departments in development planning is of paramount importance, and uniform guidance from the above to the concerned units is necessary. Nat ional 1 aws and pol icies may be laid down but may not be enough in themselves unless followed by practical and effective applciations to' meet the desired objectives.
African states have responded to international and regional pressures and mandates (21) to eliminate gendei—discrimination practices and to fully integrate women in develapment. To make such integration (22) pract ical realities, African governments have created, in accordance with the general frameworks of their individual political ^ economic and social systems, various national machineries within their ministries, commissions, public or parast^tal agencies. Yet, the implementation aspect is still in very slow as such machineries have yet to undertake the integration of women in development planning to the fullest
(21) Gloria Nikoi , Consultant', Women inEjeyel opment Unijfc^ African Development Bank group, F'ol icies and Machineries for Mainstreaming Women's Programmes and Projects into National Planning and Finance Priorities, May26, ?<27, 19B9, PP. 4-5.
(22)Ibid.
extent possible. poi icy measures may be needed to ensure -full integration o-f women in sphere o-f development, both as workers
and as decision-makers.
Among the national administrative and - development institutions to be used as areas o-f intervention and -for establishment o-f women's units to monitor their integrative development include ministries of -food and agriculture, health (including -family planning and nutrition), education, industry (such as handicraft and 1ight industries) , social affairs, finance, planning, trade; and other financial and service
institutions such as banking, insurance and tourism.
Other infrastructural and cultural machineries having greater impact on WID and cal1 ing for women's representation may refer to appropriate technology, forestry and soil conservation, energy, water supply and sanitary services, rural roads and transport , as wel1 as mass med i a.
Non-government organization can also play significant role as implementing machineries in the integration of WID. In each A-frican country, there &re various international and multinational organisations which may also pi ay important part in the promotion of integrative approach of women's issue in development programmes. United Nations" agencies such as Economic Commission -for Africa (ECA), UNICEF, UNDP, FAO, WHO, UNESCO, and UIMHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees), as well as other specialised agencies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and International Labour Organization, African Development Bank represent some of excellent institutional machineries to promote gender integration in cooperation with the national governments in which they function. Multi-national bodies including religious groups, business organizations, and international donors and aid givers such as technical assistance programmes can also be used as
helpful machineries to take part in the process of integrating WID, in conjunction with the national governments. These
international and multi-national bodies can establish women programmes with implementing and monitoring units in their respective organizations.Co-operat ive soc i et ies such as serv ice and producers co operatives may also represent some of the important non governmental machineries for the incorporation of women in
development strategies. In country where there are women's
organizations such as Revolutionary Ethiopia Women Association
(REWA) in Ethiopia, there could also be excellent female
machineries, especial 1y for fol1ow-up and implementation
programmes for the inclusion of WID.Educational institutions a]so count as important machineries
■for the integration of women' s issue in the &r^GSi o-f devel opment . Incorporating more women in academic institutions, such as elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities, as teachers and as administrators represent some o-f the machineries to encourage the issue o-f women in development .
Any new programmes, whether public or private, need new f inane ial and material support to make such programmes effective.
As such , the imp!ementation of women's programme in development process requires extra budget - Consequent1y , to make the national machineries more effective, the national budgetary system shoul d introduce special budget items (23) to -finance women's mach ineries.
Parastatal and non-governmental agencies cited in the preceeding discussion should also create special budgetary provisions to run -female integration machineries. In the short — and long-run, the integration process must be backed by strong
•financial and material support. Otherwise, more establ ishment o-f machineries to monitor, review and evaluate the implementation process o-f women integration woul cl be meaning! ess without adequate -financial backing.
In the implementat ion programme, periodic progress reports should be available to the concerned government organs and to the national legislative bodies on the progress made on the situation of WIB. The status of women's national machineries should also be clearly defined in terms of their working relationships with different government organs to achieve effective integration.
Such relationships must also be def ined with non-governmental agencies whose participation in women's programme must also be essential . There should be clear policy guidelines within which these agencies may carry out women's issue in pianning and programming towards their complete integration in- the national development.
(23) Ibid. P.9
30
-CHAPTER VI.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS