Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to assess the challenges and opportunities of gender mainstreaming
in Selected Office in Toke Kutaye Woreda, Western Shoa Zone in Oromia Regional State. A
descriptive research design, which involved both quantitative and qualitative research approach
was employed. The study was based on primary data collected from 48 experts in the selected
government office. Additional information was also obtained from key informant interview and
focus group discussion. The collected data were analyzed by IBM SPSS Version 23 statistical
software program. A descriptive statistics like frequency, percentage, mean and standard
deviation were used to summarize the data collected on the challenges and opportunities of
Gender mainstreaming. The result indicated the existing gender mainstreaming practice was not
satisfactory. Gender perspective is not integrated into on-going and future programs. There are
no gender awareness trainings to encourage the development of correct attitude and there no
enough funding to ensure proper implementation of gender mainstreaming policy. The study
results that existing opportunities to mainstream gender issues in selected government offices are
the prevalence of adopted gender mainstreaming strategies, gender perspective in the decisions
making in the organization and there are policy environments, international and national
instruments for gender mainstreaming. The study also confirmed that the challenges or
constraints faced by selected offices in the process of gender mainstreaming lack of commitment
and attention among the concerned bodies, the prevalence of lack of appropriate structure, lack
of continuous access to gender awareness and sensitivity training and inadequacy of office
programs that make it easier for women to balance their work and home responsibilities. The
level of staff awareness on the implementation of gender mainstreaming was not satisfactory.
Awareness is not created among male staff about the objectives of gender equality. The study
concluded that gender mainstreaming practice in the study was not satisfactory. It is
recommended that training and dissemination strategies should be adopted and implemented in
government office.
