Gender Based Analysis+ in Alberta’s big cities: the effects on local organizing

Abstract

Calgary and Edmonton have each launched strategies and initiatives to incorporate Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) processes into their policy development in the last few years. Do these plans make a difference to grassroots organizers and non-profits working toward equity in these communities? Through seventeen semi-structured interviews with members of city administration, front line workers, grassroots organizers and heads of various non-profits, this thesis works to develop a better understanding of how and if municipal strategies have an impact on local organizing. The majority of research on GBA+ examines the challenges of implementing GBA+ policy processes and the subsequent outcomes in international or Canadian federal contexts. This thesis will address gaps by focusing on gender-mainstreaming approaches in the municipalities of Calgary and Edmonton, and the impacts on local organizers outside of administration. Participants shared experiences of navigating bureaucratic structures to affect change and GBA+’s limited capacity for radical change. Furthermore, participants discussed the influence of private and public funding on equity-related organizing and links to extractive industries.