Objective/context:

Gender mainstreaming policies have been adopted by local governments to advance gender equality as well as women’s rights. Existing research addresses several dimensions of this policy. However, a crucial dimension is its governance structure. In this article, we address the governance of gender mainstreaming policies under the governments of the Frente Amplio in Montevideo (Uruguay) and the Socialist Party in Rosario (Argentina), two left-wing parties with gender agendas.

Methodology:

The research is based on an analysis of policy trajectories over a decade and a half of implementation, comparing Montevideo and Rosario. By focusing on the governance structures of these policies, the paper examines legal, institutional and participatory instruments. The two cases are selected for their support to gender policies uninterruptedly for three decades, as well as for their recognition as successful experiences in Latin America.

Conclusions:

A significant contrast is identified between the two local administrations, despite their similarities. In general terms, the governance of gender mainstreaming in Montevideo tended to be broader and more democratic, while in Rosario it was partial and with a reduced multi-stakeholder participation. The explanations of these differences are linked to the characteristics of the local processes of decentralization and management reforms promoted by both governments.

Originality:

The originality of the article is given by an explanatory framework drawing upon broader discussions of the social sciences regarding decentralization and policy management, and extending it to account for the different governance structures of gender mainstreaming.