Project properties
Title Sustainable Development Goal on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment – Its Evolution and Impact
Group Public Administration and Policy
Project type thesis
Credits 30-39
Supervisor(s) Dr Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen (PAP), Dr Chizu Sato (SCH)
Examiner(s) Dr Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen (PAP), Dr Chizu Sato (SCH)
Contact info sylvia.karlsson-vinkhuyzen@wur.nl
Begin date 2015/04/16
End date 2018/04/16
Description The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be adopted by all countries around September 2015 and capture the aspirations for what should be achieved by 2030 for the world to be a better place. Number 5 of the 17 proposed goals is to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. This goal has a number of proposed targets (total 6), such as “eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilations” and “recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies, and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate”. For each target, indicators will be chosen or developed to allow tracking process. Goal 5 and its targets represent a type of international norm. It has no legal status and therefore does not have to be approved by parliaments. It is a recommendation for countries on what they should focus their policies and resources on.

A number of different thesis topics can be developed linking to its origin, operationalisation and impact of SDG No. 5 (and its predecessor targets on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Millennium Development Goals) such as:
• trace the negotiation process to explain e.g. what targets were included and which were left out and why;
• analyse the development of indicators associated with the targets that includes lobbying efforts by many actors including scientists and NGOs;
• examine the process through which a specific country develops it is own national goals on gender equality and women’s empowerment; and
• investigate impacts that the gender related MDGs or SDGs and targets have on a particular topic (UN system wide) or on a specific country’s or organization’s (business or NGO) policy.

Depending on topic, the methodology can range from document analysis to field study. Theories employed can vary in source from international relations, policy impact studies to gender studies. The supervisors combine expertise in gender studies (Dr Chizu Sato, SCH) and global sustainable development governance
(Dr Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, PAP) with access to key actors around the negotiations. We expect theses that can lead to publications.
Used skills
Requirements First, interest, then thematic and methodological competence.
NOTE: If you are early in your MSc program, come to us now so we can help you pick courses that will prepare you for this opportunity.