Abstract

This article explores the use of gender mainstreaming as a strategy of the Pacific Islands Forum in its Pacific Plan for Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Integration, and the difficulties that this approach presents in terms of meaningful outcomes. Adopting a single strategy of gender mainstreaming has some challenges at a regional level, not the least that of ensuring adequate monitoring and evaluation at country level when budgets are already strained. However it will show that, despite the problematic nature of the gender strategy, there have been a number of positive steps initiated both in the Pacific and from within Australia under the auspices of the Pacific Plan even though identifying overall regional progress is hindered somewhat by the Plans reporting processes