Promoting Gender Equality: A Systematic Review of Interventions

Abstract More than four decades have passed since the United Nation’s Convention on Elimination of All Forms Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted. Now is an opportune time to consider whether interventions seeking realise CEDAW’s aspirations brought us closer achieving gender equality. This systematic review aimed identify and synthesise evidence for effectiveness social justice, cognitive, or behaviour-change that sought reduce inequality, bias, discrimination women girls. Interventions could be implemented in any context, with mode delivery duration, if they measured equity outcomes, were published English peer-reviewed journals. Papers violence sexuality not eligible. Seventy-eight papers reporting qualitative (n = 36), quantitative 23), multi-methods 19) research projects met eligibility criteria after screening 7,832 citations identified from psycINFO, ProQuest, Scopus searches, reference lists expert recommendations. Findings synthesised narratively. Improved inclusion most frequently reported change 39), particularly education media interventions. Fifty percent measuring equality did achieve beneficial effects. Most mainstreaming had only partial effects calling into question their efficacy practice. Twenty-eight used awareness-raising strategies, which also predominantly Overall quality low moderate, key findings created doubt date achieved meaningful change. may macrolevel because explicitly address meso micro We conclude a summary determinants promotion equality, including call men’s emotional responses (micro) process (micro/meso/macrolevels).