Taking implementation seriously in assessing success: The politics of gender equality policy

This article makes the case for the investigation of the post-adoption stages of gender equality policies. We develop the Gender Equality Policy in Practice Approach built on: (1) the mix of instruments for policy action, (2) the process of inclusive empowerment in practice and (3) gender transformation as ultimate outcome. For the gender and politics community, we demonstrate the importance of incorporating implementation in taking policy success seriously; for the policy studies community, we shows how engaging with gender provides a compelling critical case to test general propositions about policy success and the intersectional complexity of the policy process.