Public Policy Quarterly, 2015, 11(1): 32-38

As part of marking the 30th anniversary of the ministry, this article traces its institutional development and the contested idea of its ‘effectiveness’. It reviews diverse narratives about the ministry and re-examines the notion of ‘relevance’ in an era of conservative fiscal and political ideologies. In so doing, the article appraises the implications for the ministry’s representation of women’s diverse interests within the constraints of the current policy environment. There is substantial critical scholarship about the Ministry of Women’s Affairs over this period that is a useful resource for reconstructing significant change periods. Additionally, this analysis draws on a body of secondary policy data: government reports, policy documents and parliamentary debates, among others. Finally, this article is informed by interviews conducted between 2008 and 2012 with past ministry officials and representatives of community organisations working in the area of women’s issues. (From the article). Record #5814