Convergence and Divergence: the Federalization of Belgian Equality Policies

The development of an asymmetrical federal structure profoundly changed the institutional setting for Belgian gender equality policies. This contribution assesses the influence of this process on the development of the Belgian women's policy agencies and its gender equality policies. It argues that while the characteristics of the Belgian federal system—its asymmetrical structure and dual, centrifugal nature—stimulate the development of diverging structures, the nature of the issue—the cross-cutting character of gender inequality, the hegemonic approach to gender inequality—and the absence of national civil society actors push towards a convergence of policy approaches across different policy-making institutions.