Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) as a critical praxis of Intersectionality -Understanding and manifestation of intersectionality in GESI frameworks of development organizations in Nepal

This thesis explores understanding and manifestation of a feminist theory “Intersectionality” in a popular gender equality framework called “GESI” (Gender Equality and Social Inclusion) by development and humanitarian aid practitioners in Nepal. Though Intersectionality has been men-tioned in some GESI frameworks, it has not been used as an analytical tool its understanding. Intersectionality refers to the interaction of different categories of identity and social arrange-ments in shaping different lived experiences of inclusion and exclusion of groups and individuals. By exploring GESI measures are operationalized in the structure and function of the organiza-tions, and how they operate around multiple marginalization of an individual or a group, the the-sis aims to answer if GESI can be considered a critical praxis of intersectionality. For this, I conducted online interviews with 11 representatives of 6 different organizations and 1 GESI expert; reviewed grey literatures like reports, policies, frameworks of the participating or-ganizations as well as ministries and other international development partners; and conducted literature review of Intersectionality and discourse of “Feminism and Development” to provide theoretical perspective of the thesis. The thesis found that there is definitional dilemma of GESI and intersectionality, differences in operationalization of GESI sensitive measures as well as limitations and challenges among the studies organization. GESI is considered as a summation of gender equality and social inclusion by most. Intersectionality was mostly understood and used in analyzing intra-women difference. Some of the core principles of intersectionality like, social inequality, social justice, and power relational and centering minority group were also resonated in their understanding. In terms of manifestation, they operationalized identity categorical complexity by assessing amalgamation of marginalization and vulnerability, interplay between four major identity categories (social, physi-cal, geographical, and situational) and use of different methods and tools to identify and prioritize groups of categories via contextualization that can vary through time and space. Thus, the thesis concludes that though it can be considered as a praxis of intersectionality there are several challenges in practice and recommends working on addressing those challenges for the way forward.