Gender in Colombian development policies (1998-2026): Continuity and change

Abstract

This article examines how gender is constructed in development policy over time. It draws on the concept of epistemic inertia, where long-held paradigms persist despite new discursive framings. Based on this concept, we use discourse analysis to explore the (dis)continuities of gender logics within the National Development Plans (NDPs) of Colombian presidents Andrés Pastrana (1998–2002), Álvaro Uribe (2002–2010), Juan Manuel Santos (2010–2018), Iván Duque (2018–2022), and Gustavo Petro (2022–2026). We find that Colombian NDPs tend to reproduce entrenched notions of women, family, and heteronormativity. Yet these traditional gender notions coexist with rhetorical and conceptual policy innovations that rearticulate how gender is framed – particularly in recurring domains such as violence, peace, and family – by introducing intersectional language and more substantive policy design. By tracing these dynamics, the article shows how gender approaches in public policy change, often while remaining tied to enduring cultural assumptions.