Gender Mainstreaming

Men and Women – Gender Mainstreaming:

Gender Mainstreaming is defined by the Council of Europe (1998) as ‘the (re)organisation, improvement, development and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies, at all levels and at all stages, by the actors normally involved in policy-making’.

Gender mainstreaming entails a needs assessment of the players and end users from a gender perspective. Although we often assume that policies and measures implemented thereunder are neutral, they are in fact often based on assumptions that may ultimately create an imbalance. Through particular tools for implementing gender mainstreaming, these assumptions are identified and challenged, in order to direct the policy maker towards a more equitable approach. Gender mainstreaming strategy should indeed be applied to ALL those policy areas which may have a bearing on people – practically everything! Gender mainstreaming also ties in well with the commitment towards improving organizational innovation.
EU Directive 2002/73/EC states that:

Member States shall actively take into account the objective of equality between men and women when formulating and implementing laws, regulations, administrative provisions, policies and activities…This article thus obliged all Member States to introduce gender mainstreaming as a strategy by October 2005.

Regard should also be given to OPM Circular No. 24/2000 which states, amongst other things, that:

‘Accountability for the implementation of gender mainstreaming however lies with public officials at all levels and in all Government Departments and Entities. To this effect, the Performance Management Programme of Public Officials, (namely, Permanent Secretaries, Directors General, CEOs and Managers, Directors, Assistant Directors, Heads of Sections/Units, and the focal points on gender equality in Government Departments and in Government Entities) should include, as a key objective, the implementation of gender equality policies and of gender mainstreaming.’

In addition to a gender equality policy a pre-requisite for carrying out gender mainstreaming is the availability of expertise (Gender mainstreaming Conceptual framework, methodology and presentation of good practices, Final report of Activities of the Group of Specialists on Mainstreaming, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, May 1998).

Weave Consulting has the expertise and experience necessary to ensure that your gender mainstreaming efforts are effective and in line with national and EU standards. Moreover, through its Gender Mainstreaming services, Weave Consulting brings value-added to your organisation by ensuring good governance, and also by maximising the full potential of your human resources, both male and female.

We offer the following:

• Drafting Gender Equality policies
• Workshops
• Ad hoc consultations
• Gender Audits
• Gender Impact Assessments
• Gender Budgeting
• Research