099_EG(1999)03

EG (1999) 3

Gender Mainstreaming conceptual framework, methodology and presentation of good practices - Final Report of Activities of the Group of Specialists on Mainstreaming

Summary

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Non official translations

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Part I: What is gender mainstreaming?

The first part of the report describes the origins of gender mainstreaming and its relation to specific gender equality policy. It discusses the problems which might occur when implementing gender mainstreaming and explains why this strategy is important.

1. What is gender equality?

Gender equality means an equal visibility, empowerment and participation of both sexes in all spheres of public and private life. Gender equality is the opposite of gender inequality, not of gender difference, and aims to promote the full participation of women and men in society.

Gender equality must be constantly fought for, protected and promoted. At present, the most important targets for gender equality include the following aspects:

the recognition and full implementation of women’s rights as human rights;
the development and improvement of representative democracy through the promotion of the equal participation of women and men in political and public life and all other walks of life;
the economic independence of the individual and the aim to reconcile family and working life for both women and men;
the empowerment of girls and boys through the education systems;
women’s and men’s common acknowledgement of the need to remove imbalances in society and their shared responsibility in doing so.

2. Are there still problems with gender equality in Europe?

Despite important progress, and even if in Europe women have obtained de jure equal rights and equal status with men, they are still discriminated against in many areas of life. Moreover, the progress towards gender equality seems to encounter a number of blockages. The main problems are:

that the definition of equality used is often the very narrow one of de jure equality and that protection against discrimination is not always provided;
that women have mainly had to work on these questions outside the ‘mainstream’ of society;
that the position of women in decision-making is still very weak in most countries;
that the methods used to promote gender equality have been mostly concerned with the specific needs of women and have not used the ‘gender perspective’.

3. What is gender mainstreaming?

Gender mainstreaming is 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 means that gender equality becomes a full part of common policies. It implies a broader and more comprehensive definition of gender equality, giving value to differences and diversity. At the same time, it stresses the need to (re)organise, improve, develop and evaluate policy processes and thus make it possible to challenge the male bias that characterises society and the structural character of gender inequality.

4. How does gender mainstreaming relate to specific gender equality policy?

Gender mainstreaming cannot replace “traditional” policies that have been designed to deal with specific problems related to gender inequality. It takes as a starting point policies which already exist or are being developed and then looks at how a gender equality perspective can be incorporated into the policy process, so that the specificity, interests and values of both sexes are taken into account. Gender mainstreaming and specific equality policy are dual and complementary strategies with the same goal: gender equality.

5. What are the difficulties that might accompany gender mainstreaming?

The main difficulties are the following:

there is a danger that the concept of gender mainstreaming and the way in which it relates to specific gender equality policies is misunderstood, which would mean that some governments might use it as a pretext to cease traditional equality policies;
that the concept is reduced to the two categories of women and men, and not used to take into account the relations between women and men;
that there is a lack of adequate tools and techniques for the implementation of gender mainstreaming;
that there is a lack of training for the actors involved and that the procedural changes needed are not implemented, eg in the administrations.

6. Why is gender mainstreaming so important?

There are five main reasons.

Because it puts people at the heart of policy-making

Policy-makers will have to pay attention to the broad effects of policies on citizens’ lives – and that, as a result, may mean a more human and less economic approach to the management of contemporary societies.

Because it leads to better government

If gender mainstreaming is used, policy-making will be better informed and show that policies are never gender neutral.

Because it involves both women and men and makes full use of human resources

As the people involved in implementing mainstreaming are those who usually do the work, a broader range of actors is involved. This is a clear shift from equality work undertaken – often in isolation – by a few women, to making use of all human resources and involving men in gender equality work.

Because it makes gender equality visible in the mainstream of society

Mainstreaming will show that gender equality is an important societal issue with implications for the development of society, and not just a “luxury”. This should launch a new debate on equality issues.

Because it takes into account the diversity among women and men

Equality policies usually target women as a whole – but gender mainstreaming should be able to target the diverse situations of the different groups of both women and men (migrant women, young women, old men, etc).

Part II: A methodology for gender mainstreaming

Part II exposes the facilitating conditions and necessary prerequisites for gender mainstreaming. Furthermore, it gives an overview of the ingredients available for, and the actors concerned by, gender mainstreaming.

1. What are the necessary prerequisites or facilitating conditions for gender mainstreaming?

The most important prerequisite is political will. The government – or the highest authority (in the case of an organisation, etc.) – will have to issue a mission statement, making it clear that the intention is to mainstream the gender equality perspective with the objective of reaching gender equality.

Another prerequisite is that a specific gender equality policy exists. Gender mainstreaming cannot be implemented without the existence of such a policy. Therefore, countries or organisations who wish to begin mainstreaming but do not have such a policy, should build up the latter at the same time.

Other important facilitating conditions are:

the existence of statistics on the current situation of women and men (sex-segregated statistics). These are essential in order to convince policy-makers;
the existence of gender studies which generate knowledge of gender relations; financial means (often partly reallocation of funds) and human resources (ie for training for policy-makers) and, last but not least, the full participation of women in political and public life and in decision-making processes. Most advocates of balanced gender relations are women. It is therefore important that they enter the decision-making processes to ensure that the values, interests and life experiences of women from different groups are taken into account when decisions are made.

2. When, what and where to mainstream?

When should gender mainstreaming intervene in the implementation of a policy? In fact, all stages of the policy process are important for mainstreaming – from the planning stage to the moment when decisions are taken, because this is when financial and other means are allocated. The implementing stage includes the elaboration of concrete actions and may therefore be the most important stage. Finally, it is important to evaluate the effects of policies on the current gender relations, as this can serve as a starting point for the development of new policies.

As to the question what to mainstream?, or which are the most important policy areas for mainstreaming, the answer is that most policy fields are relevant, as they all have a direct or indirect impact on the life of women and men. It is, however, difficult to begin mainstreaming in all areas at the same time. It might be easiest to begin with policy areas which are recognised as being important for achieving gender equality (ie. the labour market, education, social and family policy). Another possibility may be to start in areas which are habitually labelled as gender neutral (urban policies, transport policies, research policies).

Mainstreaming will, however, have the greatest impact when major reforms are being undertaken or when new legislation is being introduced. This is the moment to implement mainstreaming.

Should mainstreaming take place at the national level only, or should the regional and local levels be concerned? All policy levels are important, but this will depend, of course, on the structure of a given country (centralised or federal). The local level is important, as this is where decisions affect people most directly.

3. What techniques and tools are available?

The techniques and tools should be separated into three main sets: 1) analytical, 2) educational, 3) consultative and participatory.

Analytical techniques and tools

These are: statistics split up by sex; surveys and forecasts regarding gender relations; cost-benefit analyses from a gender perspective; research in gender studies, which is one of the most important bases for mainstreaming.

Other tools intended for policy-makers are: checklists (setting out objectives, describing actions to be taken); guidelines and terms of reference – which are not precise but give more freedom to put mainstreaming into practice. Gender impact assessment is another tool which originates from the environmental sector but has been adapted for the use of mainstreaming. It is a screening of a policy proposal to assess the different effects on women and men and whether their needs are equally taken into account. Finally, monitoring, comprising regular reporting and meetings, is also a tool to prepare new policies.

Educational techniques and tools

These contain two main aspects: awareness-raising and transfer of knowledge. Awareness-raising aims to make people sensitive to gender issues, and training will help the actors normally involved in the policy processes to detect gender issues and develop policies which take gender into account. This can be done through: awareness-raising and training courses – beginning at the highest level of management; special experts joining a unit for some time (“flying experts”); manuals and handbooks (to be used during and after the training); booklets and leaflets for the general public; educational material for use in schools.

Consultative and participatory techniques and tools

These are very important, because they make gender equality experts and other experts work together. Examples are: think tanks, working or steering groups (interdivisional and interdepartmental collaboration); special measures to ensure the participation of women in decision-making bodies; conferences, seminars, aimed at informing the public and those concerned by the policies; hearings (to help people participate in the policy-making process).

4. Who are the potential actors and what role can they play?

Gender mainstreaming implies all the actors routinely involved in designing, implementing and evaluating policies. Implementing gender mainstreaming means that gender equality has to become the concern of a great number of people. Certain aspects of gender mainstreaming need to involve specific actors, for example: research requires the participation of academic specialists and decision-making involves politicians. There is also a role for external experts, NGOs, pressure and interest groups as well as the media. The role of supranational institutions is also important as a supporting, stimulating and initiating actor.

Part III: Gender mainstreaming in practice

Part III discusses the points to keep in mind while elaborating a policy plan on gender mainstreaming and gives some indications for monitoring the process. Most important, this part contains examples of good practices of gender mainstreaming.

1. Constructing a gender mainstreaming policy plan

When constructing a policy plan, the first step is to identify who will be responsible for the start of gender mainstreaming. The next steps are to take stock of the actual situation – the prerequisites met, the characteristics of the policy-making process – and to design a plan that takes this actual situation into account. Finally, the last step is to monitor the results.

The main aim of a gender mainstreaming policy plan consists in linking up the necessary prerequisites, facilitating conditions and ingredients with the policy context and priorities of a specific setting. This chapter contains a checklist of aspects which should be taken into account when constructing a plan.

2. Good practices of gender mainstreaming

The last chapter contains examples of good practices of gender mainstreaming. These examples cover a broad range of policy plans, regulations, actions and techniques or tools. The aim of this chapter is to illustrate the methods and ways to mainstream a gender perspective into the policy spectrum and thereby to facilitate the setting up of a gender mainstreaming policy plan.

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Gender mainstreaming was published by the Council of Europe in 1998 (ISBN 92-871-3799-4).

For further information, contact:

Section Equality between Women and Men
Directorate General of Human Rights
Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex

Fax: +33 3 90 21 49 18
www.coe.fr