EG-S-MS (1998) 2
Gender mainstreaming
Conceptual framework, methodology and presentation of good practices
Final report of Activities of the Group of Specialists on Mainstreaming (EG-S-MS)
Strasbourg, May 1998
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Non official translations : Albanian / Armenian / Macedonian / Russian / Serbian
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Table of contents
Introduction
Part I: What is gender mainstreaming?
1. What is gender equality?
2. Are there still problems with gender equality in Europe?
3. What is gender mainstreaming and where does it come from?
4. How does gender mainstreaming relate to specific gender equality policy?
5. What are the difficulties that might accompany gender mainstreaming?
6. Why is gender mainstreaming so important?
Part II: A methodology for gender mainstreaming
1. What are the necessary prerequisites or facilitating conditions for gender mainstreaming?
2. When, what and where to mainstream?
3. What techniques and tools are available?
4. Who are the potential actors and what role can they play?
Part III: Gender mainstreaming in practice
1. Constructing a gender mainstreaming policy plan
2. Good practices of gender mainstreaming
i. Good practices of a gender mainstreaming policy plan
Gender mainstreaming policies of the European Commission
A supranational gender mainstreaming policy projectNordic Council of Ministers
Mainstreaming experiences in Sweden at national, regional and local level
Finland's mainstreaming plan
Norway's experience of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policy fields
High level political initiative: a first step to mainstreaming in Portugal
ii. Good practices of particular mainstreaming instruments and initiatives
An analytical tool: Gender Impact Assessment, The Netherlands
An analytical tool to assess gender relevance: SMART
An analytical tool: Gender Impact Assessment, Flanders (Belgium)
An educational tool: Involving flying experts, Sweden
Evaluation of legislative proposals in a gender perspective, Denmark
A strategic mix of tools: The 3R method at the local level, Sweden
A strategic mix of tools: The SIDA guidelines/tables
A strategic mix of tools: the Danish Development Co-operation
An analytical tool: Guidelines for gender analysis, New Zealand
Appendices
Appendix A: Members of the Group of Specialists
Appendix B: Terms of reference
Appendix C: Gender mainstreaming at the level of the Council of Europe
Bibliography
Recommendation No. R (98) 14 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on gender mainstreaming
Message of the Committee of Ministers to Steering Committees of the Council of Europe on gender mainstreaming
Introduction
The present report is the result of five working meetings of the Group of specialists on mainstreaming (EG-S-MS), which was set up by the Council of Europe in 1995. The group was composed of eight experts: two members of the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG) and six specialists in the field of gender equality (see Appendix A). The terms of reference of the group (see Appendix B) stated that it was to carry out a survey of measures taken and implemented for the mainstreaming of a gender perspective into general policies, programme planning, as well as into sectoral policies and activities at all levels of society, both in the member States of the Council of Europe and in regional or international organisations. On the basis of this survey, the committee was to prepare a conceptual framework and a methodology for mainstreaming gender equality and identify techniques, tools and actors for integrating and evaluating the gender dimension in an effective and visible way. As the terms of reference included transmitting recommendations to the member States and to the different bodies of the Council of Europe, examples of good practices were collected and special attention was paid to the present work of the Council of Europe, especially at intergovernmental level (see Appendix C).
The Group relied mainly on two sources of information. Firstly, it collected the existing policy documents, strategy or working papers. Secondly, women’s studies centres and other organisations and institutions possessing specialist gender related knowledge were consulted. The report is based on this material and on discussions in the group.
The aim of this report is to stimulate the various policy actors of the member States and the different bodies of the Council of Europe to initiate concrete actions in the field of gender mainstreaming, and to facilitate their initiatives. The recommendations contained in the report are meant to be general, and are valid for all levels (national, regional and local), as well as for the Council of Europe.
Saying this, the Group is well aware of the fact that a finality has not yet been reached. Gender mainstreaming is a strategy in full development and many options and paths might still have to be discovered. The report is based on the information currently available and should be seen as an attempt at sharing and transmitting knowledge. There is a growing process of exchanging information between international organisations, their member states and individual actors. We hope that the reflections contained in this report will be of some help, use and stimulation to others in their efforts to develop gender mainstreaming methods and to put them into action.
The first part of the report contains the conceptual framework on gender mainstreaming. It places the strategy of mainstreaming in the context of achievements in terms of gender equality. It describes the origins of mainstreaming and its relation to specific gender equality policy. It discusses the problems which might occur when implementing a new strategy such as gender mainstreaming and explains why this strategy is nonetheless important.
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.
The third part of the report is intended as a support for undertaking concrete action. It discusses the points to keep in mind when elaborating a policy plan on gender mainstreaming and gives some indications for monitoring the process. Finally, it contains a broad range of examples of gender mainstreaming efforts.
The Group hopes that the Council of Europe will actively support the dissemination of this report as well as the implementation of the ideas which it contains, both in its member States and within the Organisation itself. It suggests that the report be transmitted to governments and other authorities of the member States, to the different bodies of the Council of Europe and its Secretariat, and be used as a tool for mainstreaming.
