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Gender mainstreaming

  • What is Gender mainstreaming
    • Policy cycle
  • Institutions and structures
    • European Union
    • EU Member States
    • Stakeholders
    • International organizations
  • Policy areas
    • Agriculture and rural development
      • Policy cycle
    • Culture
      • Policy cycle
    • Digital agenda
      • Policy cycle
    • Economic and financial affairs
      • #3 Steps Forward
        • How can you make a difference?
      • Economic Benefits of Gender Equality in the EU
      • Policy cycle
    • Education
      • Policy cycle
    • Employment
      • Policy cycle
      • Structures
    • Energy
      • Policy cycle
    • Entrepreneurship
      • Policy cycle
    • Environment and climate change
      • Policy cycle
    • Health
      • Policy cycle
    • Justice
      • Policy cycle
    • Maritime affairs and fisheries
      • Policy cycle
    • Migration
      • Policy cycle
    • Poverty
      • Policy cycle
    • Regional policy
      • Policy cycle
    • Research
      • Policy cycle
    • Security
      • Policy cycle
    • Sport
      • Policy cycle
    • Tourism
      • Policy cycle
    • Transport
      • Policy cycle
    • Youth
      • Policy cycle
  • Toolkits
    • Gender Equality Training
      • Back to toolkit page
      • What is Gender Equality Training
      • Why invest in Gender Equality Training
      • Who should use Gender Equality Training
      • Step-by-step guide to Gender Equality Training
        • Preparation phase
          • 1. Assess the needs
          • 2. Integrate initiatives to broader strategy
          • 3. Ensure sufficient resources
          • 4. Write good terms of reference
          • 5. Select a trainer
        • Implementation phase
          • 6. Engage in the needs assessment
          • 7. Actively participate in the initiative
          • 8. Invite others to join in
          • 9. Monitoring framework and procedures
        • Evaluation and follow-up phase
          • 10. Set up an evaluation framework
          • 11. Assess long-term impacts
          • 12. Give space and support others
      • Designing effective Gender Equality Training
      • Gender Equality Training in the EU
      • Good Practices on Gender Equality Training
      • More resources on Gender Equality Training
      • More on EIGE's work on Gender Equality Training
    • Gender Impact Assessment
      • Back to toolkit page
      • What is Gender Impact Assessment
      • Why use Gender Impact Assessment
      • Who should use Gender Impact Assessment
      • When to use Gender Impact Assessment
      • Guide to Gender Impact Assessment
        • Step 1: Definition of policy purpose
        • Step 2: Checking gender relevance
        • Step 3: Gender-sensitive analysis
        • Step 4: Weighing gender impact
        • Step 5: Findings and proposals for improvement
      • Following up on gender impact assessment
      • General considerations
      • Examples from the EU
        • European Union
          • European Commission
        • National level
          • Austria
          • Belgium
          • Denmark
          • Finland
          • Sweden
        • Regional level
          • Basque country
          • Catalonia
        • Local level
          • Lower Saxony
          • Swedish municipalities
    • Institutional Transformation
      • Back to toolkit page
      • What is Institutional Transformation
        • Institutional transformation and gender: Key points
        • Gender organisations
        • Types of institutions
        • Gender mainstreaming and institutional transformation
        • Dimensions of gender mainstreaming in institutions: The SPO model
      • Why focus on Institutional Transformation
        • Motivation model
      • Who the guide is for
      • Guide to Institutional Transformation
        • Preparation phase
          • 1. Creating accountability and strengthening commitment
          • 2. Allocating resources
          • 3. Conducting an organisational analysis
          • 4. Developing a strategy and work plan
        • Implementation phase
          • 5. Establishing a support structure
          • 6. Setting gender equality objectives
          • 7. Communicating gender mainstreaming
          • 8. Introducing gender mainstreaming
          • 9. Developing gender equality competence
          • 10. Establishing a gender information management system
          • 11. Launching gender equality action plans
          • 12. Promotional equal opportunities
        • Evaluation and follow-up phase
          • 13. Monitoring and steering organisational change
      • Dealing with resistance
        • Discourse level
        • Individual level
        • Organisational level
        • Statements and reactions
      • Checklist: Key questions for change
      • Examples from the EU
        • Preparation phase
          • 1. Strengthening accountability
          • 2. Allocating resources
          • 3. Organisational analysis
          • 4. Developing a strategy and working plan
        • Implementation phase
          • 5. Establishing a support structure
          • 6. Setting objectives
          • 7. Communicating gender mainstreaming
          • 8. Introducing methods and tools
          • 9. Developing Competence
          • 10. Establishing a gender information management system
          • 11. Launching action plans
          • 12. Promoting within an organisation
        • Evaluation and follow-up phase
          • 13. Monitoring and evaluating
    • Gender Equality in Academia and Research
      • Back to toolkit page
      • WHAT
        • What is a Gender Equality Plan?
        • Terms and definitions
        • Which stakeholders need to be engaged into a GEP
        • About the Gear Tool
      • WHY
        • Horizon Europe GEP criterion
        • Gender Equality in Research and Innovation
        • Why change must be structural
        • Rationale for gender equality change in research and innovation
      • HOW
        • GEAR step-by-step guide for research organisations, universities and public bodies
          • Step 1: Getting started
          • Step 2: Analysing and assessing the state-of-play in the institution
          • Step 3: Setting up a Gender Equality Plan
          • Step 4: Implementing a Gender Equality Plan
          • Step 5: Monitoring progress and evaluating a Gender Equality Plan
          • Step 6: What comes after the Gender Equality Plan?
        • GEAR step-by-step guide for research funding bodies
          • Step 1: Getting started
          • Step 2: Analysing and assessing the state-of-play in the institution
          • Step 3: Setting up a Gender Equality Plan
          • Step 4: Implementing a Gender Equality Plan
          • Step 5: Monitoring progress and evaluating a Gender Equality Plan
          • Step 6: What comes after the Gender Equality Plan?
        • GEAR action toolbox
          • Work-life balance and organisational culture
          • Gender balance in leadership and decision making
          • Gender equality in recruitment and career progression
          • Integration of the sex/gender dimension into research and teaching content
          • Measures against gender-based violence including sexual harassment
          • Measures mitigating the effect of COVID-19
          • Data collection and monitoring
          • Training: awareness-raising and capacity building
          • GEP development and implementation
          • Gender-sensitive research funding procedures
        • Success factors for GEP development and implementation
        • Challenges & resistance
      • WHERE
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Cyprus
        • Czechia
        • Denmark
        • Estonia
        • Finland
        • France
        • Germany
        • Greece
        • Hungary
        • Ireland
        • Italy
        • Latvia
        • Lithuania
        • Luxembourg
        • Malta
        • Netherlands
        • Poland
        • Portugal
        • Romania
        • Slovakia
        • Slovenia
        • Spain
        • Sweden
        • United Kingdom
    • Gender-sensitive Parliaments
      • Back to toolkit page
      • What is the tool for?
      • Who is the tool for?
      • How to use the tool
      • Self-assessment, scoring and interpretation of parliament gender-sensitivity
        • AREA 1 – Women and men have equal opportunities to ENTER the parliament
          • Domain 1 – Electoral system and gender quotas
          • Domain 2 - Political party/group procedures
          • Domain 3 – Recruitment of parliamentary employees
        • AREA 2 – Women and men have equal opportunities to INFLUENCE the parliament’s working procedures
          • Domain 1 – Parliamentarians’ presence and capacity in a parliament
          • Domain 2 – Structure and organisation
          • Domain 3 – Staff organisation and procedures
        • AREA 3 – Women’s interests and concerns have adequate SPACE on parliamentary agenda
          • Domain 1 – Gender mainstreaming structures
          • Domain 2 – Gender mainstreaming tools in parliamentary work
          • Domain 3 – Gender mainstreaming tools for staff
        • AREA 4 – The parliament produces gender-sensitive LEGISLATION
          • Domain 1 – Gender equality laws and policies
          • Domain 2 – Gender mainstreaming in laws
          • Domain 3 – Oversight of gender equality
        • AREA 5 – The parliament complies with its SYMBOLIC function
          • Domain 1 – Symbolic meanings of spaces
          • Domain 2 – Gender equality in external communication and representation
      • How gender-sensitive are parliaments in the EU?
      • Examples of gender-sensitive practices in parliaments
        • Women and men have equal opportunities to ENTER the parliament
        • Women and men have equal opportunities to INFLUENCE the parliament’s working procedures
        • Women’s interests and concerns have adequate SPACE on parliamentary agenda
        • The parliament produces gender-sensitive LEGISLATION
        • The parliament complies with its SYMBOLIC function
      • Glossary of terms
      • References and resources
    • Gender Budgeting
      • Back to toolkit page
      • Who is this toolkit for?
      • What is gender budgeting?
        • Introducing gender budgeting
        • Gender budgeting in women’s and men’s lived realities
        • What does gender budgeting involve in practice?
        • Gender budgeting in the EU Funds
          • Gender budgeting as a way of complying with EU legal requirements
          • Gender budgeting as a way of promoting accountability and transparency
          • Gender budgeting as a way of increasing participation in budget processes
          • Gender budgeting as a way of advancing gender equality
      • Why is gender budgeting important in the EU Funds?
        • Three reasons why gender budgeting is crucial in the EU Funds
      • How can we apply gender budgeting in the EU Funds? Practical tools and Member State examples
        • Tool 1: Connecting the EU Funds with the EU’s regulatory framework on gender equality
          • Legislative and regulatory basis for EU policies on gender equality
          • Concrete requirements for considering gender equality within the EU Funds
          • EU Funds’ enabling conditions
          • Additional resources
        • Tool 2: Analysing gender inequalities and gender needs at the national and sub-national levels
          • Steps to assess and analyse gender inequalities and needs
          • Step 1. Collect information and disaggregated data on the target group
          • Step 2. Identify existing gender inequalities and their underlying causes
          • Step 3. Consult directly with the target groups
          • Step 4. Draw conclusions
          • Additional resources
        • Tool 3: Operationalising gender equality in policy objectives and specific objectives/measures
          • Steps for operationalising gender equality in Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes
          • General guidance on operationalising gender equality when developing policy objectives, specific objectives and measures
          • Checklist for putting the horizontal principle of gender equality into practice in Partnership Agreements
          • Checklist for putting the horizontal principle of gender equality into practice in Operational Programmes
          • Examples of integrating gender equality as a horizontal principle in policy objectives and specific objectives
        • Tool 4: Coordination and complementarities between the EU Funds to advance work-life balance
          • Steps for enhancing coordination and complementarities between the funds
          • Step 1. Alignment with the EU’s strategic engagement goals for gender equality and national gender equality goals
          • Steps 2 and 3. Identifying and developing possible work-life balance interventions
          • Step 4. Following-up through the use of indicators within M&E systems
          • Fictional case study 1: reconciling paid work and childcare
          • Fictional case study 2: reconciling shift work and childcare
          • Fictional case study 3: balancing care for oneself and others
          • Fictional case study 4: reconciling care for children and older persons with shift work
          • Additional resources
        • Tool 5: Defining partnerships and multi-level governance
          • Steps for defining partnerships and multi-level governance
          • Additional resources
        • Tool 6: Developing quantitative and qualitative indicators for advancing gender equality
          • Steps to develop quantitative and qualitative indicators
          • ERDF and Cohesion Fund
          • ESF+
          • EMFF
          • Additional resources
        • Tool 7: Defining gender-sensitive project selection criteria
          • Steps to support gender-sensitive project development and selection
          • Checklist to guide the preparation of calls for project proposals
          • Checklist for project selection criteria
          • Supplementary tool 7.a: Gender-responsive agreements with project implementers
        • Tool 8: Tracking resource allocations for gender equality in the EU Funds
          • Ensuring gender relevance in EU Funds
          • The tracking system
          • Steps for tracking resource allocations on gender equality
          • Step 1: Ex ante approach
          • Step 2: Ex post approach
          • Examples of Step 2a
          • Annex 1: Ex ante assignment of intervention fields to the gender equality dimension codes
          • Annex 2: The EU’s gender equality legal and policy framework
        • Tool 9: Mainstreaming gender equality in project design
          • Steps to mainstream gender equality in project design
          • Step 1. Alignment with partnership agreements’ and Operational Programmes’ gender objectives and indicators
          • Step 2. Project development and application
          • Step 3. Project implementation
          • Step 4. Project assessment
        • Tool 10: Integrating a gender perspective in monitoring and evaluation processes
          • Steps to integrate a gender perspective in M&E processes
          • Additional resources
        • Tool 11: Reporting on resource spending for gender equality in the EU Funds
          • Tracking expenditures for gender equality
          • Additional resources
      • Resources
        • References
        • Abbreviations
        • Acknowledgements
    • Gender-responsive Public Procurement
      • Back to toolkit page
      • Who is this toolkit for?
        • Guiding you through the toolkit
      • What is gender-responsive public procurement?
        • How is gender-responsive public procurement linked to gender equality?
        • How is gender-responsive public procurement linked to gender budgeting?
      • Why is gender-responsive public procurement important?
        • Five reasons why gender-responsive public procurement
        • Why was this toolkit produced
      • Gender-responsive public procurement in practice
        • Legal framework cross-references gender equality and public procurement
        • Public procurement strategies cover GRPP
        • Gender equality action plans or strategies mention public procurement
        • Capacity-building programmes, support structures
        • Regular collaboration between gender equality bodies
        • Effective monitoring and reporting systems on the use of GRPP
        • Tool 1:Self-assessment questionnaire about the legal
        • Tool 2: Overview of the legislative, regulatory and policy frameworks
      • How to include gender aspects in tendering procedures
        • Pre-procurement stage
          • Needs assessment
          • Tool 3: Decision tree to assess the gender relevance
          • Preliminary market consultation
          • Tool 4: Guiding questions for needs assessment
          • Defining the subject matter of the contract
          • Choosing the procedure
          • Tool 5: Decision tree for the choice of procedure for GRPP
          • Dividing the contract into lots
          • Tool 6: Guiding questions for dividing contracts into lots for GRPP
          • Light regime for social, health and other specific services
          • Tool 7: Guiding questions for applying GRPP under the light regime
          • Tool 8: Guiding questions for applying GRPP under the light regime
          • Reserved contracts
          • Preparing tender documents
        • Procurement stage
          • Exclusion grounds
          • Selection criteria
          • Technical specifications
          • Tool 9: Decision tree for setting GRPP selection criteria
          • Award criteria
          • Tool 10: Formulating GRPP award criteria
          • Tool 11: Bidders’ concepts to ensure the integration of gender aspects
          • Use of labels/certifications
        • Post-procurement stage
          • Tool 12: Checklist for including GRPP contract performance conditions
          • Subcontracting
          • Monitoring
          • Reporting
          • Tool 13: Template for a GRPP monitoring and reporting plan
      • References
      • Additional resources
  • Methods and tools
    • Browse
    • About EIGE's methods and tools
    • Gender analysis
    • Gender audit
    • Gender awareness-raising
    • Gender budgeting
    • Gender impact assessment
    • Gender equality training
    • Gender-responsive evaluation
    • Gender statistics and indicators
    • Gender monitoring
    • Gender planning
    • Gender-responsive public procurement
    • Gender stakeholder consultation
    • Sex-disaggregated data
    • Institutional transformation
    • Examples of methods and tools
    • Resources
  • Good practices
    • Browse
    • About good practices
    • EIGE’s approach to good practices
  • Country specific information
    • Belgium
      • Overview
    • Bulgaria
      • Overview
    • Czechia
      • Overview
    • Denmark
      • Overview
    • Germany
      • Overview
    • Estonia
      • Overview
    • Ireland
      • Overview
    • Greece
      • Overview
    • Spain
      • Overview
    • France
      • Overview
    • Croatia
      • Overview
    • Italy
      • Overview
    • Cyprus
      • Overview
    • Latvia
      • Overview
    • Lithuania
      • Overview
    • Luxembourg
      • Overview
    • Hungary
      • Overview
    • Malta
      • Overview
    • Netherlands
      • Overview
    • Austria
      • Overview
    • Poland
      • Overview
    • Portugal
      • Overview
    • Romania
      • Overview
    • Slovenia
      • Overview
    • Slovakia
      • Overview
    • Finland
      • Overview
    • Sweden
      • Overview
  • EIGE’s publications on Gender mainstreaming
  • Concepts and definitions
  • Power Up conference 2019
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  • Menu
  • Gender mainstreaming
    • What is Gender mainstreaming
      • Policy cycle
    • Institutions and structures
      • European Union
      • EU Member States
      • Stakeholders
      • International organizations
    • Policy areas
      • Agriculture and rural development
        • Policy cycle
      • Culture
        • Policy cycle
      • Digital agenda
        • Policy cycle
      • Economic and financial affairs
        • #3 Steps Forward
          • How can you make a difference?
        • Economic Benefits of Gender Equality in the EU
        • Policy cycle
      • Education
        • Policy cycle
      • Employment
        • Policy cycle
        • Structures
      • Energy
        • Policy cycle
      • Entrepreneurship
        • Policy cycle
      • Environment and climate change
        • Policy cycle
      • Health
        • Policy cycle
      • Justice
        • Policy cycle
      • Maritime affairs and fisheries
        • Policy cycle
      • Migration
        • Policy cycle
      • Poverty
        • Policy cycle
      • Regional policy
        • Policy cycle
      • Research
        • Policy cycle
      • Security
        • Policy cycle
      • Sport
        • Policy cycle
      • Tourism
        • Policy cycle
      • Transport
        • Policy cycle
      • Youth
        • Policy cycle
    • Toolkits
      • Gender Equality Training
        • Back to toolkit page
        • What is Gender Equality Training
        • Why invest in Gender Equality Training
        • Who should use Gender Equality Training
        • Step-by-step guide to Gender Equality Training
            • 1. Assess the needs
            • 2. Integrate initiatives to broader strategy
            • 3. Ensure sufficient resources
            • 4. Write good terms of reference
            • 5. Select a trainer
            • 6. Engage in the needs assessment
            • 7. Actively participate in the initiative
            • 8. Invite others to join in
            • 9. Monitoring framework and procedures
            • 10. Set up an evaluation framework
            • 11. Assess long-term impacts
            • 12. Give space and support others
        • Designing effective Gender Equality Training
        • Gender Equality Training in the EU
        • Good Practices on Gender Equality Training
        • More resources on Gender Equality Training
        • More on EIGE's work on Gender Equality Training
      • Gender Impact Assessment
        • Back to toolkit page
        • What is Gender Impact Assessment
        • Why use Gender Impact Assessment
        • Who should use Gender Impact Assessment
        • When to use Gender Impact Assessment
        • Guide to Gender Impact Assessment
          • Step 1: Definition of policy purpose
          • Step 2: Checking gender relevance
          • Step 3: Gender-sensitive analysis
          • Step 4: Weighing gender impact
          • Step 5: Findings and proposals for improvement
        • Following up on gender impact assessment
        • General considerations
        • Examples from the EU
            • European Commission
            • Austria
            • Belgium
            • Denmark
            • Finland
            • Sweden
            • Basque country
            • Catalonia
            • Lower Saxony
            • Swedish municipalities
      • Institutional Transformation
        • Back to toolkit page
        • What is Institutional Transformation
          • Institutional transformation and gender: Key points
          • Gender organisations
          • Types of institutions
          • Gender mainstreaming and institutional transformation
          • Dimensions of gender mainstreaming in institutions: The SPO model
        • Why focus on Institutional Transformation
          • Motivation model
        • Who the guide is for
        • Guide to Institutional Transformation
            • 1. Creating accountability and strengthening commitment
            • 2. Allocating resources
            • 3. Conducting an organisational analysis
            • 4. Developing a strategy and work plan
            • 5. Establishing a support structure
            • 6. Setting gender equality objectives
            • 7. Communicating gender mainstreaming
            • 8. Introducing gender mainstreaming
            • 9. Developing gender equality competence
            • 10. Establishing a gender information management system
            • 11. Launching gender equality action plans
            • 12. Promotional equal opportunities
            • 13. Monitoring and steering organisational change
        • Dealing with resistance
          • Discourse level
          • Individual level
          • Organisational level
          • Statements and reactions
        • Checklist: Key questions for change
        • Examples from the EU
            • 1. Strengthening accountability
            • 2. Allocating resources
            • 3. Organisational analysis
            • 4. Developing a strategy and working plan
            • 5. Establishing a support structure
            • 6. Setting objectives
            • 7. Communicating gender mainstreaming
            • 8. Introducing methods and tools
            • 9. Developing Competence
            • 10. Establishing a gender information management system
            • 11. Launching action plans
            • 12. Promoting within an organisation
            • 13. Monitoring and evaluating
      • Gender Equality in Academia and Research
        • Back to toolkit page
        • WHAT
          • What is a Gender Equality Plan?
          • Terms and definitions
          • Which stakeholders need to be engaged into a GEP
          • About the Gear Tool
        • WHY
          • Horizon Europe GEP criterion
          • Gender Equality in Research and Innovation
          • Why change must be structural
          • Rationale for gender equality change in research and innovation
          • GEAR step-by-step guide for research organisations, universities and public bodies
            • Step 1: Getting started
            • Step 2: Analysing and assessing the state-of-play in the institution
            • Step 3: Setting up a Gender Equality Plan
            • Step 4: Implementing a Gender Equality Plan
            • Step 5: Monitoring progress and evaluating a Gender Equality Plan
            • Step 6: What comes after the Gender Equality Plan?
          • GEAR step-by-step guide for research funding bodies
            • Step 1: Getting started
            • Step 2: Analysing and assessing the state-of-play in the institution
            • Step 3: Setting up a Gender Equality Plan
            • Step 4: Implementing a Gender Equality Plan
            • Step 5: Monitoring progress and evaluating a Gender Equality Plan
            • Step 6: What comes after the Gender Equality Plan?
          • GEAR action toolbox
            • Work-life balance and organisational culture
            • Gender balance in leadership and decision making
            • Gender equality in recruitment and career progression
            • Integration of the sex/gender dimension into research and teaching content
            • Measures against gender-based violence including sexual harassment
            • Measures mitigating the effect of COVID-19
            • Data collection and monitoring
            • Training: awareness-raising and capacity building
            • GEP development and implementation
            • Gender-sensitive research funding procedures
          • Success factors for GEP development and implementation
          • Challenges & resistance
        • WHERE
          • Austria
          • Belgium
          • Bulgaria
          • Croatia
          • Cyprus
          • Czechia
          • Denmark
          • Estonia
          • Finland
          • France
          • Germany
          • Greece
          • Hungary
          • Ireland
          • Italy
          • Latvia
          • Lithuania
          • Luxembourg
          • Malta
          • Netherlands
          • Poland
          • Portugal
          • Romania
          • Slovakia
          • Slovenia
          • Spain
          • Sweden
          • United Kingdom
      • Gender-sensitive Parliaments
        • Back to toolkit page
        • What is the tool for?
        • Who is the tool for?
        • How to use the tool
        • Self-assessment, scoring and interpretation of parliament gender-sensitivity
          • AREA 1 – Women and men have equal opportunities to ENTER the parliament
            • Domain 1 – Electoral system and gender quotas
            • Domain 2 - Political party/group procedures
            • Domain 3 – Recruitment of parliamentary employees
          • AREA 2 – Women and men have equal opportunities to INFLUENCE the parliament’s working procedures
            • Domain 1 – Parliamentarians’ presence and capacity in a parliament
            • Domain 2 – Structure and organisation
            • Domain 3 – Staff organisation and procedures
          • AREA 3 – Women’s interests and concerns have adequate SPACE on parliamentary agenda
            • Domain 1 – Gender mainstreaming structures
            • Domain 2 – Gender mainstreaming tools in parliamentary work
            • Domain 3 – Gender mainstreaming tools for staff
          • AREA 4 – The parliament produces gender-sensitive LEGISLATION
            • Domain 1 – Gender equality laws and policies
            • Domain 2 – Gender mainstreaming in laws
            • Domain 3 – Oversight of gender equality
          • AREA 5 – The parliament complies with its SYMBOLIC function
            • Domain 1 – Symbolic meanings of spaces
            • Domain 2 – Gender equality in external communication and representation
        • How gender-sensitive are parliaments in the EU?
        • Examples of gender-sensitive practices in parliaments
          • Women and men have equal opportunities to ENTER the parliament
          • Women and men have equal opportunities to INFLUENCE the parliament’s working procedures
          • Women’s interests and concerns have adequate SPACE on parliamentary agenda
          • The parliament produces gender-sensitive LEGISLATION
          • The parliament complies with its SYMBOLIC function
        • Glossary of terms
        • References and resources
      • Gender Budgeting
        • Back to toolkit page
        • Who is this toolkit for?
        • What is gender budgeting?
          • Introducing gender budgeting
          • Gender budgeting in women’s and men’s lived realities
          • What does gender budgeting involve in practice?
          • Gender budgeting in the EU Funds
            • Gender budgeting as a way of complying with EU legal requirements
            • Gender budgeting as a way of promoting accountability and transparency
            • Gender budgeting as a way of increasing participation in budget processes
            • Gender budgeting as a way of advancing gender equality
        • Why is gender budgeting important in the EU Funds?
          • Three reasons why gender budgeting is crucial in the EU Funds
        • How can we apply gender budgeting in the EU Funds? Practical tools and Member State examples
          • Tool 1: Connecting the EU Funds with the EU’s regulatory framework on gender equality
            • Legislative and regulatory basis for EU policies on gender equality
            • Concrete requirements for considering gender equality within the EU Funds
            • EU Funds’ enabling conditions
            • Additional resources
          • Tool 2: Analysing gender inequalities and gender needs at the national and sub-national levels
            • Steps to assess and analyse gender inequalities and needs
            • Step 1. Collect information and disaggregated data on the target group
            • Step 2. Identify existing gender inequalities and their underlying causes
            • Step 3. Consult directly with the target groups
            • Step 4. Draw conclusions
            • Additional resources
          • Tool 3: Operationalising gender equality in policy objectives and specific objectives/measures
            • Steps for operationalising gender equality in Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes
            • General guidance on operationalising gender equality when developing policy objectives, specific objectives and measures
            • Checklist for putting the horizontal principle of gender equality into practice in Partnership Agreements
            • Checklist for putting the horizontal principle of gender equality into practice in Operational Programmes
            • Examples of integrating gender equality as a horizontal principle in policy objectives and specific objectives
          • Tool 4: Coordination and complementarities between the EU Funds to advance work-life balance
            • Steps for enhancing coordination and complementarities between the funds
            • Step 1. Alignment with the EU’s strategic engagement goals for gender equality and national gender equality goals
            • Steps 2 and 3. Identifying and developing possible work-life balance interventions
            • Step 4. Following-up through the use of indicators within M&E systems
            • Fictional case study 1: reconciling paid work and childcare
            • Fictional case study 2: reconciling shift work and childcare
            • Fictional case study 3: balancing care for oneself and others
            • Fictional case study 4: reconciling care for children and older persons with shift work
            • Additional resources
          • Tool 5: Defining partnerships and multi-level governance
            • Steps for defining partnerships and multi-level governance
            • Additional resources
          • Tool 6: Developing quantitative and qualitative indicators for advancing gender equality
            • Steps to develop quantitative and qualitative indicators
            • ERDF and Cohesion Fund
            • ESF+
            • EMFF
            • Additional resources
          • Tool 7: Defining gender-sensitive project selection criteria
            • Steps to support gender-sensitive project development and selection
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        • Still far from the finish line
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Austria

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  • Overview
The information on this page was last updated in December 2022. The information was collected in the process of EIGE’s 2021 data collection on institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality and gender mainstreaming.

Legislative and policy framework

The principle of equality is embedded in Article 7 of the Federal Constitutional Law (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz, B-VG), which states that ‘[…/A] all nationals are equal before the law’ and excludes any privilege based on sex (among other characteristics). In 1998, an amendment to this Article provided the constitutional basis for the implementation of gender mainstreaming by introducing the responsibility for authorities at all levels (federation, Länder and municipalities) to implement measures to achieve equality between women and men. Additionally, according to Article 13(3) and Article 51(8)[1] of the Federal Constitutional Act (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz, B-VG), federal, state, and local governments must strive for the actual equality of women and men in financial management, which translates into a federal commitment to gender budgeting.

The Equal Treatment Act of 1979 is the primary national-level law, other than the constitution, relating to the promotion of gender equality, although it only covers discrimination at work. Part 1 of the law focuses exclusively on the equal treatment of women and men in the working sphere. Part II covers other grounds of discrimination, including sex, ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation in the working sphere.

The earliest government measure on gender mainstreaming dates back to a cabinet decision in 2000 that established the Inter-Ministerial Working Group for Gender Mainstreaming (IMAG GMB) to implement gender mainstreaming at the federal level, as a horizontal strategy involving all ministries. In 2011, another cabinet decision established gender mainstreaming criteria for all ministries and departments, as well as in legislation, funding programmes and public procurement.

There is no overall national action plan or strategy dedicated to gender equality. However, the interministerial working group on gender mainstreaming/budgeting published a report in 2020 on progress of the implementation of gender mainstreaming to mark the 20-year anniversary of the start of gender mainstreaming efforts.[2]

Austria has several other policies to promote gender equality within a range of sectors.

Structures

Governmental equality bodies

The Division III: Women’s Affairs and Equality (“Sektion III: Frauen und Gleichstellung”) is the governmental body responsible for gender equality. Founded in 1997, it now resides within the Federal Chancellery as a division.[3] Today, the Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality comprises seven departments. Its central task is to share information and raise public awareness of women’s issues and equality issues. For instance, the Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality publishes a triannual newsletter[4] and other annual reports, for example, on gender equality in political leadership roles.[5] This includes investigation into and analysis of fundamental research and statistical data, as well as the realisation of gender-specific projects, representation in national and international bodies, and the provision of information and comments on legislation. It also promotes the so-called ‘Women’s Projects,’ with part of the division’s budget used to support about 250 projects each year, chiefly providing counselling and support services to women. Other key topical areas are gender equality in the professional sphere and the prevention of violence against women. The Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality monitors and reports on issues, such as the elimination of discrimination against women and equal treatment, and reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. These reports are regularly published to provide information on the status of gender equality to parliament and citizens.

The Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality is responsible for the management of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Gender Mainstreaming/Budgeting (IMAG GMB), which was set up in 2000 and is based on a resolution of the Council of Ministers.[6] The IMAG GMB aims to create a basis for the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy at the federal level, in compliance with Austria’s international obligations.

The Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality Functions

  • To support and monitor the implementation process of gender mainstreaming in all departments and at all political levels
  • To exchange information and best practice initiatives in the various departments, as well as on domestic and foreign best practice examples
  • To develop criteria for the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy
  • To monitor and evaluate ongoing projects, measures, and the application of gender mainstreaming objectives

Members are termed ‘GM agents’ (GM Beauftragte) and are appointed within the ministries and supreme organs (Constitutional Court, Supreme Administrative Court, Court of Auditors, Ombudsperson Board and Parliamentary Directorate). As part of the inter-ministerial coordination process, the gender/oriented outcome goals are discussed annually during the planning phase of the IMAG-GMB.

The Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality is regularly consulted by departments and ministries in relation to the gender impact of new or existing policies, laws, or programmes in fields other than gender equality, which leads to relevant adjustments in 25-50 % of cases.

Within the Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality, the Commission on Equal Treatment[7] and the Federal Equal Treatment Commission[8] deal with all questions of a general or individual nature that involve discrimination in employment or other areas of life, based on sex, ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation. The Equal Treatment Commission was set up to scrutinise matters relating to discrimination under the Equal Treatment Act and is designed to support labour, social and civil courts.

As of December 2021, the personnel resources of the Division for Women’s Affairs and Equality consisted of 50 employees and 7 administrative trainees. Furthermore, within the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport, two employees devote up to 25 % of their time to gender equality issues.

A second governmental body for the promotion of gender equality is the Department III/C/9 within the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport on Strategic performance management and administrative innovation (“Sektion III/C9 Strategisches Performancemanagement und Verwaltungsinnovation”). Within the scope of the department is the coordination of cross-departmental strategies in the context of ‘impact orientation,’ with particular regard to coordination in the area of equality of women and men. Since 1 January 2013, and as a part of Austria’s outcome-oriented budget management, all federal ministries and the highest national bodies (Parliament, Constitutional Court etc.) are obliged to define a maximum of five outcome objectives for the annual budget (Annual Federal Budget Statement). One of these objectives must be related to gender equality. Furthermore, specific measures for achieving the objective related to gender equality and appropriate indicators to evaluate the results must be defined. Progress is reported annually to the parliament.[9] The Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport is responsible for monitoring, supporting, and developing the methods, processes and results of the gender equality objectives and activities. Part of this coordination includes the involvement of NGOs. There are 90 staff members employed to support this aspect of the ministry’s work.

Independent equality body

The Ombudsperson for Equal Treatment (Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft) is the independent equality body in Austria. It is the main point of contact for all persons who claim to have been discriminated against in employment and occupation on the grounds of sex, ethnic origin, religion, or belief, age, or sexual orientation. It was set up under Council Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation and took effect on 1 July 2004. The Ombudsperson for Equal Treatment is sometimes contacted by ministries or entities to discuss its input on new or existing policies, laws, or programmes. Policymakers are not bound to take the Ombudsperson's feedback on board and consultations are considered to lead to adjustments in 25-50 % of cases.

The Ombudsperson for Equal Treatment (Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft) Functions

  • Conducting research on gender equality issues
  • Publishing and disseminating gender equality-related information and conducting trainings
  • Providing legal support for victims of discrimination on the ground of sex or gender
  • Monitoring progress in achieving gender equality

The Ombudsperson for Equal Treatment consists of 25 employees who, according to the 2018/2019 data, spend approximately 75 % of their time on requests related to gender equality as around two thirds of requests to the Ombudsperson relate to sex-based discrimination.

Parliamentary body

The Equal Treatment Committee (Gleichbehandlungsausschuss) is the parliamentary body in charge of gender equality and women’s policy.[10] The Equal Treatment Committee deals with all bills, motions and reports relating to the equal treatment of women and men and the equal treatment of persons who are discriminated against based on ethnicity, age, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. This includes combating gender disadvantages and discrimination as well as gender equality in all policy areas. The principle of the parliamentary procedure is that a decision on an item in the plenum of the National Council is preceded by a preliminary discussion in a committee. This is to ensure that expert Members of Parliament can discuss issues in small groups, perhaps alongside external consultants. The final decision is however reserved for the plenum of the National Council.

Regional structure

Austria consists of nine federal states, which have an important role in implementing gender equality and women’s policy. In the Austrian Federal Constitution, the federation, Länder (federal states) and municipalities all commit to the equal status of women and men as a goal. Although the national obligation is the same for all federal states, implementation depends on political commitment, funding and the priority given to gender equality and women’s policy by the various federal governments and administrations. At the Länder level (federal states), resolutions on the implementation of gender mainstreaming were passed by the provincial parliaments, the government, and numerous municipalities.

Methods and tools

Note: the methods and tools listed under this section were the focus of EIGE's 2021 assessment. If certain methods and tools are not mentioned in this section, this does not necessarily mean that they are not used at all by Austria.

Gender impact assessment and gender budgeting

Gender budgeting is well developed in Austria. It has been enshrined in the Constitution since 2009. Additionally, ex-ante impact assessments of laws, directives and major programmes proposed at the federal level must also explicitly consider the potential effects on gender equality in practice concerning the sub-dimensions of the ‘impact orientation’ described in section 1.1. The legal obligation to undertake an ex-ante gender impact assessment is based on the Ordinance of the Federal Chancellor on Principles of Impact-oriented Impact Assessment for Regulatory and Other Projects.[11]

Training and awareness

Another method to implement gender mainstreaming is training. Although there is training provided in the individual ministries, there is no legal obligation for specific training and/or awareness-raising activities, and it is not mandatory. However, the management academy (Verwaltungsakademie Bordesholm) offers specific courses to raise gender competence at the federal level. Training courses may aim to foster and improve knowledge of the legal framework to facilitate the implementation of the relevant provisions, they may train executives to support equal treatment of women and men as employees, or train female employees to better communicate their aims and preferences with a view to career progression. These courses are not obligatory, however.

Further, the Federal Chancellery published guidelines to raise awareness of the importance of gender-sensitive language among ministries and other governmental bodies, as well as a document outlining examples of gender-equitable language. [12]

Gender statistics

Statistics Austria, the National Statistical Institute, is the most important agency for sex-disaggregated data in Austria. There is an operational unit in charge of producing sex-disaggregated statistics (among other tasks). The mandate of the unit includes the collection, compilation, communication, and publication of gender-relevant data and analyses. There is no legal obligation for the national statistical office to collect and/or disseminate data disaggregated by sex.

Statistics Austria presents a compilation of data and facts about the situation of women and men in the country on their website.[13] The aim is to use selected statistics to provide a brief overview of the economic and social situation of women and men in different areas of life. Gender statistics on the topics of demography, education, the labour market, reconciliation of work and family, income, pensions and the poverty or exclusion risk, at both national and regional levels, are available on the website of Statistics Austria. The website includes descriptions and visualisations of the data, as well as links to download the data.

Key publications are however available through the Federal Chancellery which compiles several publications and gender-specific data. The main publication is the report on the ‘Gender Index’ which has been published each year since 2011, with the most recent edition, published in 2020, being renamed ‘Women and men in Austria – Figures, Data and Facts 2020’.[14]

Monitoring progress

Indicators for monitoring progress on institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the EU, under Area H of the Beijing Platform for Action

This section analyses the scores achieved by Austria for data collection in 2021 for the four officially agreed-on indicators on institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality and gender mainstreaming to monitor progress on Area H of the Beijing Platform for Action. It also analyses scores under an expanded measurement framework which includes the role of independent gender equality bodies and assesses the effectiveness of efforts to disseminate statistics disaggregated by sex. Institutional mechanisms refer to national machineries that implement, monitor, evaluate, and mobilise support for policies that promote gender equality and gender mainstreaming. All indicators and sub-indicators are available on the Gender Statistics Database here, including metadata about how the scores are calculated.

For Indicator H1 on the status of commitment to the promotion of gender equality and considering only the governmental commitment in line with the officially adopted indicator, Austria scored 6.0 out of a possible 12, below the EU average of 7.2. It scored particularly low on sub-indicator H1e on accountability of the governmental gender equality body where it lost 4.0 points out of a maximum possible score of 5 because there is no national action plan on gender equality.

Under an expanded measurement framework which includes sub-indicator H1f on the mandate and functions of the independent gender equality body, Austria scored an additional 1.5 points, out of a possible 3. It lost 1.0 point because the mandate of the independent gender equality body is gender equality combined with other non-discrimination areas, rather than exclusively focused on gender equality. The overall score for the expanded H1 indicator was 7.5 out of a possible 15, below the EU average of 9.1.

Indicator H2 analyses the personnel resources of the national gender equality bodies. For sub-indicator H2a, regarding the governmental body, Austria scored 1.5 out of a possible 2 which was just above the EU average of 1.0, because there were 25-100 employees working on gender equality in the governmental body. For sub-indicator H2b, regarding the independent gender equality body, Austria’s score was 1.0, against a slightly lower EU average of 0.8, because there were 10-25 employees working on gender equality in the independent body. For both sub-indicators, the maximum 2 points was awarded where the number of employees was over 100 as an indication of the body being sufficiently resourced.

Indicator H3 relates to gender mainstreaming. Here, Austria scored 7.5 out of a possible 12, which was above the EU average of 5.1. It lost 2.0 points under H3b on governmental gender mainstreaming structures and consultation processes because the governmental gender equality body is only consulted by departments or ministries on the gender impact of new or existing policies in some cases, and those consultations, similarly, only lead to relevant adjustments in some cases.

Under an expanded measurement framework, which includes sub-indicator H3d on consultation of the independent equality body, Austria scored 7.5 points out of a maximum of 14, which was also higher than the EU average which increased to 5.4. Under this sub-indicator Austria lost both available points because, like the governmental body, the independent gender equality body is only consulted by departments or ministries on the gender impact of new or existing policies in some cases, and those consultations, similarly, only lead to relevant adjustments in some cases.

For Indicator H4 on the production and dissemination of statistics disaggregated by sex, Austria scored 4.0 points, out of a possible 6, which was just above the EU average of 3.4. It lost all 2 points available for sub-indicator H4a on government commitment to the production of statistics disaggregated by sex because Austria does not have an obligation in place regarding the production of statistics disaggregated by sex. However, they scored all 4 available points, for sub-indicator H4c on the effectiveness of efforts to disseminate statistics disaggregated by sex through the use of a specific section on the National Statistics Office’s website.

References

Endnotes

[1] Federal Constitutional Act (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz) (1945) https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10000138

[2] IMAG GMB (n.d.) Implementation in Augusta https://www.imag-gmb.at/gender-mainstreaming/implementierung-in-oesterreich.html

[3] Bundesministeriengesetz (1986), amended by Act Bundesministeriengesetz-Novelle (2017), BGBl. I Nr. 164/2017 https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/I/2017/164

[4] Bundeskanzleramt (2022). Newsletter on Women’s Issues https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/frauen-und-gleichstellung/newsletter/newsletter-ausgaben.html

[5] Bundeskanzleramt (2020). Women as decision-makers in politics https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/frauen-und-gleichstellung/gleichstellung-am-arbeitsmarkt/frauen-in-fuehrungs-und-entscheidungspositionen/frauen-als-entscheidungstragende-in-der-politik.html

[6] IMAG GMB (n.d.) Inter-Ministerial Working Group gender mainstreaming/budgeting https://www.imag-gmb.at/arbeitsgruppe/interministerielle-arbeitsgruppe.html

[7] Commission on Equal Treatment (n.d.) https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/frauen-und-gleichstellung/gleichbehandlungskommissionen/gleichbehandlungskommission.html#:~:text=Gleichbehandlungskommission%20(GBK)%20Die%20Gleichbehandlungskommission%20ist%20den%20Arbeits-%20und,den%20Zivilgerichten%20als%20besondere%20Einrichtung%20zur%20Seite%20gestellt

[8] Federal Equal Treatment Commission (n.d.) https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/frauen-und-gleichstellung/gleichbehandlungskommissionen/bundes-gleichbehandlungskommission.html

[9] Bundesministerium, Kunst, Kultur, offentlicher Dienst und Sport (2020). Bericht zur Wirkungsorientierung 2020 https://www.oeffentlicherdienst.gv.at/wirkungsorientierte_verwaltung/dokumente/berichte_wo1.html

[10] Federal Cahncellery of Austria (n.d.) Equal Treatment Committee https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/en/agenda/women-and-equality/equal-treatment-commissions/equal-treatment-commission.html

[11] Ordinance of the Federal Chancellor on Principles of Impact-Oriented Impact Assessment for Regulatory Projects and Other Projects (EFC Policy Ordinance – WFA-GV) (2012) StF: Federal Law Gazette II No. 489/2012. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=20008150

[12] Bundeskanzleramt (n.d.) Linguist equal treatment: Information and guidelines on equal linguistic treatment https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/frauen-und-gleichstellung/gleichbehandlung/sprachliche-gleichbehandlung.html

[13] Statistics Austria (n.d.) Gender Statistics. https://www.statistik.at/en/statistics/population-and-society/gender-statistics

[14] Gender Data: Women and Men in Austria (n.d.) Reports on the Gender Index https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/frauen-und-gleichstellung/gender-mainstreaming-und-budgeting/gender-daten-index.html The most recent report is entitled ‘Women and Men in Austria – Figures, Dates, Facts 2020 (Frauen und Männer in Österreich – Zahlen, Daten, Fakten 2020)

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