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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
      • 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 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
      • Browse all Belgium content
    • Bulgaria
      • Overview
      • Browse all Bulgaria content
    • Czechia
      • Overview
      • Browse all Czechia content
    • Denmark
      • Overview
      • Browse all Denmark content
    • Germany
      • Overview
      • Browse all Germany content
    • Estonia
      • Overview
      • Browse all Estonia content
    • Ireland
      • Overview
      • Browse all Ireland content
    • Greece
      • Overview
      • Browse all Greece content
    • Spain
      • Overview
      • Browse all Spain content
    • France
      • Overview
      • Browse all France content
    • Croatia
      • Overview
      • Browse all Croatia content
    • Italy
      • Overview
      • Browse all Italy content
    • Cyprus
      • Overview
      • Browse all Cyprus content
    • Latvia
      • Overview
      • Browse all Latvia content
    • Lithuania
      • Overview
      • Browse all Lithuania content
    • Luxembourg
      • Overview
      • Browse all Luxembourg content
    • Hungary
      • Overview
      • Browse all Hungary content
    • Malta
      • Overview
      • Browse all Malta content
    • Netherlands
      • Overview
      • Browse all Netherlands content
    • Austria
      • Overview
      • Browse all Austria content
    • Poland
      • Overview
      • Browse all Poland content
    • Portugal
      • Overview
      • Browse all Portugal content
    • Romania
      • Overview
      • Browse all Romania content
    • Slovenia
      • Overview
      • Browse all Slovenia content
    • Slovakia
      • Overview
      • Browse all Slovakia content
    • Finland
      • Overview
      • Browse all Finland content
    • Sweden
      • Overview
      • Browse all Sweden content
    • United Kingdom
      • 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
        • 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
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          • Tool 6: Developing quantitative and qualitative indicators for advancing gender equality
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            • ERDF and Cohesion Fund
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          • Tool 7: Defining gender-sensitive project selection criteria
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            • 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
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            • Step 1: Ex ante approach
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            • 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
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          • Tool 10: Integrating a gender perspective in monitoring and evaluation processes
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          • Tool 11: Reporting on resource spending for gender equality in the EU Funds
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      • Gender-responsive Public Procurement
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          • Tool 1:Self-assessment questionnaire about the legal
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            • Tool 4: Guiding questions for needs assessment
            • Defining the subject matter of the contract
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            • 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
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            • Tool 13: Template for a GRPP monitoring and reporting plan
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      • Foreword
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      • Introduction
        • Still far from the finish line
        • Snail’s-pace progress on gender equality in the EU continues
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      • 3. Domain of money
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Belgium

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EIGE has updated its information on gender mainstreaming in the EU Member States in November 2019. The information was collected in the process of EIGE’s 2018-2019 review of Institutional Mechanisms for Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming. It makes a reference to the United Kingdom as a member of the European Union and was published before the UK's withdrawal from the European Union on the 31 January 2020. 

About

In 2002, the Belgian Constitution explicitly affirmed the principle of equality between women and men by including a specific provision in an amendment to Article 10. However, Belgium has long had experience of gender mainstreaming, having implemented legal measures to promote gender equality and equal opportunities at federal and regional level, in both the private and public sectors, since the 1980s. Belgium’s track record in gender equality is also inspired by the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. After adopting a law to monitor the application of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) in 1996 and piloting projects in all federal ministries, the overall legal framework for gender mainstreaming at federal level was established in 2007 through a Gender Mainstreaming Law. This law was designed to structurally integrate a gender dimension into all federal policy.

Although there is no federal action plan for gender equality, there is such a plan for gender mainstreaming. Manuals, guidelines and tools for the implementation of the Gender Mainstreaming Law are issued by the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men (IEWM). This Institute is the permanent government body responsible for gender equality. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy and Consumers represent the highest level of government dealing with gender equality.

Legislative and policy framework

At the federal level, Belgium adopted three anti-discrimination acts in 2007: the General Anti-Discrimination Federal Act, the Racial Equality Federal Act, and the Gender Act. The latter fights discrimination between women and men and covers sex and related areas, i.e. maternity, pregnancy and transgender issues. In addition to these laws, a Gender Mainstreaming Law was adopted in 2007, transposing the resolutions of the BPfA, with the aim of integrating gender in all federal policy fields.

Belgium has established an Interdepartmental Coordination Group (ICG), whose work is set out under royal decrees. The first Royal Decree (2010) determines the composition, remit and functioning of the Group and the necessary qualifications its members must hold. It also regulates the submission of reports to the parliament and the development of a federal gender mainstreaming plan. In 2010, the IEWM produced the ‘Manual for the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the Belgian federal administration’ to action this strategy.

Article 3 of the Gender Mainstreaming Law calls for the implementation of a ‘gender test’ for all laws and regulations, which would require the minister responsible to conduct an ex ante gender impact assessment. This provision was executed with the adoption of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) law (Law of 15 December 2013 and Royal Decree of 21 December 2013). With the adoption of the RIA law for all new regulations submitted to the Council of Ministers, Belgium made significant progress in improving the quality of government regulation through administrative simplification. The underlying purpose of the gender section of the RIA law is to contribute to greater equality between women and men, within the framework of gender mainstreaming.

Belgium has no federal action plan for gender equality. Since July 2012, however, the first Federal Plan on gender mainstreaming has been in place. This plan contained 75 federal policies, committing different members of government to gender mainstreaming. The policies were chosen based on a screening of policy briefings by ministers and secretaries of state, carried out by the IEWM. As part of the plan, members of government also committed themselves to ensuring that their administrations make concrete progress in implementing the provisions of the 2007 Gender Mainstreaming Law. The first Federal Plan on gender mainstreaming was followed by a plan for the 2015-2019 period. This plan consists of two parts:

  1. collective commitment of government members to the implementation of gender mainstreaming and its main instruments, and
  2. commitment by government members to prioritise gender mainstreaming in one or more policies within their jurisdiction.

This plan was drawn up by the ICG, in consultation with civil society actors.

Notwithstanding the existence of the 2012 Federal Plan on gender mainstreaming, in 2014 the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, reporting on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), expressed the following criticism: ‘It notes with concern, however, that the Institute (IEWM) lacks the power to coordinate the implementation of federal policies on gender mainstreaming provided for by the law of 12 January 2007 on gender mainstreaming. The Committee is also concerned about the absence of an overarching strategy for gender mainstreaming’ [1].

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Structures

Government responsibilities

The Minister of Employment, Economy and Consumers is responsible for gender equality policy, alongside foreign trade, poverty alleviation, equal opportunities and people with disabilities.

The ICG was established by the Gender Mainstreaming Law (2007) and is regulated by a royal decree (2010). This group is overseen by the Belgian semi-independent body and is composed of staff from each ministerial cabinet, the federal public service, public programming service and the Ministry of Defence, as well as representatives of the IEWM. It coordinates the implementation of the provisions of the Gender Mainstreaming Law in each department.

At the federal level, the Council for Equal Opportunities between Men and Women has acted as an advisory body for ministries and other organisations (such as the National Labour Council) since 1993. It draws up reports, conducts research, proposes measures, formulates opinions and provides information on equal opportunity policy, at the request of the competent minister for equal opportunities, any other federal minister, organisation, group, individual or on its own initiative.

Independent gender equality body

Belgium’s main organisation for gender equality and gender mainstreaming at federal level is the federal Institute for the Equality of Women and Men (IEWM). Established in 2002 as a semi-independent body, the IEWM is under ministerial control from an administrative perspective but remains autonomous with respect to legal action or the provision of advice to government and other public authorities. A specific unit within the IEWM is responsible for gender mainstreaming processes at federal level.

The IEWM is competent as an equality body for the federated entities, with protocols in place that designate the Institute as an independent body promoting equality within those entities. Thus, the Institute can write independent reports on gender discrimination within the jurisdiction of the entities concerned and provide them with opinions and recommendations on gender equality. It has signed protocols of collaboration with the French Community (2008), the Walloon Region (2009), the French Community Commission (2013), the Brussels-Capital Region (2016), and the German-speaking Community (2016).

Substantial cuts to the IEWM budget in 2016 saw a reduction in subsidies for activities, research and associations, which has significantly complicated the Institute’s work.  

Parliamentary bodies

For the representative elected bodies, the system of regular reporting to the government and the parliament features public hearings and reports on prog­ress on gender equality initiatives. The focus of the reporting system primarily concerns gender mainstreaming and gender-based violence but other reports can also be presented.

Although there is no parliamentary committee with gender equality as a specific part of its brief, the Commission for Public Health, Environment, and Society Renewal receives or collects information on progress in the field of gender equality field. Following the general election of May 2019, the Commission was renamed the Health and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Regional structures

Gender equality policy in Belgium is implemented by both federal and federated authorities, in their respective domains of competence and at their respective governance level. The 1994 Constitution stipulates that Belgium comprises:

Three communities: the French Community, the Flemish Community and the German-speaking Community;
Three regions: the Walloon Region, the Flemish Region and the Brussels-Capital Region;
Four language regions: the French-speaking region, the Dutch-speaking region, the bilingual Brussels-Capital region and the German-speaking region. Every commune in the country belongs to one of these language regions.

The communities and regions are federated entities with their own political bodies. The language regions are simply political divisions of Belgian territory.

Considerable differences exist between the gender equality policies and government bodies of the various constituent parts of the Belgian State. The relationship between the federal and regional levels is complex in all aspects of administration. This has prevented a joined-up approach to gender equality, resulting in gender mainstreaming strategies being developed independently.

Regional competences are related to the occupation of ‘territory’, in the broad sense of the term. Thus, the Flemish Region, the Brussels-Capital Region, and the Walloon Region exercise their powers in the fields of economy, employment, agriculture, water policy, housing, public works, energy, transport (with the exception of the SNCB), the environment, land-use planning and urban planning, nature conservation, credit, foreign trade, guardianship over provinces, and municipalities. They are also competent in scientific research and international relations in the aforementioned fields.

Communities are based on the language spoken by the inhabitants. A range of related subjects thus fall within community competence: culture (theatre, libraries, audiovisual, etc.), teaching, use of languages and so-called ‘customisable’ subjects, including health policy (preventive and curative medicine) and social supports (youth protection, social assistance, support for families, reception of immigrants, etc.).

This complex organisation means that regions and communities can work to progress gender equality in all of the fields of their legal competence. The regions and communities may therefore have their own gender equality bodies.

French Community

The regional government gender equality bodies of the  French Community pursue a number of tasks and objectives, including: gender mainstreaming, gender budgeting, gender balance decree (highlighting the share of people of the same sex in decision-making bodies), fight against discrimination, combat violence against women, granting subsidies and aid to associations. In April 2014, the Walloon government adopted a Gender Mainstreaming Decree to pursue the fight against gender discrimination. This decree is now at the stage of implementation.

The local Directorate of Equal Opportunities divides its activities into six priorities: education, youth and sport, culture, audiovisual and media, the fight against violence, and discrimination and decision-making. Gender mainstreaming now applies to all policies developed by the Community.

In 2017, the government of the French Community adopted two Decrees amending the Decree of 7 January 2016 on the integration of the gender dimension in all policies of the French Community. The first concerns the integration of the gender dimension in all decisions of the Community. It establishes the framework of the gender impact assessment before all policies - the ‘gender test’. The second regulates the integration of the gender dimension in all budgets of the Community. It introduces a three-step analysis method: codification, justification of the choice, and compilation of all budgets so as to promote equality between women and men.

Brussels-Capital Region

The gender equality body of the Brussels-Capital Region is responsible for awareness-raising actions, such as campaigns, studies, research and publications. Gender mainstreaming is occasionally applied by the Brussels-Capital Region, sometimes by the French Community authorities. In addition to the acts that frame the gender mainstreaming strategy, other pieces of legislation also address the fight against discrimination based on gender and the equal treatment of women and men.

On 29 March 2012, the government of the Brussels-Capital Region adopted a Decree on gender mainstreaming, aiming to integrate the gender dimension into the political lines of the Brussels-Capital Region. This was followed by the Decree on the integration of the gender dimension into the political action on 24 April 2014 and the Decree on gender budgeting on 14 July 2016.

On 21 June 2013, the French Community Commission adopted a decree to integrate the gender dimension into its political lines, with an identical intervention subsequently adopted by the Common Community Commission [2] on 16 May 2014.

Flemish Region

Since 2005, the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) has been used to embed and integrate an equal  opportunities perspective into each Flemish area of competence. The application of the OMC in the Flemish equal opportunities policy was enacted by decree in 2008.

In 2015, Flanders chose to assign gender-related missions within its area of competence to a Gender Ombudsman within the Flemish Mediation Service. The Institute can deal independently with complaints of gender discrimination, carry out studies within the competence of the federated entities concerned and issue opinions and recommendations on gender equality.

The Gender Ombuds service (Gender Kamer Vlaanderen) is the independent gender equality body for Flanders. Although part of the region’s Ombudsman, it has additional specific missions and other legal provisions. Its mission includes the following activities:

  • to promote equal treatment, equal opportunity, diversity in society and proportional participation, and the elimination and prevention of all forms of discrimination, exclusion, restriction, exploitation or prejudice on the grounds of sex, gender identity, and gender expression;
  • to develop dialogue and structural cooperation with the associations, bodies, and services directly involved in the performance of these missions and exchange information with European counterpart organisations.

Finally, the Decree of 10 July 2008 specifies the general framework of the fight against gender discrimination for the Flemish region and community.

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Methods and tools

Note: the methods and tools listed under this were the focus of EIGE's 2018-2019 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 Belgium.

Each Belgian regional government pursues its own gender equality agenda. At the administrative level, the Gender Mainstreaming Law provides that a gender dimension is to be included in management plans (and more generally in all strategic planning instruments) under the leadership of the Executive Committee Chairs. According to the Gender Mainstreaming Law, the equality of women and men is taken into account in the context of public procurement procedures and the granting of subsidies, and in the preparation of reports to the parliament. Gender indicators are also defined to measure the process of gender mainstreaming and the achievement of strategic objectives. Statistics produced, collected and ordered are broken down by gender.

The federal government submits two evaluation reports on the implementation of the strategic objectives set out at the beginning of its mandate to reinforce gender equality. These are submitted to the federal chambers, the first at mid-term and the second at the end of the legislature.

A gender test exists at federal  and Brussels-Capital Regional level since 2015. In the French Community, the ‘gender test’ has been compulsory since 1 January 2018. This impact analysis of draft policy decisions is mandatory for administrations and ministerial cabinets proposing new public policies, who must consider the gender dimension in their respective texts and justify their actions.

Gender budgeting

In 2008, the Flemish region introduced the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), while both the Brussels-Capital and French Community have integrated the gender dimension into all budgets and decisions since the early 2010s. Gender budgeting represents an important tool for gender mainstreaming, and, according to the Circular on Gender Budgeting, each draft general expenditure budget must include a gender note [3]. Each administration prepares a contribution to the gender note.

Training and awareness-raising  

The Institute for the Equality of Women and Men (IEWM) described the monitoring and mechanisms to facilitate the application of the Gender Mainstreaming Law. Its ‘Manual for the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the Belgian federal administration’ helps to put this strategy into practice.

Different initiatives to raise awareness of gender equality have facilitated the implementation of the Gender Mainstreaming Law. Among the initiatives proposed for employees of the government body for gender equality are ad hoc short training sessions, specific training on gender-sensitive communication to understand and carry out gender analysis in subsidies and procurement, gender discrimination legislation, gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting. However, less than 33 % of employees have undertaken such training.

In the French Community, 17 training sessions were delivered on gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting for specific target groups, covering 250 people. A structural training module, accessible to members of ministerial offices and administrations of the French Community on a voluntary basis, was organised in collaboration with the School of Public Administration. Training modules on gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting were organised within the Brussels-Capital Region as well.

Gender statistics

Article 4 of the Law of 12 January 2007 on Gender Mainstreaming provides that all federal agencies must ‘ensure that all the statistics they produce, collect and order in their field of action are disaggregated by sex, whether or not it is relevant’. Article 3 of the Law also provides that each minister must ‘approves the relevant gender indicators to measure the process of gender mainstreaming and the achievement of strategic objectives’.

The Gender Mainstreaming Law provides for two types of indicators:

  1. indicators to measure the process of gender mainstreaming (process indicators), and
  2. indicators to measure the achievement of set objectives (content indicators).

Process indicators generally concern concrete measures and actions to implement a policy (staff commitment, budget commitment, adoption of a royal decree, compilation of statistical data disaggregated by sex within a department, the number of 'gender tests' carried out, online implementation of a website, etc.). Content indicators are used to analyse situations and evaluate the results and impacts of the policies implemented.

In 2011, the IEWM published a new version of its brochure ‘Women and Men in Belgium. Statistics and gender indicators’. It published a further report in 2012 on ‘Inventory and analysis of sex-disaggregated data and gender indicators at the Belgian federal level’. This report is an inventory of Belgian federal public statistics to analyse their (lack of) gender disaggregation and identify the gender indicators presented. Gaps in the visibility of differences in gender in Belgian statistics are identified, alongside recommendations to better take gender into account.

Since its creation in 2004, the Walloon Institute for Evaluation, Foresight and Statistics (IWEPS) has focused on the differences in the position of women and men in Wallonia. One of its missions is to collect, centralise and disseminate studies, analyses and information on the fight against gender discrimination. The objective is to provide a concrete and quantified image of the situation of women and men in Wallonia by collecting both quantitative and qualitative administrative data. Since March 2012 (the approval of the decree on gender mainstreaming), the Brussels-Capital Region has started to collect and produce statistics and internal data broken down by gender, and gender indicators are under preparation. The Flemish gender monitor maps the position and participation of women and men in society clearly and simply, and monitors its evolution. The monitor uses a number-based approach to compare differences, similarities and evolution in education, paid and unpaid labour, income and poverty, health, decision-making, social participation attitudes and behaviour.

Browse all Belgium methods and tools

Good practices

Browse all Belgium good practices

References

Belgian Federal Parliament (2015). Plan d’action national de lutte contre toutes les formes de violence basée sur le genre 2015-2019. 

Belgian Federal Parliament (2015). Plan fédéral relatif à la mise en œuvre du gender mainstreaming (2015-2019). 

Belgian Federal Parliament (2012). Loi visant à lutter contre l'écart salarial entre hommes et femmes (22 April 2012). 

Belgian Federal Parliament (2007). Loi visant au contrôle de l'application des résolutions de la conférence mondiale sur les femmes réunie à Pékin en septembre 1995 et intégrant la dimension du genre dans l'ensemble des politiques fédérales (12 January 2007). 

Cardelli, R. O’Dorchai, S. (2017). Insertion des femmes et des hommes sur le marché du travail. Cahier 1 de la Photographique statistique ‘Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes en Wallonie’, p. 46. Namur: IWEPS.

Cardelli, R. and O’Dorchai, S. (2017). Le genre et l'emploi du temps en Wallonie, Cahier 2 de la Photographique statistique ‘Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes en Wallonie’, p. 36. Namur: IWEPS.

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2014). Concluding observations. CEDAW/C/BEL/CO/7. 

Cornet, A., Dieu, A.-M., Tshiamalenge, V., Dierickx, A. and Flour, E. (2011). Manual for the application of gender mainstreaming  within the Belgian  federal administration. Brussels: Institut pour l’égalité des femmes et des hommes.

Decuyper, J. (2011). Manual for the application of gender budgeting within the Belgian federal administration. Brussels: Institut pour l’égalité des femmes et des hommes.

Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Employment, Economy and Consumers (2010). La circulaire spécifique relative au gender budgeting. 

Federal Government (2017). The interim report on the policy pursued in accordance with the objectives of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in September 1995, covering the period October 2014 - December 2016. Brussels.

Federal Government (2015). Federal mainstreaming plan 2015-2019. Brussels.

Federal Government (2014). The end of legislature report on the policy pursued in accordance with the objectives of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995 covering the period 2011-2014. Brussels.

Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles (2017). Report on the implementation of the decree of 7 January 2016 concerning the integration of the gender dimension in the federation Wallonia-Brussels. Brussels.

Institut pour l’égalité des femmes et des hommes (2018). Handbook for the Integration of the Gender Dimension and the Taking into account of Equality for Women and Men in the context of Public Procurement. Brussels: Institut pour l’égalité des femmes et des hommes.

Institut pour l’égalité des femmes et des hommes unité gender mainstreaming (2018). Étude sur la dimension de genre du congé parental, du crédit-temps et de l’interruption de carrière. Brussels: Institut pour l’égalité des femmes et des hommes.

Institut pour l’Égalité des Femmes et des Hommes (2011). Manuel pour l’intégration de la dimension de genre dans les procédures d’octroi de subsides. D/2011/10.043/4.

Meulders, D., O’Dorchai, S., Avanzo, S. and Clesse, S. (2012). Inventory and analysis of sex-disaggregated data and gender indicators at the Belgian federal level. Brussels. Département d’Economie Appliquée de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Studie Dienst Vlaamse Regering (2017). Flemish Gender Monitor 2016. Brussels.

Endnotes

[1] Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2014). Concluding observations. CEDAW/C/BEL/CO/7. 

[2] The Common Community Commission plays a fundamental role in the Brussels-Capital Region in the areas of personal assistance and health.

[3] Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Employment, Economy and Consumers (2010). La circulaire spécifique relative au gender budgeting.

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