• Skip to language switcher
  • Skip to main categories navigation
  • Skip to secondary categories navigation
  • Skip to current category navigation
  • Skip to main navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

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
European Institute for Gender Equality logoEuropean Institute for Gender Equality
Search

Search form

English
  • EN - English
  • LT - Lietuvių kalba
  • EN - English
  • BG - Български
  • ES - Español
  • CS - Čeština
  • DA - Dansk
  • DE - Deutsch
  • ET - Eesti
  • EL - Ελληνικά
  • FR - Français
  • GA - Gaeilge
  • HR - Hrvatski
  • IT - Italiano
  • LV - Latviešu valoda
  • LT - Lietuvių kalba
  • RO - Română
  • PT - Português
  • MT - Malti
  • PL - Polski
  • FI - Suomi
  • HU - Magyar
  • NL - Nederlands
  • SK - Slovenčina (slovenský jazyk)
  • SL - Slovenščina (slovenski jezik)
  • SV - Svenska
  • 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
            • 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
          • 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?
          • 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
  • Gender-based violence
    • What is gender-based violence?
    • Forms of violence
    • EIGE’s work on gender-based violence
    • Administrative data collection
      • Data collection on violence against women
      • About the tool
      • Administrative data sources
      • Advanced search
    • Analysis of EU directives from a gendered perspective
    • Costs of gender-based violence
    • Cyber violence against women
    • Femicide
    • Intimate partner violence and witness intervention
    • Female genital mutilation
      • Risk estimations
    • Risk assessment and risk management by police
      • Risk assessment principles and steps
          • Principle 1: Prioritising victim safety
          • Principle 2: Adopting a victim-centred approach
          • Principle 3: Taking a gender-specific approach
          • Principle 4: Adopting an intersectional approach
          • Principle 5: Considering children’s experiences
          • Step 1: Define the purpose and objectives of police risk assessment
          • Step 2: Identify the most appropriate approach to police risk assessment
          • Step 3: Identify the most relevant risk factors for police risk assessment
          • Step 4: Implement systematic police training and capacity development
          • Step 5: Embed police risk assessment in a multiagency framework
          • Step 6: Develop procedures for information management and confidentiality
          • Step 7: Monitor and evaluate risk assessment practices and outcomes
      • Risk management principles and recommendations
        • Principle 1. Adopting a gender-specific approach
        • Principle 2. Introducing an individualised approach to risk management
        • Principle 3. Establishing an evidence-based approach
        • Principle 4. Underpinning the processes with an outcome-focused approach
        • Principle 5. Delivering a coordinated, multiagency response
      • Legal and policy framework
      • Tools and approaches
      • Areas for improvement
      • References
    • Good practices in EU Member States
    • Methods and tools in EU Member States
    • White Ribbon Campaign
      • About the White Ribbon Campaign
      • White Ribbon Ambassadors
    • Regulatory and legal framework
      • International regulations
      • EU regulations
      • Strategic framework on violence against women 2015-2018
      • Legal Definitions in the EU Member States
    • Literature and legislation
    • EIGE's publications on gender-based violence
    • Videos
  • Gender Equality Index
    • View countries
    • Compare countries
    • Thematic Focus
    • About Index
    • Publications
    • Index 2021 Conference
    • Index Game
    • Videos
  • Gender Statistics Database
    • Browse Gender Statistics
    • Data talks
    • FAQs
    • About
    • Search
  • Beijing Platform for Action
  • Countries
    • Belgium
    • Bulgaria
    • Czechia
    • Denmark
    • Germany
    • Estonia
    • Ireland
    • Greece
    • Spain
    • France
    • Croatia
    • Italy
    • Cyprus
    • Latvia
    • Lithuania
    • Luxembourg
    • Hungary
    • Malta
    • Netherlands
    • Austria
    • Poland
    • Portugal
    • Romania
    • Slovenia
    • Slovakia
    • Finland
    • Sweden
  • Topics
    • Health
      • Covid-19 and gender equality
    • Violence
    • Agriculture and rural development
    • Culture
    • Digital agenda
    • Economic and financial affairs
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Energy
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Environment and climate change
    • Justice
    • Maritime affairs and fisheries
    • Migration
    • Poverty
    • Regional policy
    • Research
    • Sport
    • Tourism
    • Transport
    • Youth
  • About EIGE
    • EIGE's organisation
      • Management board
      • Experts' forum
      • EIGE staff
    • Our work
      • Stakeholders
      • EU candidate countries and potential candidates
        • About the IPA project
        • Examples from the region
          • Browse
          • About the examples
        • Gender equality indices in the Western Balkans and Turkey
        • Gender statistics in the Western Balkans and Turkey
      • Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies
    • Projects
      • Running projects
      • Closed projects
    • Planning and reporting documents
    • Documents registry
      • Request for access to EIGE documents
    • Contact us
    • Director’s speeches
  • Recruitment
    • Open vacancies
    • Closed vacancies
    • About Recruitment
    • FAQs
    • Selection procedure appeals
    • Relevant forms and information
    • Welcome guide
  • Procurement
    • Open procedures
    • Closed procedures
    • About Procurement
    • External Experts' Database
  • News
  • Events
    • Upcoming events
    • Past events
  • EIGE’s publications
    • Gender-sensitive Communication
      • Overview of the toolkit
      • First steps towards more inclusive language
        • Terms you need to know
        • Why should I ever mention gender?
        • Choosing whether to mention gender
        • Key principles for inclusive language use
      • Challenges
        • Stereotypes
          • Avoid gendered pronouns (he or she) when the person’s gender is unknown
          • Avoid irrelevant information about gender
          • Avoid gendered stereotypes as descriptive terms
          • Gendering in-animate objects
          • Using different adjectives for women and men
          • Avoid using stereotypical images
        • Invisibility and omission
          • Do not use ‘man’ as the neutral term
          • Do not use ‘he’ to refer to unknown people
          • Do not use gender-biased nouns to refer to groups of people
          • Take care with ‘false generics’
          • Greetings and other forms of inclusive communication
        • Subordination and trivialisation
          • Naming conventions
          • Patronising language
      • Test your knowledge
        • Quiz 1: Policy document
        • Quiz 2: Job description
        • Quiz 3: Legal text
      • Practical tools
        • Solutions for how to use gender-sensitive language
        • Pronouns
        • Invisibility or omission
        • Common gendered nouns
        • Adjectives
        • Phrases
      • Policy context
    • Work-life balance in the ICT sector
      • Back to toolkit page
      • EU policies on work-life balance
      • Women in the ICT sector
      • The argument for work-life balance measures
        • Challenges
      • Step-by-step approach to building a compelling business case
        • Step 1: Identify national work-life balance initiatives and partners
        • Step 2: Identify potential resistance and find solutions
        • Step 3: Maximise buy-in from stakeholders
        • Step 4: Design a solid implementation plan
        • Step 5: Carefully measure progress
        • Step 6: Highlight benefits and celebrate early wins
      • Toolbox for planning work-life balance measures in ICT companies
      • Work–life balance checklist
    • Gender Equality Index 2019. Work-life balance
      • Back to toolkit page
      • Foreword
      • Highlights
      • Introduction
        • Still far from the finish line
        • Snail’s-pace progress on gender equality in the EU continues
        • More women in decision-making drives progress
        • Convergence on gender equality in the EU
      • 2. Domain of work
        • Gender equality inching slowly forward in a fast-changing world of work
        • Women dominate part-time employment, consigning them to jobs with poorer career progression
        • Motherhood, low education and migration are particular barriers to work for women
      • 3. Domain of money
        • Patchy progress on gender-equal access to financial and economic resources
        • Paying the price for motherhood
        • Lifetime pay inequalities fall on older women
      • 4. Domain of knowledge
        • Gender equality in education standing still even as women graduates outnumber men graduates
        • Both women and men limit their study fields
        • Adult learning stalls most when reskilling needs are greatest
      • 5. Domain of time
        • Enduring burden of care perpetuates inequalities for women
        • Uneven impact of family life on women and men
      • 6. Domain of power
        • More women in decision-making but still a long way to go
        • Democracy undermined by absence of gender parity in politics
        • More gender equality on corporate boards — but only in a few Member States
        • Limited opportunities for women to influence social and cultural decision-making
      • 7. Domain of health
        • Behavioural change in health is key to tackling gender inequalities
        • Women live longer but in poorer health
        • Lone parents and people with disabilities are still without the health support they need
      • 8. Domain of violence
        • Data gaps mask the true scale of gender-based violence in the EU
        • Backlash against gender equality undermines legal efforts to end violence against women
        • Conceptual framework
        • Parental-leave policies
        • Informal care of older people, people with disabilities and long-term care services
        • Informal care of children and childcare services
        • Transport and public infrastructure
        • Flexible working arrangements
        • Lifelong learning
      • 10. Conclusions
    • Sexism at work
      • Background
        • What is sexism?
        • What is the impact of sexism at work?
        • Where does sexism come from?
        • Sexism at work
        • What happens when you violate sexist expectations?
        • What is sexual harassment?
        • Violating sexist expectations can lead to sexual harassment
        • Under-reporting of sexual harassment
      • Part 2. Test yourself
        • How can I combat sexism? A ten-step programme for managers
        • How can all staff create cultural change
        • How can I report a problem?
        • Eradicating sexism to change the face of the EU
    • Upcoming publications
  • Library
    • Search
    • About
  • Glossary & Thesaurus
    • Overview
    • About
    • A-Z Index
    • Browse
    • Search
Toggle sidebar menu
  • Home
  • Gender mainstreaming
  • Country specific information
  • Estonia

Estonia

PrintDownload as PDF
  • Overview
  • Browse all Estonia content
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

Gender issues began to receive attention in Estonia in the late 1990s, following the ratification of international conventions and preparation for accession to the European Union (EU). The legal framework for gender equality is enshrined in the Estonian Constitution, which states that everyone is equal before the law and no one shall be discriminated against on the grounds of sex. It is similarly protected in the Gender Equality Act that followed Estonia’s accession to the EU in 2004, which defines equality of women and men as a fundamental human right and provides for gender equality to be mainstreamed into all areas of social life.

The first gender-mainstreaming initiative in Estonia took place in the early 2000s, organised by the Ministry of Social Affairs. The aim of the project was to improve understanding of gender equality and to use the dual-track approach to achieve equality and develop specific methods and tools (particularly gender impact assessment) to promote gender mainstreaming. In the following years, several EU-funded projects were developed, focusing on gender mainstreaming. These continue to be implemented. There is no system for regular reporting on gender equality initiatives and progress to the government and/or to representative elective bodies within the Estonian policy-making system, however.

A national gender equality plan and subsequent systemic approach are not yet in place in Estonia. Rather, the state has provided actions and plans that intend to regulate specific gender equality policies, for instance on the gender pay gap. 

Legislative and policy framework

Article 12 of the Estonian Constitution states that everyone is equal before the law and no one may be discriminated against based on their nationality, race, skin colour, sex, language, origin, religion, political or other views, property or social status, or on other grounds. The Gender Equality Act has been in force since 2004 and was followed by the Equal Treatment Act in 2009. The latter has the broader aim of protecting people against discrimination on the grounds of nationality, race, colour, religion or other beliefs, age, disability or sexual orientation. It provides for the principles and promotion of equal treatment, defines the responsibilities for implementation, and the settlement of discrimination-related disputes.

The 2004 Gender Equality Act, on the other hand, aims to ensure the equal treatment of women and men specifically, by defining and prohibiting gender-based discrimination in both the public and private sector, obliging the state and local government authorities, educational and research institutions and employers to promote equality between women and men, while also providing the right to compensation.

Estonia has no national gender equality plan in place. Between 2012 and 2015, however, it had an action plan to reduce the gender pay gap, although this has yet to be renewed. Amendments to the Gender Equality Act that aimed to reduce the gender pay gap were approved by the government and discussed by the parliament in 2018. The reform strengthens employers’ obligation to collect data disaggregated by gender, by defining the type of data and setting timeframes.

Systematic approaches to other gender equality-related topics are still lacking, however. To date, the state has provided actions and plans regulating specific gender equality policies, such as a Strategy for Preventing Violence 2015-2020, and a Strategy of Children and Families 2012-2020.

Family and work reconciliation issues are becoming increasingly significant in policy-making and public debates, although the main emphasis is leave and services to be provided to families (parental leave and childcare) rather than making work more flexible. Several policy documents mention flexible work but few initiatives have targeted increased flexibility or the need for employers to provide employees in general, or parents of small children, with more flexible working arrangements.

The Estonian Welfare Development Plan 2016–2023 acknowledges that the capacity of the state to systematically and efficiently reduce gender inequality at ministry or local level is both limited and uneven. The Plan has set a goal to build institutional capacity but sets neither indicators nor measurement frameworks to assess progress on institutional mechanisms. Similarly, the Estonian Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner publishes annual reports but these have yet to address progress on institutional mechanisms.

Finally, in its 2016 concluding recommendations on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women (CEDAW), the Committee on the Elimination of Violence against Women[1] highlights that, since 2007, Estonia has introduced several legislative changes and has ratified or acceded to several international and regional instruments, all of which contribute to the improvement of gender equality in the country. However, several concerns are noted, including the lack of a national strategy for gender equality, heavy reliance on European and international funds for financing gender mainstreaming, the lack of gender impact assessment in legislative processes despite the ‘Rules for Good Legislative Practice and Legislative Drafting’[2], and the overall lack of gender budgeting and mainstreaming.

Browse all Estonia laws and policies

Structures

Government responsibilities

The Government of the Republic Act stipulates that the Ministry of Social Affairs is responsible for equal treatment and promotion of the equality of women and men, thus the Minister of Social Affairs has responsibility. Within the Ministry, the Department of Equality Policy is the government’s gender equality body, responsible for implementing policies that promote fair treatment. Originally established in 1996 as the Gender Equality Bureau, it then became the Gender Equality Department in December 2003, with responsibility for developing gender mainstreaming processes and methodologies since 2005. A 2014 reorganisation saw the department become the Department of Equality Policy.

When the Gender Equality Act was enforced in 2004, the law mandated the establishment of a Gender Equality Council as an advisory body within the Ministry of Social Affairs. The Council was duly approved by the government and set up on 24 October 2013. The Council has 24 members, including the Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner and representatives of different NGOs working in the field of gender equality.

As an advisory body, the Gender Equality Council approves the general objectives of gender equality policy, advises the government on matters relating to strategies for the promotion of gender equality, and presents the government with its opinion on compliance of national programmes presented by the ministries (Article 9 of the Gender Equality Act sets out how the state and local authorities should promote gender equality).

In September 2017, the Minister of Social Affairs convened a Council of Equal Opportunities. Made up of social scientists, the Council analyses the impact of policies and reforms on societal inequalities. It also monitors the situation and dynamics of equal opportunities and advises in the process of policy-making. The Council publishes an annual report on equal opportunities[3]. According to Directive No. 93 of 7 September 2017 of the Minister of Social Affairs, the Council has six members, a Head of Council and two representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs. The Council adopts a general approach to inequalities, as the Directive does not specify the social inequalities to be addressed. The Council meets four times a year and no time limit has been set for its work.

Independent gender equality body

The Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner (initially the Gender Equality Commissioner as established in 2005) is an independent gender equality body responsible for monitoring compliance of legislation and policies with the Gender Equality Act and with the Equal Treatment Act. In recent years, however, the lack of earmarked resources does not allow for it to function properly as an equal treatment body.

In March 2015, the Commissioner established the Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Competence Centre for the use of Cohesion Policy Funding. The aim of the Centre is to consult and train the institutions responsible for EU structural funds. The Centre has two employees tasked with supporting ministries to use EU structural funds to better achieve gender equality, ensure that specific interventions are targeted at people with disabilities, and make sure that all social groups are treated equally. In addition to consulting, the Centre provides information and training in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance. The Centre is funded through EU financial resources. As of October 2019, the Centre is being transferred under the Ministry of Social Affairs as part of the equality policies department.

Parliamentary bodies

In October 2017, the parliament’s Women’s Association was formed. Here, members of the parliament can draw attention to specific issues and support or protect the interests of different groups. The Women’s Association consists of 10 members of parliament, all women. The association aims to tackle the gender pay gap, gender-based violence, domestic violence and inequality between women and men in decision-making. In addition to seeking solutions to these issues, they also intend to monitor the inclusion of a gender perspective in all new legislative acts.

There is no system for regular reporting on gender equality initiatives and progress to the government and/or to representative elective bodies within the Estonian policy-making system.

Browse all Estonia structures

Methods and tools

Note: the methods and tools listed under this section 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 Estonia.

Gender budgeting

No new developments on gender budgeting/auditing in Estonia have taken place since completing the project ‘Mainstreaming a gender perspective into the state budget’ in April 2012. That project was launched by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner and saw the publication of a tailored gender budgeting handbook[4]. Currently, gender budgeting is not used in Estonia anymore.

Training and awareness raising  

The EU-funded Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Competence Centre for the Use of Cohesion Policy Funding provides information and training in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance. Training projects include considering the cross-cutting issue of equal opportunities when utilising EU subsidies, managing the impact of project activities on ensuring equal opportunities, training on gender equality for career counsellors, and a workshop on ‘Breaking Stereotypes and Bias’.

During 2013–2016, the Ministry of Social Affairs coordinated the programme ‘Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Promoting Work-Life Balance’, funded by the Norwegian/European Economic Area (EEA). The total amount provided was EUR 2,000,000. Activities included developing a new concept for gathering and analysing gender pay gap statistics, promoting gender equality through empowerment and mainstreaming, promoting gender equality through the creation and/or implementation of systemic structures that raise awareness of the importance of gender equality among various target groups and stakeholders, promoting balance between work, private, and family life by enabling the reconciliation of work and private life, and enhancing the capacity of networks and organisations active in the field of gender equality.

Handbooks were also published to help policy makers to better mainstream gender equality during the preparation, monitoring and assessment of development plans, strategies and programmes[5], as well as to instruct public sector managers on how to mainstream gender equality into their organisations’ work processes and the development of public services[6].

Gender statistics

The Estonian statistical system is regulated by the Official Statistics Act, which does not, however, stipulate any requirements to collect and produce sex-disaggregated data within Statistics Estonia. Although no specific unit is charged with promoting the production of sex-disaggregated data within Statistics Estonia, the individual microdata collected allow for sex-specific aggregated statistics, a considerable proportion of the key indicators are calculated and disseminated across sex, and special reports on gender equality have been produced.

An EEA financial mechanisms grant was provided to the Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner to promote gender equality through empowerment and mainstreaming. The grant was used to develop a model for measuring equality in society (among other things). The model measured and compared the overall situation, individual well-being and accessibility of services and opportunities that allow people from different social groups (defined by gender, age, ethnicity, disability and sexuality) to fully participate in social life. It was the first time that such a large range of indicators was gathered through statistical databases and surveys and then analysed.

Browse all Estonia methods and tools

Good practices

Browse all Estonia good practices

References

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2016). Concluding observations. CEDAW/C/EST/CO/5-6.

Espenberg, K., Aksen, M., Lees, K. and Puolokainen, T. (2014). Palgaerinevuste statistika parem kättesaadavus soolise palgaerinevuse analüüs. Tartu Ülikooli rakendusuuringute Keskus.

Lees, K., Vahaste- Pruul, S., Sammul, M., Humal, K., Lamesoo, K., Veemaa, J., Kann, A., Espenberg, K., Varblane, U. and Roosalu, T. (2016). Kellel on Eestis hea, kellel parem? Võrdõiguslikkuse mõõtmise mudel.

Paats, M. and Lunev, M. (2014). Palgaerinevuste statistika parem kättesaadavus: kasutatavad andmeallikad –Statistikaamet, 2014.

Pehk, L. (2014). Soolõime käsiraamat.

Pehk, L. (2016). Soolõimest avaliku sektori juhile.

Põder, K. (2015). Meeste ja naiste palgaerinevuste statistika. Gender pay gap statistics. Metoodikakogumik. Methodological report. Statistikaamet. 

Quinn, S. (2011). Gender budgeting: practical implementation. Handbook. 

Sotsiaalministeerium. Turu-uuringute AS. (2016). Soolise võrdõiguslikkuse. Monitoring.

Statistikaamet (2016). Soolise võrdõiguslikkuse näitajad.- Eesti Statistika, Tallinn 2016. Kättesaadav.

Endnotes

[1] Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2016). Concluding observations. CEDAW/C/EST/CO/5-6.

[2] Government Regulation:  Rules for Good Legislative Practice and Legislative Drafting. In force as of January 2012. 

[3] Ministry of Social Affairs (Sotsiaalministeerium) (2017). ’Minister Ossinovski convened the Council of Equal Opportunities composed of social scientists’. Press release, 7 September 2017.

[4] Quinn, S. (2011). Gender budgeting: practical implementation. 

[5] Pehk, L. (2014). Soolõime käsiraamat. .

[6] Pehk, L. (2016). Soolõimest avaliku sektori juhile.

  • About
  • Legislative and policy framework
  • Structures
  • Methods and tools
  • Good practices
  • References

Share:

Useful links

  • Who we are
  • Recruitment
  • News 
  • Events

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get the latest EIGE's updates on a personalised basis. See all past newsletters.

Contact us

  • eige.sec@eige.europa.eu
  • Operations: +370 5 215 7444
  • Administration: +370 5 215 7400
  • Contact form

Find us

image of map

Gedimino pr. 16, LT-01103 Vilnius, Lithuania

Media enquiries

  • Christiane Rossbach
  • christiane.rossbach@eige.europa.eu

EIGE in social media

  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Youtube
  • Follow us on Linkedin
EIGE logo
Making equality between women and men a reality for all Europeans and beyond
 

© 2022 European Institute for Gender Equality

Help us improve

Take me to top

  • Web Accessibility
  • Legal notices
  • Personal Data Protection
  • Cookies Policy
  • The UK on EIGE's website
  • Contact us
  • Login