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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
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          • Tool 6: Developing quantitative and qualitative indicators for advancing gender equality
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          • Tool 9: Mainstreaming gender equality in project design
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      • Foreword
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      • Introduction
        • Still far from the finish line
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Germany

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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

Over the years, European Union (EU) policy-making has had a marked influence on the institutionalisation of gender equality policy in Germany, while EU initiatives on gender mainstreaming have stimulated debate on relevant instruments and institutional mechanisms.

The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany of 1949 (Grundgesetz, GG) – which is essentially the German constitution – guarantees the principle of gender equality (Article 3 II GG). The Basic Law applies to the reunified state since 1990 and ensures equality for all citizens. Article 3 II GG specifically refers to equality between women and men and obliges the German state to promote gender equality and to tackle existing inequalities. The mandate of gender equality under the constitution was supplemented by the following addition in 1994: ‘The state promotes the effective implementation of equal rights for women and men and works to eliminate existing disadvantages’[1].

The principle of gender mainstreaming is enshrined in law and is official policy in all ministries at federal and regional/local level. In a Cabinet Resolution of 23 June 1999, the federal government recognised the aim of gender equality as a guiding principle for its activities and adopted gender mainstreaming as the joint strategy of all federal ministries.

In the 2016 shadow report of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), civil society actors noted that the gender mainstreaming strategy is not comprehensively, completely and sustainably implemented [2] and noted issues with data collection (such as the establishment of an independent institute), gender budgeting and a concrete implementation plan.

Legislative and policy framework

German constitutional law implies a commitment by the state to an active and effective equality policy. Article 3(2) of the Basic Law not only states ‘Men and women are equal’, but expressly obliges the state to enforce equal rights for women and men and to work towards eliminating existing disadvantages (Article 3(2), second sentence, Basic Law).

The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend – BMFSFJ) states that this is the basis for gender mainstreaming and for the establishment of gender equality as an integral part of political action by the federal government in all policy areas. 

In addition to the Basic Law, the gender equality principle is enshrined in many other laws, such as

  • the General Equal Treatment Act of 2006 (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz – AGG) focusing on discrimination in employment,
  • the Federal Body Composition Act of 2015 (Bundesgremienbesetzungsgesetz – BGremBG),
  • the Act to enforce equality between women and men in the federal administration of 2001 (Gesetz zur Durchsetzung der Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in der Bundesverwaltung – DGleiG) and
  • the Federal Equality Law of 2015 (Bundesgleichstellungsgesetz – BGleiG).

According to the AGG, its aim is to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the ground of gender. The focus of the scope of this civil law is, therefore, on ‘mass transactions’ that affect a large number of cases, for instance in labour law and all areas of employment, as well as access to and supply of goods and services available to the public, including housing[3].

The BGleiG addresses the elimination and prevention of discrimination based on sex, as well as the promotion of equality and work-life balance as a consistent guiding principle in all areas of responsibility and decisions of the departments within its scope. An obligation to implement and comply with gender equality (notably gender mainstreaming) in federal laws, such as in child and youth welfare, is set out in Article 9(3) of the Code of Social Law III (Sozialgesetzbuch III – SGB III).

In a Cabinet Resolution in 1993, the federal government recognised the aim of gender equality as a guiding principle for its activities at federal and regional/local level and adopted gender mainstreaming as the joint strategy of all federal ministries. The country’s first (2012) and second (2017) Gender Equality Reports (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend) further underline gender mainstreaming as an important tool for gender equality.

The 2017 Gender Equality Report describes new challenges that should guide gender equality policy-making: gender equality in digital work, intimate partner violence, and the effects of the increased influx of refugees and migrants since 2015/16[4]. Both reports show progress but also imply some structural problems with the implementation of gender mainstreaming.

Gender mainstreaming as a strategy is regulated by Article 2 of the Joint Rules of Procedure of the Federal Ministries (Gemeinsame Geschäftsordnung der Bundesministerien - GGO), which states: ‘Equality between men and women is a consistent guiding principle and should be promoted by all political, legislative and administrative actions of the Federal Ministries in their respective areas (gender mainstreaming)’. Gender equality should therefore be ensured, secured, and promoted in all political, agenda-setting and administrative measurements of the government (national and regional).

In practice, gender mainstreaming is not always implemented. This is especially the case where policy makers do not recognise any practical link between their policy field and questions of gender equality[5]. The 2012 Gender Equality Report noted that only strong reference persons in the ministry could push for the implementation of gender mainstreaming.  

There are no national action plans for gender mainstreaming. The 2016 CEDAW shadow report states that the ‘Federal Government hardly meets its obligations stemming from the principle of gender mainstreaming, nor has it presented an implementation plan or concrete implementation steps’[6].

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Structures

Government responsibilities

The main responsibility for the development of strategies, laws and federal programmes rests with the BMFSFJ. However, ministerial responsibility for gender equality is not established by law.

The BMFSFJ comprises one minister (member of the government cabinet), three state secretaries and five sectoral departments. It does not have a federal gender equality commission officer. One department is dedicated to equality, with the others dedicated to: democracy and civic engagement; family; demographic changes, older persons, and welfare; and children and youth. There is also a central department. The equality department has specific units on: women and work; boys and men; violence and protection of women; international gender equality politics; and equality and participation.

As the equality division is one of six departments, the BMFSFJ is responsible for a variety of tasks and challenges. While that gives it an intersectional perspective on political issues, gender equality is not the only priority. Annex 6 to § 45 (1), § 74 (5) of the Joint Rules of Procedure of the Federal Ministries states that the Ministry’s responsibility regarding equality is ‘a) In examining whether the proposed legislation can be expected to affect matters of gender equity policy’.

However, its other responsibilities may interact with this task, as they refer to assessing  ‘b) If the proposed legislation affects family and senior citizens policy matters; c) If the proposed legislation affects matters of children and youth policy, especially if it is advisable to consider whether the proposed legal norms are compatible with children's welfare.’ The BMFSFJ is heavily engaged in family-related policies, reconciliation of family and working life, and anti-discrimination, including drafting laws, developing national strategies, advising, researching and publishing relevant reports. It is also responsible for demographic change, family affairs in general, democracy and diversity, engagement policy, digital engagement, and participation and media.

The most relevant infrastructure for gender mainstreaming is the federal operational programme for the implementation of the European Social Fund (ESF) in the funding period 2014–2020. The programme has three horizontal objectives: promotion of equality between women and men; promotion of equal opportunities and non-discrimination; and promotion of sustainable development. In 2015, the Agency for Horizontal Objectives within the ESF (Agentur für Querschnittsaufgaben im ESF – Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern, Antidiskriminierung und Ökologische Nachhaltigkeit) was established to monitor, advise and support the stakeholders implementing the federal operational programme to integrate these horizontal objectives into their initiatives.

The Agency promotes gender mainstreaming (alongside other specific actions) as its strategy for gender equality. It emphasises the obligation to implement gender mainstreaming at all levels and in all phases of analysis, objectives, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Gender budgeting is promoted within the framework of the ESF but is only partly implemented in some counties/cities (such as Freiburg, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich) and not at national level.

Independent gender equality body

The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes – FADA) is Germany’s independent gender equality body. Part 6, Section 25 of the AGG states that ‘the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency shall be provided with the personnel and materials required to fulfil its tasks. It shall be identified as a separate chapter in the federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth’s individual plan’. Section 26 states that the ‘agency shall be independent in the execution of its duties and only subject to the law’.

The FADA is an independent body, focused on various forms of discrimination, including on the grounds of age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic origin and multiple discrimination. It can provide information on legal claims, outline possibilities of taking legal action within the scope of legal provisions for the protection against discrimination, provide referrals for counselling by other agencies and seek amicable settlements between parties. Anti-discrimination agencies and networks or designated NGOs have been established in most of the Länder as well.

Parliamentary bodies

In the Bundestag (the lower house of Germany’s federal parliament), the Committee on Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Ausschuss für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend) is one of the 23 standing committees established in January 2018 following the last election. It focuses on family policies, children and youth, family and work, and the promotion of gender equality.

In the Bundesrat (upper house), legislative proposals of the Ministry must be submitted to the Committee on Women and Youth (Ausschuss für Frauen und Jugend des Bundesrates). The Committee deals with draft act/law (bills) in the areas of equality, children and youth, and civil service. This includes:

  • general equality policy,
  • general child and youth policy,
  • gender mainstreaming,
  • equality at work,
  • child and youth services,
  • child and youth protection,
  • pregnancy counselling,
  • sex education and civil service affairs.

The Committee is responsible for proposals submitted by the federal government to the federal council under the auspices of the BMFSFJ, and for submissions by the state (regional/Länder) governments, drawn up by the respective Länder ministries. In addition to national regulatory proposals for legislation and regulations, the Committee deals with a large number of EU projects, within the framework of community competence for these issues.

Regional structures

Ministers for gender equality and women’s affairs exist in every federal state (Land) and each have different tasks, which can be subject to change after elections. Similar to the budget of the federal ministry, most states’ budget for gender equality are not always clearly separated from tasks such as integration of migrants or family matters.

The Conference of Ministers for Gender Equality and Women's Affairs - Senators of the Länder (Konferenz der Gleichstellungs- und Frauenministerinnen und -minister, -senatorinnen und -senatoren der Länder – GFMK) ensures interaction and coordination between the federal states. Its main task is to define basic lines for common gender equality policy for women at regional (Länderebene) and national level. It adopts measures for equal opportunity policy/strategy for women and men in all areas of life and accompanies the legislative processes at the federal level.

The GFMK comprises the following taskforces and expert groups:

  • Labour market and women taskforce (AG Arbeitsmarkt und Frauen);
  • Women in family law and family policy taskforce (AG Frauen in Familienrecht und Familienpolitik);
  • Promotion of women in the field of science taskforce (AG Frauenförderung im Bereich der Wissenschaft);
  • More equal opportunities through gender-sensitive education and training taskforce (AG Mehr Chancengleichheit durch geschlechtersensible Erziehung, Bildung und Ausbildung);
  • Social security for women taskforce (AG Soziale Sicherung von Frauen);
  • Equality atlas taskforce (AG Gleichstellungsatlas); 
  • Official assessment in administration taskforce (ad hoc AG Dienstliche Beurteilung in der Verwaltung).

The 16 state equality opportunity acts (Landesgleichstellungsgesetze) and the relevant equality regulations in the higher education laws of the Länder were mostly enacted in the 1990s. The equality laws primarily regulate the equal treatment of women and men in the public service.

In addition to these institutional bodies, equality officers of the highest authorities of both the federation and the Länder meet regularly. Germany has official and volunteer commissioners in the municipalities who are tasked with meeting the equality requirements of the Basic Law (Article 3, paragraph 2), highlighting the discriminatory structural barriers for women inside and outside the administration and developing proposals to reduce those barriers. These volunteers advise both the administrative and political bodies of all projects on measures that affect women differently or to a greater extent than men.

In accordance with the provisions of the equal rights laws and the equality laws of the federal states, equality commissioners, women's representatives or equal opportunities officers are appointed or elected either full-time, part-time or as honorary representatives. They are usually responsible for promoting women's affairs and women’s participation in equal opportunities measures, as well as monitoring and initiating work-life balance proposals.

At local level, the Federal Association of Municipal Women's Offices and Equality Bodies (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der kommunalen Frauenbüros und Gleichstellungsstellen – BAG) is composed of 1900 municipal women’s and equal opportunities commissioners, most of whom are linked to municipal administrations. It can be viewed as a civic society organisation, as it is volunteer-based. The BAG’s main tasks are networking, lobbying and creating an open alliance of women in political decision-making, with the goal of extending women’s influence in national politics. The BAG has expertise in women's and equality policy and regional initiatives.

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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 Germany.

Information relevant to gender mainstreaming is provided on the website of the BMFSFJ. The website of the Gender Competence Centre (GenderKompetenzZentrum) is also important, as it contains basic information about implementation, tools and strategies for gender mainstreaming. It was financed between 2003 and 2010 by the Ministry but is no longer updated.

The Agency for Gender Equality within the ESF (Agentur für Querschnittsziele im ESF, 2007–2013) also provided a useful platform in this regard (funded by the Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs), including recommendations for the implementation of initiatives under the ESF+ for 2021–2027 (Agentur für Querschnittsziele im ESF 2018) but this, too, has been abandoned. Nevertheless, gender mainstreaming is expected to continue to be promoted, particularly within the framework of the ESF.

Training and awareness-raising  

Many NGOs and private operators provide gender equality and diversity training but there is no consistent national structure or programme. At the federal and Länder level, gender training providers include: Gunda Werner Institute (Heinrich Böll Foundation)/(Gunda Werner Institut (Heinrich Böll Stiftung)); Fachstelle Gender & Diversity Nordrhein-Westfalen; Gender Competence Centre Saxony; (GenderKompetenzZentrum Sachsen); Dissens Institute (Dissens Institut); Genderbüro; and Netzwerk gender training network.

Gender statistics

The BMFSFJ publishes relevant studies, including the annual equality index (Gleichstellungsindex) and the gender equality report (Gleichstellungsbericht). The collection of data for the index is based on the 2015 equality statistics regulation (Gleichstellungsstatistikverordnung – GleiStatV). The gender equality report takes a more intersectional view and examines inequality categories including age, disability, citizenship and migration status.

The Federal Office of Statistics (Statistisches Bundesamt) uses data from the ‘microcensus’. Almost all studies/surveys and publications are gender-disaggregated. Although the data are, in principle, available and accessible, there is no intersectional analysis of different groups of women and men. Gender-related discrimination is monitored on a regular basis (e.g. gender pay gap, education, leadership).

The Federal Office of Statistics (Statistisches Bundesamt) is bound to the federal Statistics Act (Gesetz über die Statistik für Bundeszwecke (Bundesstatistikgesetz – BStatG)). While this law does not mention gender/sex, additional laws provide a legal basis for collecting data disaggregated by sex, such as:

  • the Federal Equality Act (Bundesgleichstellungsgesetz)[7],  
  • the Microcensus law (Gesetz zur Durchführung einer Repräsentativstatistik über die Bevölkerung und die Arbeitsmarktbeteiligung sowie die Wohnsituation der Haushalte (Mikrozensusgesetz - MZG))[8],
  • the Law on the statistics of population movement and the update of the population (Population Statistics Law, Gesetz über die Statistik der Bevölkerungsbewegung und die Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes (Bevölkerungsstatistikgesetz - BevStatG))[9] and
  • the Law to prepare a register-based census including a building and housing census 2021 (Census Preparation Act 2021, Gesetz zur Vorbereitung eines registergestützten Zensus einschließlich einer Gebäude- und Wohnungszählung 2021 (Zensusvorbereitungsgesetz 2021 - ZensVorbG 2021))[10].

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Good practices

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References

Agentur für Querschnittsziele im ESF (2018). Recommendations for the implementation and consolidation of the horizontal principles gender equality, non-discrimination, and environmental sustainability in the European Social Funds+ in the programming period 2021–2027.

Berghahn, S. (2011). Der Ritt auf der Schnecke.

Bielefeld University

Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft kommunaler Frauenbüros

Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (2015): Gesetz für die Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in der Bundesverwaltung und in den Unternehmen und Gerichten des Bundes (Bundesgleichstellungsgesetz).

Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (2017). Zweiter Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung. Berlin: Drucksache 18/12840.

Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (2017a). 3. Atlas zur Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in Deutschland.

Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (2012). Neue Wege – Gleiche Chancen. Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern im Lebensverlauf. Erster Gleichstellungsbericht. Berlin: Drucksache 17/6240.

Bundesregierung (2016). Gender Budgeting. WD 4 - 3000 - 030/16.

CEDAW-Allianz zivilgesellschaftlicher Organisationen in Deutschland (2016). Alternativbericht CEDAW. Bezug nehmend auf den kombinierten siebten und achten Bericht der Bundesrepublik Deutschland zum Übereinkommen der Vereinten Nationen zur Beseitigung jeder Form von Diskriminierung der Frau (CEDAW).

Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (2016). Guide to the General Equal Treatment Act.

Federation of German Trade Unions (2011): Frauen im Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbund. 

Konferenz der Gleichstellungs- und Frauenministerinnen und – minister, - senatorinnen und –senatoren der Länder  

Löther, A. (2017). Hochschulranking nach Gleichstellungsaspekten 2017. Ranking of higher education institutions by gender aspects. Köln: 21cews.publik.

Statistisches Bundesamt

Statistisches Bundesamt (2017). Gleichstellungsindex 2017. Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in den obersten Bundesbehörden, Wiesbaden.

Statistisches Bundesamt (2014). Auf dem Weg zur Gleichstellung? Bildung, Arbeit und Soziales – Unterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern, Wiesbaden.

von Wrangel, U. (n.d.). Gleichstellungsbeauftragte/Frauenbeauftragte.

Endnotes

[1] Berghahn, S. (2011). Der Ritt auf der Schnecke, p. 7.

[2] CEDAW-Allianz zivilgesellschaftlicher Organisationen in Deutschland (2016). Report, IX.

[3] Deutscher Bundestag (2016), p. 10.

[4] BMFSFJ (2017). Report, p. 215.

[5] BMFSFJ (2012). Report, p. 34.

[6] CEDAW-Allianz zivilgesellschaftlicher Organisationen in Deutschland (2016). Report, IX.

[7] § 3 DESTATIS requires the federal Statistical Office to prepare, on behalf of the BMFSFJ: 1) every two years, gender equality statistics for the highest federal authorities; and 2) each year, a gender equality index for the supreme federal authorities, to be published by 31 December.

[8] Sex as a statistical variable is listed in the following paragraphs: § 6 Kernprogramm der Erhebungsmerkmale/ Core programme of survey characteristics; § 10 Erhebungsmerkmale in Gemeinschaftsunterkünften/ Survey characteristics in shared accommodation and § 15 Datenübermittlung/ Data transmission.

[9] Sex as a statistical variable is listed in the following paragraphs: § 2 Statistik der natürlichen Bevölkerungsbewegung/ Statistics of the natural population movement; § 3 Statistik der rechtskräftigen Beschlüsse in Ehesachen und Statistik der rechtskräftigen Aufhebungen von Lebenspartnerschaften/ Statistics of final decisions in matrimonial matters and statistics of final annulments of civil partnerships; § 4 Wanderungsstatistik/ Migration statistics; § 5 Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes und Bevölkerungsvorausberechnungen/ Update of the population and population forecasts.

[10] Especially in § 9a Datenübermittlung, Qualitätsprüfung und Programmentwicklung/ Data transmission, quality control and programme development.

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