The concept of gender mainstreaming started to appear in policy documents due to the country’s accession to the European Union (EU) in 2004 and the accessibility of Structural Funds, which require gender mainstreaming to be implemented in national development policy programming. It follows that the New Hungary Development Plan – the country’s main document on expenditure of EU Structural Funds – specifies gender mainstreaming as a mechanism that should be utilised in programming.
About
Stuctures
After ministerial reorganisation in April 2013, the Departmental Unit of Population, Family Affairs and Gender Equality, within the Department of Family Policy at the Ministry of Human Resources, has become the main national agency for gender equality.
Since 1999, the Council for Gender Equality has served as a tripartite consultative body for public administration officials, non-governmental gender representatives and experts. Unfortunately, this council has not operated continuously and has not convened since 2010.
Laws and Policies
In 2003, in preparation for EU membership, the Act on Equal Treatment and the Promotion of Equality of Opportunities was adopted. This act set up a framework for the fight against discrimination and, in accordance with EU directives, established the Equal Treatment Authority to monitor the execution of legislation.
Methods & Tools
The most important methods utilised are capacity building, knowledge generation/research, indicators, sex-disaggregated statistics and stakeholder consultations.
