Step 1. Alignment with the strategic goals for gender equality

The first step is to ensure alignment with the EU’s gender equality goals. These include the goals of the strategic engagement for gender equality 2016-2019 which, in turn, are aligned with the European Pillar for Social Rights:

  • provide better work-life balance for parents and people with care responsibilities;
  • ensure a broad policy framework to support parents’ participation in the labour market, as well as the more equal use of leave and flexible work arrangements, including considering possible benchmarking;
  • use EU financial tools in a targeted way to support Member States and enhance awareness raising;
  • monitor and support Member States to attain the Barcelona targets on childcare, to make these targets more ambitious and to consider a more comprehensive approach, e.g. covering the care of other dependants, accessibility and quality efforts to increase women’s labour market participation;
  • monitor national reform measures under the European Semester in line with employment guidelines.

Once you have ensured alignment with these objectives, ensure alignment with national gender equality goals. These are usually found in a country’s national gender equality policy.