Step 8: Encourage people to attend the activity

The gender-learning needs assessment and the gender organisational assessment should aim at identifying resistance among staff and obstacles to the effective implementation of gender training in the organisation.

staff attending trainingCommissioning authorities and gender-equality trainers should work together to implement a strategy to target this resistance. They should look for the appropriate rationale to promote training (e.g. demonstrate the financial advantages of gender equality for the organisation and society as a whole; recall international and national obligations to implement gender mainstreaming, etc.).

With regards to staff’s reluctance to attend training on gender-equality issues, commissioning authorities can use several methods to increase attendance and raise interest. They can put into practice a system of formal and informal incentives, including:

  • Emphasising the legal obligation of civil servants to promote gender equality
  • Including knowledge of gender issues and gender tools in job descriptions
  • Make gender-equality training part of a promotional career plan
  • Developing a system of recognition and incentives, such as attendance certificates; credits for career advancement; salary increases; etc.

The organisation also needs to ensure that the initiative is supported by the management, who will then be responsible for motivating the rest of the staff. Thus, managers need to be targeted in a specific way, such as by:

  • Ensuring explicit support from the managers and their participation in the activity
  • Entrusting managers to select employees who will benefit most from attending the sessions.