Step 7: Communicating gender mainstreaming

Key aspects

Communications strategy for the introduction of gender mainstreaming that creates transparency, raises awareness and strengthens commitment within the organisation.

communicating gender mainstreaming

Internal communication

To ensure good communication and transparency, it is necessary to have a clear concept of gender mainstreaming and to pursue a stringent strategy.

  • communicate the relevant tasks and demands to the staff involved create greater awareness and strengthen commitment
  • use the channels and forms of communication customarily used within an organisation. These may be formal channels such as standing instructions and internal newsletters or these may involve informal practices such as participation of executive managers in certain working sessions or holding speeches at events. It may be particularly helpful to make gender mainstreaming a regular item on the agenda of team meetings. Another useful part of the communication strategy may be to enable networking among staff members involved in the process and to encourage regular face-to-face contact with facilitators.
  • When it comes to introducing gender mainstreaming, innovative forms of communication should therefore be used as an addition, not a replacement, to regular communication channels.

External communication

A communications strategy also makes gender equality a visible part of an organisation’s external identity and self-portrayal – how to communicate externally:

  • explicitly address gender equality as one of the organisation’s main objectives and clearly highlight this, e.g. on the organisation website or in its publications.
  • review and adjust all of the organisation’s public relations activities to ensure the use of gender-sensitive language and to avoid gender stereotypes in images and photos
  • deliver appropriate training to staff members who are responsible for public relations work
  • distribute guidelines on gender-sensitive language to all personnel at the respective organisation

Examples

The Swedish government has established an online platform that serves as a national resource for gender equality. The website offers a wide range of information such as news, examples of good practices and other tools.

View Example

The Senate Department for Labour, Integration and Women in Berlin launched a campaign including interactive tools for creating awareness and communicating gender equality objectives to accompany Berlin’s Gender Equality Framework Programme.

View Example