Gender-sensitive Parliaments

Domain 1: Parliamentarians’ capacity in parliament

Measures that can be adopted in this domain

Apply gender balance measures to the procedure of assigning committee chairs and members of the parliamentary bureau (i.e. gender quotas).

Develop guidance materials and conduct trainings for MPs and political parties on the importance of:

• addressing horizontal segregation by increasing the participation of women and men in committees where gender imbalances often exist (e.g. increasing women’s participation in committees on trade, defence, foreign affairs, transport, etc., and increasing men’s participation in committees on equality, education, and social policy, etc.);
• addressing vertical segregation by promoting women to positions of leadership across diverse portfolios.

Conduct research that monitors the oral and written interventions of women and men MPs, and their contributions to parliamentary outputs. This research can assess:

• the frequency with which women MPs participate in parliamentary discussions/debates compared to men MPs (and the duration of their interventions);
• the extent to which women MPs are interrupted when participating in parliamentary discussions/debates, as well as the use of sexist language and derogatory comments;
• the adopted decisions, reports, and other parliamentary outputs women MPs have been responsible for (e.g. as rapporteurs).

Develop guidance materials that encourage political parties to revise their internal rules to mention the importance of gender balance when assigning members to committees.

Relevant groups that can lead these measures

• The parliamentary bureau and relevant committees (i.e. those responsible for nominating MPs to serve on committees) can update the procedure of assigning committee chairs and members of the parliamentary bureau to ensure gender-balanced participation.
• The high-level working group or committee (overseeing plan) can work with the gender equality office (in the administration), as well as external gender experts to conduct training for MPs and political parties on the importance of gender balanced committees.
• The communications department of the parliamentary administration can disseminate guidance materials for political parties, encouraging them to use gender-sensitive language in all their communications.
• Research services of the parliamentary administration can conduct research monitoring the oral and written interventions of women and men MPs.

Domain 2: Structure and organisation (work environment & work–life balance)

Measures that can be adopted in this domain

Measures to improve the work environment of parliaments

Adopt the following measures with sanctions for non-compliance, or revise existing measures from a gender and intersectional perspective:

• a code of conduct which explicitly refers to MPs;
• an anti-discrimination policy, which explicitly refers to combatting discrimination based on sex and other multiple intersecting grounds;
• a gender-sensitive policy and protocol against harassment, including sexual harassment (with preventative measures, a formal procedure for investigating harassment and sexual harassment complaints and reparation measures, applicable to those working at/with the Parliament, regardless of their employment status, as well as external visitors etc.).

Require that formal rules and standing orders are written in gender-sensitive language.

Develop guidance materials for MPs to manage cyber harassment (e.g. by describing the steps that women and men MPs can take to prevent and address online abuse, enhance their online security, and document online abuse)^[3].

Measures to improve the work–life balance of MPs

1. Establish procedures for substitution/proxy voting or distance voting for MPs.
2. Introduce and/or expand family leave options available to MPs (i.e. maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave and carer’s leave) and encourage men MPs to take these entitlements (through internal awareness-raising campaigns).
3. Adopt an official regulation of working hours for parliamentary employees and MPs aiming to prevent late working hours, sessions or meetings.
4. Publish a sitting calendar for the year where recess weeks are aligned with school calendars.

Relevant groups that can lead these measures

• The parliamentary bureau can work alongside relevant committees that govern the internal standards and procedures of the parliament to review these documents from a gender perspective.
• The high-level working group or committee (overseeing the gender equality action plan) can work with the gender equality office (in the administration), as well as external gender equality experts (e.g. CSOs, universities) to develop guidance materials for MPs.
• A cross-party group of MPs can work with relevant committees in the parliament to initiate parliamentary proceedings that introduce or expand family leave options available to MPs.
• The facilities department of the administration can support the establishment of childcare facilities on parliament grounds.

Domain 3: Staff organisation and procedures

Measures that can be adopted in this domain

1. Adopt formal rules on flexible work arrangements for parliamentary employees (e.g. part-time, teleworking).
2. Raise awareness on the family leave options available to parliamentary employees (e.g. maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave and carer’s leave).
3. Develop a ‘right to disconnect’ policy including measures to avoid sending non-urgent emails to colleagues outside of normal working hours.

Relevant groups that can lead these measures

• The HR department of the parliamentary administration can develop the rules on flexible working arrangements, expand family leave options and develop a ‘right to disconnect’ policy.
• Staff leading the departments of the parliamentary administration can ensure that parliamentary employees in their teams are aware of and respect procedures on work–life balance.