Gender-sensitive Parliaments

This domain assesses the existence of gender mainstreaming tools and procedures - such as gender equality training, gender equality plan and gender budgeting - that assure inclusion of gender issues in parliamentary work.

Gender mainstreaming implies actively supporting the inclusion of a gender perspective and the promotion of equal opportunities for all in parliamentary procedures. Gender issues should be regularly included in the parliamentary agenda, in plenary sessions and in the work of committees and sub-groups. Gender-sensitive parliaments show an institutional commitment in mainstreaming gender equality by creating opportunities to incorporate a gender dimension in all areas of its work. Furthermore, gender-sensitive parliaments provide adequate information and support to the building of competences of MPs on gender issues. 

Gender mainstreaming tools require adequate resources to be planned, implemented and monitored. A gender mainstreaming tool called 'gender budgeting' introduces a gender perspective into the entire budgetary process and helps to restructure the budget in order to reflect more adequately the different needs of women and men. Gender budgeting not only implies the analysis of the budget in a gender perspective with reference to recipients, but also deals with the budgetary-making process itself. 

Data sources: Information from the gender equality body and/or the parliamentary bureau; the parliaments’ website; internal documentation of procedures and rules, audit reports.