Institutional mechanisms for gender equality and gender mainstreaming are bodies and processes that promote, advocate and support gender equality and the mainstreaming of gender issues across all policy areas.
The underlying premise of calls for stronger institutional mechanisms is that the existing gender inequalities in all areas of life need to be better recognised and understood and then systematically addressed through gender-transformative policies and laws.
This demands a systemic approach, applied to all areas of policy; the introduction of appropriate tools and methods to make the relevant assessments; comprehensive, good-quality data to inform decisions and monitor progress; and adequate resources to fulfil all of these tasks.
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) regularly carries out data collection to monitor progress, identify gaps and provide recommendations to strengthen these mechanisms in the 27 EU Member States as part of the monitoring of Area H of the platform.
This report, based on the 2024 data collection, assesses changes since 2021, monitors the progress of these mechanisms, and presents actionable, evidence-based recommendations to enhance them.