Step 11: Launching gender equality action plans
Gender equality action plans describe the specialist technical side – i.e. what is to be implemented and what this is to achieve within a specific policy area or field of activity, e.g. housing, public transport, health care.
For each field, they describe which gender equality goals are to be pursued using which measures in order to help achieve an organisation’s overall gender equality objectives.
Gender equality action plans address the output-dimension of an organisation (according to the SPO-model), i.e. the results and “products” of an organisation and how these contribute to promoting gender equality within a specific policy area.
Gender equality action plans should contain:
Gender analysis
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Describing the gender aspects relevant to the policy area or field of activity in question (e.g. regional development, geriatric care, labour market measures etc.). With the help of sex-disaggregated data, this attempts to quantitatively represent the actual situation insofar as respective data is available. The causes, influencing factors and effects of gender-related differences within the respective field of activity are analysed and presented.
Gender equality objectives
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Derived from the organisation’s major goals and put into practical terms, based on the gender analysis for the particular field of activity. These gender equality objectives are both ambitious and realistic at the same time as well as being measurable, determining how the planned activities will contribute to promoting gender equality in the respective policy area and field of activity.
Gender impact assesment
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Gender impact assessment is to be carried out, looking at previous and planned activities and measures. Using this as a basis, key aspects and priorities are to be determined and appropriate activities and measures are to be planned regarding how the defined gender equality objectives are to be achieved. The resources needed, responsibilities and a timeline should also be determined.
Indicators
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For monitoring implementation and evaluating target achievement.
Examples
In Greece, ministries are to develop and implement action plans, pointing out how they address gender issues in their respective fields of activity.
In Austria, a ‘National Action Plan for Gender Equality on the Labour Market’ (2008-2013) was agreed in the government agreement of 2008 in order to develop and implement concrete measures over a five-year period. With this plan, the federal government wanted to define its strategy and focus on actions designed to achieve equality of women and men in the labour market. The aim was to pool together relevant activities and ensure a coordinated approach, thus improving the consistency and coherence of governmental policies. The Action Plan was developed in a participatory process.
National Action Plan for Gender Equality on the Labour Market’ (2008-2013)