Formally adopt the plan with the endorsement of leadership

After developing a gender equality action plan, parliamentary leaders can formally adopt the plan and communicate its measures to other members of the institution. When formally adopting the plan, leadership can:

  • provide details on the purpose of the plan and the main issues it seeks to tackle, and discuss how the plan complements the wider gender equality goals of the parliament;
  • describe the methodology for developing the plan, emphasising that it was a transparent and inclusive process;
  • describe the main steps that will be taken to implement, monitor and evaluate the plan, the main group(s) involved in these activities and the timeframe for execution;
  • provide resources that people working in parliament can use to learn more about the plan’s measures.

Example of a parliament formally adopting a gender equality plan with the endorsement of leadership (fictional)

To formally adopt a gender equality action plan for parliament, a parliamentary bureau organised a joint meeting with the high-level working group that was tasked with developing the plan. The bureau adopted an official decision to approve a gender equality action plan that would be active for a period of 4 years. After adopting the plan, the bureau of the Parliament carried out a series of communication activities with MPs, staff of MPs, parliamentary employees and citizens. This included the following.

  • A joint meeting with parliamentary staff, including representatives of all offices in the parliamentary administration and the secretary-general of the parliament (that heads the parliamentary administration). During this meeting, the bureau and the high-level working group described the plan’s measures aiming to improve the gender-sensitivity of the administration, as well as the responsibilities of the administration to implement and monitor the gender equality action plan.
  • A joint meeting with MPs, including chairs of parliamentary committees, describing the measures they will be expected to undertake to mainstream a gender perspective into their legislative work.
  • A press conference, during which the speaker described the parliament’s efforts to advance gender equality both in the parliament and in the society more broadly. The speaker described how the plan complements the wider gender equality goals of the parliament.

Checklist: Formally adopt the plan

  • Identify the leader(s) that will formally adopt the plan (e.g. parliamentary bureaus, speakers, committee chairpersons, party group leaders)

  • Decide how the leader(s) will formally adopt the gender equality action plan (e.g. during a joint meeting with the parliamentary bureau and the high-level working group or committee that developed the plan).

  • Design the communication activities that the parliament can carry out to announce the adoption of the plan. Consider how these communication activities can be tailored for MPs and staff of MPs, the parliamentary administration, political parties and citizens.

  • Identify the key messages that leader(s) will share when announcing the adoption of the plan (i.e. messages that describe the overall purpose of the plan, the need for the plan in the institution, the main gender inequalities that the plan will tackle and the alignment of the plan with the parliament’s broader strategy to advance gender equality).