1. Anne-Charlott Callerstig & Renate Wielpütz
Standard on gender mainstreaming - a useful tool for the future programming period
Joint CoCoF and ESF TWG Meeting on Gender Mainstreaming
in the Structural Funds, February 13/14, 2012
Anne-Charlott Callerstig & Renate Wielpütz 1

2. Members of the Gender-CoP
ESF Management Authorities
Sweden (Lead Member State), Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Belgium (French speaking Community), Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy (The Province of Bolzano), Poland and Spain
Support structures/intermediary bodies
Agency for Gender Equality in the ESF (Germany), Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (Portugal), National Women´s Institute (Spain), ISFOL (Italy) 2

3. Gender Mainstreaming – it is not just the right thing but the bright thing…
Gender Mainstreaming is an important part of EU gender policy
Gender Mainstreaming is a holistic approach, it concerns all policies, structures and people, not “only women” or as a specific issue
Gender Mainstreaming raises awareness among policy actors
Gender Mainstreaming prevents missed opportunities for innovation and growth
Gender Mainstreaming (and Gender Budgeting) ensures effectiveness of public spending
Gender Mainstreaming is a road to a Gender Equal society
Gender Mainstreaming is a road to economical growth
Integrating Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming into all EU policies and into all Structural Funds is an obligation 3

4. Evidence from research and evaluations of ESF and ERDF
Many interesting approaches but…
…. no coherence on how to implement GM and specific actions (dual gender equality approach) in MS
The “red thread” from policy to implementation is missing and…
…gender is often “lost in translation” between different policy initiatives (e.g. EU2020, GE policy and Structural funds regulations)
The implementation gap is substantial - importance of GM is recognized only in theory, many ESF objectives are seen as gender-neutral and
….there is a lack of permanent structures  to support implementation
Many member states implement the strategy mainly on the final stage of the ESF process – on project level, in ERDF importance is often recognized only in theory
Still a substantial lack of awareness and understanding of gender gaps, gender equality objectives and know-how of gender equality strategies, methods and tools 4

5. Overarching objectives of the CoP on GM
Coherent implementation of the EU dual gender equality approach into the Structural Funds  through:
joint learning process including both national and European level (learning semiars, conferences, work-shops, peer reviews etc.)
developing and implementing a common approach (standard) by the MS 
training and capacity building for ESF management
awareness raising
policy impact
… i.e. Gender Mainstreaming should be an integral part of future ESF management/cycles – from planning, programming, implementing to monitoring and evaluation 5

6. Expected results
An ESF-standard/minimum on how to implement GM into ESF management.
A training program on GM within the ESF, in relation to the standard/minimum
A community of learners on GM within the ESF
A network of GM Contact Points within the ESF
Increased cooperation between ESF and other European key actors on GM
A communication platform on GM within the ESF (and extended) 6

7. CoP on GM activities on policy preparation 2014+
Comments on 5th Cohesion report
Statement on EU 2020 Strategy
Position paper on the preparation of the Structural Funds programming period
Comments on the draft Regulations setting out provisions for the Common Strategic Framework funds and for the ESF for the programming period post
Conference on Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in the Funding Period (Brussels, May 2011)
Conference on the EU 2020 Flagships from a gender perspective (Brussels, June 2012) 7

8. Standard
Objective: coherent integration of gender equality (objective) and dual gender equality strategy of the European Union (gender Mainstreaming and specific actions) into all ESF policy and implementation cycles
Target group: ESF key actors in different ESF policy cycles - EU Commission - Managing Authorities on national and regional level in the MS - intermediary bodies in MS and regions - project promoters, institutions and companies - final beneficiaries
Content: requirements and good practice examples on - structural level - on thematic issues - on capacity building (ESF + gender competences)
Implementation: The implementation of the Standard will be supported through training, counselling and coaching – adapted to the different needs of the ESF actors on EU and national level and close to their tasks in the relevant cycle 8

9. Example: socio economic analysis in the OP
Prerequisites for coherence in structures and documents on EU and MS/regional level:
Gender equality objectives and requirements for implementation to be integrated into - objectives of overarching strategy (EU 2020) - objectives of flagships - objectives of National Reform Programs - draft regulations - guidelines for new programming period - implementing rules for ex-ante evaluation - guidelines for monitoring and evaluation - Common strategic framework - Partnership contract - Operational Programmes 9

10. Example: socio economic analysis in the OP
Thematic requirements:
Gender segregated data and gender analysis of all thematic issues of the socio economic analysis example: macroeconomic context - analysis on how women and men in their diversity are concerned by the development of growth, productivity and employment of the country or region example: employment situation - analysis on the overarching Gender Equality objective “economical independence of women and men”, data on employment rate translated into full time equivalent, precarious jobs, different age groups and men and women with a migration background example pay gap: - analysis of all levels and reasons for the gender pay gap example unemployment: - analysis of unemployment by men and women in their diversity (age groups, long term unemployment, migration background and women and men in their diversity not “counted” as unemployed (so called silent reserve) example poverty: - analysis on how women and men in their diversity suffer from poverty 10

11. Example: socio economic analysis in the OP
Capacity building for coherent integration of GE and GM
Capacity building activities of the dual GE strategy shall address
all steps of the planning procedure and documents,
the different learning needs of the ESF actors and
their tasks in this policy cycle: - EU Commission staff preparing the documents and guidelines relevant for drafting the Ops (regulations, CSF, partnership contract, ex-ante evaluation) - MA staff members in the MS - MA staff members responsible for public procurement - Contractors carrying out the SEA - MA staff members or contractors carrying out the ex ante evaluation - Members of Monitoring Committees - EU Commission staff responsible for the assessment of the OPs 11

12. Contact information
Anne-Charlott Callerstig, Content Expert 
Tel: +46 (0)       
Renate Wielpütz, Agency for Gender Equality in the ESF, Germany    
Tel: + 49/30/
Bengt Nilsson, Project Manager  
Tel: +46 (0)   Cell: +46 (0)  
Find out more on 12

13. Thanks for your attention!13