1. Athena 3B Gender Policies in Europe Presentation by Martha Franken, director International Conference: Gender Mainstreaming Cosenza, December 2nd, 2005

2. Athena 3B Outline Athena 3b working group European Union – mainstreaming Council of Europe – mainstreaming Flanders – Equal Opportunities Policy

3. Athena 3B Athena = Advanced Thematic Network of Gender Studies in Europe 3B = “Reconceptualizing the Notion of Equal Opportunities and Rethinking the Policy Aims and Instruments – a joint effort of Women’s Studies in the Academia, Policy Makers and Women’s organizations

4. Athena 3B Preliminary activities done First meeting with participants in Madrid 2001 and Portoroz 2002 - growing group First seminar and meeting in Antwerp July 2002 Stream Equality at Lund conference Aug 2003 (5 workshops in this stream) The meeting in Lund → paper: Scope of project

5. Athena 3B 3B Aims of project Create a Task Force (Think tank) Develop strategic policy objectives EU inventory of policy tools and instruments Training of gender experts Introduction topic EO in university curricula

6. Athena 3B 3B Working Methods Building up infrastructure for dialogue between actors Analysing bottlenecks, practices, implementation Quantitative/Qualitative research and survey Seminars with presentation of products

7. Athena 3B 3B Products of project EU Task Force (platform for discussion) Discussion papers Database of experts Inventory and evaluation of policy tools & instruments Inventory of best practices of training possibilities Development of new policy recommendation and tools Teaching materials Dissemination, articles, books...

8. Athena 3B 3B Participants (velvet triangle) Mostly researchers A few policy makers A few women’s movement Combination of the three More actors of the velvet triangle in the national projects that will be going on in the frame of this project

9. Athena 3B 3B Involved countries Austria Belgium Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Malta Netherland s Romania Serbia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerlan d UK

10. Athena 3B Results in 2005 40 discussion papers exist about different topics: we are clustering Progress available at website www.rosadoc.be Expertdatabase started www.rosadoc.be Digma database Amazone for mainstreaming instruments www.amazone.be

11. Athena 3B European Union gender policy Treaty of Rome 1957 Gender Equality incorporated in DG Employment and Social Policy Mainstreaming introduced since 1995 (Beijing)

12. Athena 3B Gender Mainstreaming in EU Incorporation of Equal Opportunities into Community Policies Framework Strategy on E O for Men and Women (2001 – 2005) Action Programme on E O (2001 – 2005)

13. Athena 3B Incorporation of EO into community Policies The EU sets out the principle that the gender perspective should systematically be taken into account in all Community Policies and Actions; this should be done actively and openly at the planning stage Act: Communication of the Commission 21 february 1996

14. Athena 3B Mainstreaming in different areas Employment and the labour market Women entrepreneurs Education and training People’s rights Development cooperation Staff policy The European Structural Funds

15. Athena 3B Community Framework Strategy Objective: To establish a framework for action providing for gender mainstreaming in all Community Activities in suc a way that they help to attain the goal of removing inequalities and promoting gender equality Act: Commission communication 7 June 2000

16. Athena 3B Community Framework Strategy Dual-track approach: Gender mainstreaming in all Community policies Introduction of special measures for women The ms approach marks a major change compared to past

17. Athena 3B Community Framework Strategy The framework strategy encompasses five inter-related fields of action: Economic life Equal participation and representation Social rights Civil life Gender roles and stereotypes

18. Athena 3B 5th Community Action Programme on EO Objective: To promote equality for men and women, particularly by assisting and supporting the Com Framework strategy= funding of projects Act: Council Decision 20 December 2000

19. Athena 3B 5th Community Action Programme The actions: Raising awareness Analysis of factors and policies Transnational cooperation Funding: 50 mio euro for 2001 - 2005

20. Athena 3B Future Actions EU The framework strategy and community Action programme will be followed by a programme called “Progress” 2007: European Year of Equal Opportunities for All European Gender Institute www.europa.eu.int

21. Athena 3B I. What is Council of Europe ? political organisation founded in 1949 started with 10 now 44 European member states Aims: promote democracy, human rights and rule of law; develop common responses to political, social, cultural and legal challenges; headquarters: Strasbourg (France) 2 constituent organs : committee of Ministers and Parliamentary Assembly + CLRAE European Court of Human Rights

22. Athena 3B Working Structures for Equality CDEG Mandate CDEG CDEG working groups secretariat : Equality division in Media, Equality and Minorities Department close cooperation with other committees and international organisations

23. Athena 3B Themes for Equality in CoE A.Human Rights: protection, promotion and prevention B.Human Rights and democratic practices on a daily basis

24. Athena 3B A.Human Rights : protection, promotion and prevention Trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation combating violence against women free choice in matters of reproduction and lifestyles Human Rights of girls and young women Migration and equality between women and men women’s participation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding

25. Athena 3B B.Human Rights and democracy Balanced representation of Women and Men in all Aspects of Life Gender Mainstreaming Equality in Working World The Role of Men… Institutional Mechanisms Co-operation with NGO’s

26. Athena 3B What is Mainstreaming ? Definition Gender Mainstreaming is the (re)organisation, improvement, development and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies at all levels and at all stages, by the actors normally involved in policymaking.

27. Athena 3B Prerequisites Political will Specific gender equality policy Statistics Comprehensive knowledge of gender relations Knowledge of the administration Necessary funds and Human Resources Participation of both sexes in decision- making processes

28. Athena 3B Mainstreaming : When?  Which moment in the policy process? Policy preparing and planning stage Policy deciding stage Policy implementing stage Policy evaluating stage

29. Athena 3B Mainstreaming : what ?  Which policy areas? Most policy fields are relevant for gender mainstreaming because they directly or indirectly have an impact on the life of women and men One can start with the crucial areas of concern

30. Athena 3B Mainstreaming : where ?  Which policy levels? All levels

31. Athena 3B Coe : new developments Recommendation R(98)14 on Gender mainstreaming Message to other steering committees of the Coe to use GM in their programmes of activities Informal network on GM – yearly meeting New report on Gender Budgeting

32. Athena 3B Gender Budgeting Definition : GB is an application of gender mainstreaming in the budgetary process. It means a gender- based assessment of budgets, incorporating a gender perspective at all levels of the budgetary process and restructuring revenues and expenditures in order to promote gender equality.

33. Athena 3B Equal Opportunities in Flanders A mainstreaming case: Situated in coordination department of Ministry of Flanders Interdepartmental Commission Equal Opportunities New approach with Open Coordination Method