AGREEMENT n° 2002 - A/02/B/F/NT/124.

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GenderNet – European Network for Assessment, Validation and Dissemination of
Gender Mainstreaming Strategies in Vocational Guidance and Qualification

Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document

Dr Pamela Clayton
Department of Adult and Continuing Education, University of Glasgow
June 2003

This work is presented as a document for discussion and comment by all Partners. It is not a
definitive work, because:
• Most of the content comes from British and international sources;
• We, on the other hand, are a Partnership representing many different countries
with different institutional arrangements, access to statistics and so on;
• The practical application of this document in assessing gender mainstreaming
may create more difficulties for some than for others.
The author, furthermore, has incorporated her own ideas and examples but does not pretend
that this document is a complete guide to the evaluation of gender mainstreaming. Partners
are therefore requested to make comments on the document. This can be done on the
document itself - please add comments in a different font, in bold, in a different colour etc. so
that it is easy to tell the difference between the original document and your comments.
It would also be useful if you could list other publications and web sites, particularly in
languages other than English.
Because some of the language is technical, explanations are given in footnotes.
 Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document, by Dr Pamela Clayton

Contents
1 Introduction
2 What is gender mainstreaming?
3 Implementing gender mainstreaming in policy
3.1 Who is involved?
3.2 When should the process be carried out?
3.3 Pitfalls to avoid
3.4 Prerequisites
4 Tools for gender mainstreaming
4.1 Analytical tools
4.2 Educational tools
4.3 Facilitation of consultation and participation
5 Gender impact assessment
5.1 First steps
5.2 Information needed
5.2.1 Participation
5.2.2 Resources
5.2.3 Norms and values
5.2.4 Rights
6 Suggestions for evaluating gender mainstreaming policies and their impact in
vocational guidance and education
6.1 Evaluation of policy formation
6.1.1 Objectives of gender mainstreaming
6.1.2 Clarity of purpose
6.1.3 Policy formation procedures
6.1.4 Context of the policy
6.1.5 Funding
6.2 Impact of policy
6.2.1 Statistical data
6.2.2 Differential impact
6.2.3 Staff training and support
6.2.4 Monitoring, reporting and internal evaluation
6.2.5 Change
6.2.6 Dissemination and networking
7 Useful reading

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 Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document, by Dr Pamela Clayton

1 Introduction
Gender equality is enshrined in the 1957 Treaty which was the foundation of the modern
European Union - but this equality has not been achieved in practice1. The term ‘gender
mainstreaming’ is of much more recent origin: it was coined in 1995 at the Beijing World
Conference of Women and adopted by the EU in 19962.
The word ‘policy’ used throughout this document refers to policy made at all levels:
international, European, state, local government, all other organisations, large and small,
public, private and voluntary.
‘Sex’ refers to (or should refer to) biological differences between men and women. ‘Gender’
refers to the way that biological differences are used as a basis for differentiating women and
men by roles, characteristics, value and so on. Sex is invariable whereas gender differs over
time and between societies.
The section on tools for recognising and assessing gender mainstreaming will focus on those
most applicable to guidance and educational providers.

2 What is gender mainstreaming?

Teresa Rees3 identified three models of equal opportunities:
• equal treatment
• positive action
• mainstreaming
She labelled these ‘tinkering’, ‘tailoring’ and ‘transforming’. Equal treatment and positive
action operate within existing social structures, with relatively minor attempts at change
(hence ‘tinkering’ and ‘tailoring’). Mainstreaming, on the other hand, involves radical change
- both in policy and in attitudes.
Hence, gender mainstreaming policy in employment is not based on the notion that women
must be adapted to the ‘normal’ male model of working life. Instead the model of working
life must be seen as a multi-faceted model which encompasses difference - that is to say, there
is no longer a single model which is seen as ‘normal’ for all, but a variety of arrangements
which are equally valued and are suitable to both men and women at different stages of their
working lives. It is, therefore,
a question of promoting long-lasting changes in parental roles, family structures,
institutional practices, the organisation of work and time, personal development and
independence, but also concerns men and the whole of society4.

1
Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2000-2005),
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equ_opp/strategy_en.html (accessed 11 June 2003)
2
Cardinali, V (2002), ‘Mainstreaming: on the way to drafting a positive contamination strategy’, in
Innovation Pathways: from project to mainstreaming, Rome, Isfol
3
Rees, T (1998), Mainstreaming equality in the European Union: education, training and labour
market policies, London, Routledge - with many thanks to Alan Brown, Institute of Employment
Studies, University of Warwick, for his review of this book
4
Gender Mainstreaming, http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equ_opp/gms_en.html
(accessed 11 June 2003)

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 Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document, by Dr Pamela Clayton

In practical terms, this means that ‘women’s concerns, needs and aspirations should be taken
into account and assume the same importance as men’s concerns in the design and
implementation of policies’5.

3 Implementing gender mainstreaming in policy

The goal of gender mainstreaming policy is gender equality. This means that all stages of
policy - making and implementation - must take into account the potential effects of the
policy on both men and women.
The stages in which gender implications must be taken into account include6:
• Policy development;
• Research;
• Advocacy;
• Dialogue and consultation;
• Legislation/rule-making;
• Allocation of resources;
• The planning, implementation and monitoring of programmes and projects;
• Assessment of their impact on gender issues;
• Changes to be made where evaluation reveals unequal outcomes of the policy;
• Dissemination of the policy;
• Staff training in the policy;
• Staff appraisals and disciplinary procedures.
Thus, the key elements are the ‘inclusion of the gender aspect in all policies and evaluation of
the gender impact’7.

3.1 Who is involved?

Everyone working in any aspect of policy is involved in the process8.

3.2 When should the process be carried out?

When developing new policies, equality considerations must be incorporated from the
beginning and not simply added on at the end9. Where a policy already exists, however,
gender mainstreaming involving transforming the policy and ensuring that everyone involved
in changing the policy and putting the changes into practice must take the gender aspect into
account10.

5
As note 1, Introduction
6
The following list is taken from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Equalities
Briefing, August 2002, Why Equalities … Mainstreaming in the Voluntary Sector, published in
Edinburgh
7
Cardinali, see note 2
8
SCVO Autumn 2002, see note 6
9
SCVO, see note 6
10
The Scottish Office, Mainstreaming Equal Opportunities
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/devolution/meo-05.asp (accessed 11 June 2003)

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 Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document, by Dr Pamela Clayton

3.3 Pitfalls to avoid

Gender mainstreaming:
• Is not a stand-alone policy - equal opportunities work must continue alongside
gender mainstreaming ‘until there is a real culture and consensus regarding
gender equality in the whole of society’; it does not, therefore, replace equality
legislation, specialist equality units or positive action - all of these need to be
instituted as well or to remain in place where they already exist11;
• Is unlikely to succeed without political will;
• Is not merely tokenism and needs to be ‘backed up by effective performance
indicators, monitoring and review’12;
• Is not merely fulfilling legal requirements - where necessary, it must go beyond
these in order to avoid gender discrimination;
• Is not merely a matter of ‘balancing the statistics’13;
• Is not a matter of achieving equality - it is a dynamic, ongoing process14.

3.4 Prerequisites
• Broad definitions of equality, ‘including human rights, diversity and
difference’15;
• Creation of new channels for consultation;
• Specific budget lines;
• Real willingness and commitment to equality on the part of the organisation.

4 Tools for gender mainstreaming

The following is taken from the Scottish Office document already cited; this was based on
work undertaken by the Council of Europe.

4.1 Analytical tools

• ‘Routine identification, collection, use and dissemination of gender statistics
(further broken down by other variables such as age, ‘race’ and class)’;
• Mapping ‘the current state of gender relations’ and predicting the ‘impact of
policies on future developments’;
• Research to identify ‘current issues and problems and potential solutions’;
• Checklists of objectives and actions to be taken;
• Methods of gender impact assessment (see below);
• ‘Continuous scrutinising, follow-up and evaluation of policies’;
• Guidelines for regular reporting.

11
The Scottish Office, see note 10
12
SCVO, see note 6
13
See note 4
14
Cardinali, see note 2
15
Scottish Office, see note 10

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 Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document, by Dr Pamela Clayton

4.2 Educational tools

• Courses to raise awareness and challenge ‘existing values and norms16 which
perpetuate inequality … and influence and limit decision-making’;
• Training in ‘how to detect gender issues and how to develop policies in order to
take gender (…) into account’;
• Training in putting gender mainstreaming into practice and integrating it into the
work of the organisation;
• Specialist training in gender impact assessment;
• Post-training support, for example, through mentors, regular meetings;
• Refresher courses to ensure that awareness and knowledge are maintained;
• Bringing in external experts on a temporary basis to assist with post-training
support;
• Manuals and handbooks;
• Booklets and leaflets;
• Educational material for schools.

4.3 Facilitation of consultation and participation

• Participation by both men and women in all decisions;
• Steering groups and ‘think-tanks’17;
• Communication channels for collaboration, for example, between different
departments in an organisation;
• Directories and databases of relevant individuals, groups and organisations.

5 Gender impact assessment

The following is taken from a document available from the European Union website in PDF
format18 in Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, Finnish, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese and
Swedish as well as English.
The aim of gender impact assessment is ‘to avoid unintended negative consequences and
improve the quality and efficiency of policies’.
Negative unintended consequences can occur when ‘policies which appear gender neutral
(…) turn out to affect women and men differently … because we find substantial differences
in the lives of women and men’.

16
‘Norms’ are the socially accepted ways of behaviour and means to achieve goals; ‘values’ are
socially accepted goals.
17
‘Think-tanks’ are groups of experts which produce analyses and propose policies - they may consult
with individuals and groups outside the formal group.
18
A Guide to Gender Impact Assessment - see note 4 for the website address

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5.1 First steps

1. Use data disaggregated by sex19 to check whether gender is a relevant issue in the
particular policy you are assessing (e.g. if more women than men work part-time,
gender is relevant).
2. Ask whether the policy will affect the lives of at least some of the population.
3. Ask if there are differences between women and men in this field - such
differences might concern rights, financial and other resources, extent of
participation, values and norms concerning roles, responsibilities and rights that
are related to gender.
If the answers are ‘yes’, gender impact assessment must be carried out, using data
disaggregated by sex.

5.2 Information needed

The following uses SMART: Simple Method to Assess the Relevance of policies to Gender.
5.2.1 Participation
‘The sex composition of the target group and representation of women and men in decision-
making positions.’
5.2.2 Resources
For example, access to ‘time, space, information and money, political and economic power,
education and training, job and professional career, new technologies, health care services,
housing, means of transport, leisure’, to which must be added access to support for caring
responsibilities such as childcare, eldercare, the care of family members or friends who are
sick or disabled.
5.2.3 Norms and values
Examples of these include the gendered division of labour20, differences in attitudes and
behaviour, ‘inequalities in the value attached to men and women or to masculine and feminine
characteristics’.
5.2.4 Rights
These include rights not to suffer direct or indirect indiscrimination21 and ‘human rights and
access to justice’.

19
That is, broken down into separate figures for men and women
20
That is, the fact that generally women and men have different household responsibilities and their
labour market position differs. For example, women are concentrated into a small number of jobs and
industries whereas men are found in a very wide range of types of work.
21
Direct discrimination exists where either women or men are explicitly excluded - for example, where
a firm refuses to employ women in certain jobs which they reserve for men. Indirect discrimination has
a similar effect but arises from rules which have the effect, whether intended or not, of excluding one
sex or the other. For example, if regular meetings are held in the evening, this may exclude women
with caring responsibilities from attending and this may affect their career progression.

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 Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document, by Dr Pamela Clayton

6 Suggestions for evaluating gender mainstreaming policies and their

impact in vocational guidance and education
This section is adapted from documents produced by the Scottish Executive and the UK Equal
Opportunities Commission22.
The following should be checked or information obtained:

6.1 Evaluation of policy formation

6.1.1 Objectives of gender mainstreaming
• These might include (this is by no means a complete list):
• Improving female participation in education and training relevant to potentially
high-skilled and well-paid work in growth sectors such as information technology
(IT);
• Improving women’s access to self-employment and enterprise through training;
• Guiding girls and women to consider careers ‘normally’ thought of as male
careers and boys and men to consider careers ‘normally’ thought of as female
careers;
• Confronting stereotypes of female and male roles and career aspirations;
• Tackling discrimination against women in the labour market, for example, by
advocacy and dialogue with employers;
• Focusing on the local labour market as well as the regional or national, where
women have less freedom to re-locate than men might have;
• Being able to offer advice on action to take against discrimination by employers
and so on;
• Marketing gender equality to parents, educational establishments and the local
community;
• Working with disaffected girls as well as with disaffected boys.
6.1.2 Clarity of purpose
• Is there a clear definition of gender mainstreaming in the stated policy?
• Are clear goals and targets set?

22
Fitzgerald, R (2001), Toolkit for Mainstreaming Equal Opportunities in the European Structural
Funds: A practical guide to plan preparation and implementation, Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scottish
Executive, Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Scotland and HERA 2001

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 Gender Mainstreaming: Discussion Document, by Dr Pamela Clayton

6.1.3 Policy formation procedures

• Were women as well as men consulted?
• Were both sexes represented on committees, steering groups and so on?
• Was training given to under-represented groups so as to have balanced representation
on committees and so on?
• Have gender issues been properly researched, using sex-disaggregated data?
• Was a gender audit23 made of the organisation?
6.1.4 Context of the policy
Does the policy replace equality measures and positive action or does it complement and
reinforce these? (If it replaces special measures, intense scrutiny is necessary to evaluate
whether gender mainstreaming policy alone has the desired effects.)
6.1.5 Funding
Is sufficient funding available to implement the policy fully (including funding for staff
training and support, internal monitoring and evaluation, independent evaluation and so on)?

6.2 Impact of policy

It should be noted that outcomes are often invisible and unquantifiable in the short term24, so
it is unlikely that the impact of the policy can be known and thoroughly evaluated until some
time - even years - have passed. Nevertheless, the likely impact can be assessed.
6.2.1 Statistical data
Sex-disaggregated data are needed for areas such as:
• Rates of unemployment and under-employment25;
• Extent to which men and women are carrying out unpaid work (for example,
domestic work, working unpaid in family businesses);
• Levels of skill and qualifications;
• The availability of services such as care for dependants and public transport;
• Sex composition of the target group and their representation as users of guidance
or as students;
• Numbers of women and men in decision-making positions in the organisation.

23
At its simplest, this means counting the number of men and women in different positions in the
organisation.
24
Rolfe, H (1999), Gender Equality and the Careers Service, Research Discussion Series, Manchester,
Glasgow and Cardiff, Equal Opportunities Commission
25
‘Under-employment’ exists where a person is working in a job for which they are over-qualified,
over-experienced and/or over-skilled - that is, where their potential is being wasted and they experience
frustration or dissatisfaction.

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6.2.2 Differential impact

Check policies to see if they might impact differently on men and women. For example:
• If classes are held only at night, or if they are in places which cannot be reached
by public transport, can women attend as easily as men?
• If classes are held in the daytime, can men who are employed full-time access
them as easily as women who work part-time or are occupied in the house?
• If the timetable is inflexible, can men fit classes into their existing timetable more
easily than women?
• Is there any provision for childcare, where women are more likely than men to
care for children?
• Do prevailing norms and values inhibit the participation or men or women in the
educational programme being evaluated?
• Irrespective of national legislation, are the human rights of both women and men
respected in practice?
6.2.3 Staff training and support
• Do staff understand the policy? Has it been properly explained and justified to
them?
• Did they receive training in its implementation, monitoring and evaluation?
• Do they receive continuing support to carry out the policy?
• Do they all feel responsible for the policy?
6.2.4 Monitoring, reporting and internal evaluation
• Are there sound procedures for monitoring the implementation of the policy and
recording its progress and results?
• Is evaluation routinely carried out to check that the policy is having the desired
effect?
• Are users/students involved in evaluation?
• Is there a specialised individual or group in charge of equal opportunities
monitoring and internal evaluation?
6.2.5 Change
• Are changes made in cases where it appears that the policy is failing?
• If failure arises from outside factors (such as lack of public transport) is any effort
made to involve other organisations (such as bus companies) to address the issue?
• Are staff supported through processes of change?
6.2.6 Dissemination and networking
• Does the organisation disseminate its practice to other organisations?
• Does it network with organisations with similar policies in order to compare
impacts and exchange good practice?

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7 Useful reading
Some of these, but not all, have been used in the preparation of this discussion document.
(All EOC documents can also be downloaded from their web site, http://www.eoc.org.uk)
Arcidonna, Recipes for Mainstreaming,
http://www.infcom.it/arcidonna/mainstreaming/documentigb.htm and
http://www.infcom.it/arcidonna/mainstreaming/documentigb1.htm
Cardinali, V (2002), ‘Mainstreaming: on the way to drafting a positive contamination
strategy’, in Innovation Pathways: from project to mainstreaming, Rome, Isfol
Council of Europe, Equality between women and men,
http://www.humanrights.coe.int/equality
Equal Opportunities Commission (1997), Mainstreaming Gender Equality in Local
Government: A framework, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff, EOC
Equal Opportunities Commission, http://www.eoc.org.uk
European Commission, Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2000-2005),
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equ_opp/strategy_en.html
European Commission, Gender Mainstreaming,
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equ_opp/gms_en.html
European Commission, A Guide to Gender Impact Assessment,
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equ_opp/gms_en.html
The Fawcett Society, http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk
Fitzgerald, R (2001), Toolkit for Mainstreaming Equal Opportunities in the European
Structural Funds: A practical guide to plan preparation and implementation, Edinburgh and
Glasgow, Scottish Executive, Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Scotland and HERA
2001
International Organisation for Migration, Gender Mainstreaming in the IOM,
http://www.iom.int/en/who/main_structures_gender.shtml
Make it Happen: Effective gender mainstreaming in Ireland and the UK. Conference Report
of the Gender Mainstreaming in UK and Ireland Structural Funds Conference, 13th May 2002,
Swansea, Wales. National Development Plan Gender Equality Unit and Welsh European
Funding Office. (I believe this is available from the UK EOC but it is not clear from the
publication where to obtain further copies.)
OECD, Tipsheets for Improving Gender Equality: Participation and Organisational Chance
(pdf documents), Working Party on Gender Equality,
http://www1.oecd.org/dac/Gender/htm/tipsheets.htm
Rees, T (1998), Mainstreaming equality in the European Union: education, training and
labour market policies, London, Routledge
Rolfe, H (1999), Gender Equality and the Careers Service, Research Discussion Series,
Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff, Equal Opportunities Commission
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Equalities Briefing, August 2002, Why
Equalities … Mainstreaming in the Voluntary Sector, published in Edinburgh
SCVO Equalities Web site, http://www.scvo.org.uk/equalities
The Scottish Office, Mainstreaming Equal Opportunities,
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/devolution/meo-05.asp

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Swedish Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications Gender Mainstreaming in

Sweden, Stockholm, Fact Sheet (also available for downloading from
http://www.naring.regeringen.se/fragor/jamstalldhet)
UNDP, Guidelines to Good Practices, http://sdnp.undp.org/gender/practices/guidelines.html
UNDP, Suggestive Checklist of Actions for Gender Mainstreaming,
http://www.undp.org.in/report/gstrat/strat-11.html
USAID, Gender Strategy, http://www.genderreach.com
WHO, Gender Mainstreaming at WHO, http://www.who.int/frh-whd/GandH/mainstre.htm
Women and Equality Unit, http://womenandequalityunit.gov.uk
Women’s National Commission, http://www.thewnc.org.uk
World Bank, Mainstreaming Gender in World Bank Lending,
http://www.worldbank.org/gender

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