Gender Mainstreaming - in Practice

Objectives:

The main objective of this initiative was to raise awareness and disseminate further information with stakeholders, particularly within public administration, on the implementation of gender mainstreaming and increasing debate on this issue. The goals of this initiative were to:

• Strengthen knowledge and understanding of gender mainstreaming;
• Produce and disseminate tools for gender mainstreaming;
• Provide “on-the-job” training to enable effective mainstreaming;
• Highlight good practices to expose benefits gained when gender mainstreaming;
• Provide examples of national policies which are gender mainstreamed;
• Empower stakeholders to propose action which is gender sensitive; and
• Create a network support.

Symposium on Good Practices in Gender Mainstreaming: This project was launched through a Joint Announcement together with the Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family, and a symposium which put forward insights on the concept of gender mainstreaming to public employees and various stakeholders. This Symposium also included foreign speakers who explained the state of affairs in other European countries and presented their good practices. Press Release:  Good practices in gender mainstreaming discussed in a Symposium​  –  EN / MT The following presentations were delivered throughout this Symposium: Gender Mainstreaming – Dr Roberta Lepre, Head of Consultancy Team Gender Impacts of National Budgets – Ms Sinead Pentony, Head of Policy – Think Tank for Action on Social Change Gender Alp! Instruments & Strategies for Gender Mainstreaming in Regional Development – Ms Friedel Schreyogg, Project Gender Alp!

Research on Gender Mainstreaming: To compile information for the effective implementation of this project, research was carried out through two Mapping Studies: one enquired on the structures followed by Ministries in the policy-making process; and the second part of the study concentrated on the input stakeholders gave during the consultation process. The scope of the research was to enable the Consultancy Team and NCPE in building on this information in order to use it effectively during the progress of this action. A Gender Impact Assessment was also carried out on four policies: the National Sexual Health Policy for the Maltese Islands; Draft National Children’s Policy; Budget Speech 2012; and Teleworking Policy in the Public Administration. 

Training and Bilateral Meetings on Gender Mainstreaming: A Consultancy Team was set up to provide mentoring, assistance and training to public employees on the implementation of gender mainstreaming.  The following tools were developed and published:  

• Checklist on Gender Mainstreaming in Infrastructure Projects
• Lista ta’ Kontroll dwar l-Integrazzjoni tal-Principju tal-Ugwaljanza bejn is-Sessi fi Progetti ta’ Infrastruttura
• Checklist for Gender Mainstreaming of Government Action
• Factsheet
• Step-by-Step Guide for Gender Impact Assessment

An External Expert from Sweden was also engaged as a consultant who provided training and consultancy.  The external expert was also responsible for organizing a two-day study visit in Sweden to acquire further hands-on information and knowledge on practical gender mainstreaming good practices and their management.  A series of bilateral meetings were organised with all ministries to establish a network and channel of communication between the Consultancy Team, NCPE and policy makers.

Collaboration involved a number of discussions with the Office of the Prime Minister, which resulted in the publication of OPM Circular 15/2012 Gender Mainstreaming in Practice which reiterated the responsibility of departments and entities to mainstream gender, thus strengthening the Government policy on gender mainstreaming. 

A series of training workshops were organised for policy and decision-makers within all Government Ministries.  A full-day training workshop for various stakeholders including employers, NGO’s, social partners, authorities and governmental entities was organised to encourage participants to use the tools to perform gender mainstreaming and to voice their opinions on them.

Other Activities:

A Final Conference was held during which the research results and an overview of the project activities were presented. Press Release:  Increasing the awareness of gender mainstreaming … tools created for its implementation  –  EN / MT

Project Ref.	VS/2010/0819
Project Name	Gender Mainstreaming – In Practice
Fund	European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013)European Social Fund (ESF), OPII 2007-2013
Start Date	December 2010
End Date	June 2012