Gender mainstreaming

Gender mainstreaming

Gender mainstreaming refers to the process of considering the needs and interests of both women and men when defining plans and policies, so that women and men are treated equally. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the concept of bringing gender issues into the mainstream of society was clearly established as a global strategy to promote gender equality in the Platform for Action adopted at the United Nations fourth World Conference of Women, held in Beijing (China) in 1995. It highlighted the necessity to ensure that gender equality is a primary goal in all area(s) of social and economic development. Therefore, gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in any area, at all levels. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as of men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic, and societal spheres, so that women and men benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated (“Towards gender equality in the cultural and creative sectors”, report of the OMC (open method of coordination) working group of member states’ experts, June 2021).