This is example


 

What is the Pilot project?

 

The Pilot project is a two-year project (from January 2014-December 2015) funded by the European Commission aiming to develop indicators to measure the implementation of the European Charter for Equality of women and men in local life, a document launched by CEMR in 2006 (Click here for further information about the Charter).

 

The Pilot project is contributing to the activities started in the framework of the project of the Observatory (Click here for further information about the Observatory) and responds to a need expressed by signatories of the European Charter for Equality to get further support for evaluating and following-up the implementation of the Charter.

 

To deliver the project, CEMR is collaborating with the Consultancy Agency ICF and the Basque University in Spain.

 

Objectives of the project:

  1. Monitoring the state of play of the Charter, its signature and its state of implementation (the outcome of this step is to elaborated “Member state factsheets” including/presenting information about the situation in the different EU –countries)

  2. Developing scientific indicators that will allow monitoring the articles of the Charter;

  3. Monitoring the implementation of the articles of the Charter by applying the indicators to the signatories

  4. Developing a toolkit for using the expected indicators to create a basis for self-assessment 

  5. Organisation of a final conference to present the results of the project

 

Main activities carried out so far (updated in January 2015)

As a part of objective 1 “Monitoring the State of play of the Charter and its state of implementation” the Study team elaborated and disseminated a questionnaire to all signatories of the Charter in EU Member states. The overall response rate of the questionnaire was 18,5 %.

 

Process for selecting the indicators

Based on the results of the questionnaire, Member State factsheets were elaborated to present the current state of play of the implementation of the Charter in different countries. Furthermore, an analysis was made of the monitoring systems currently in place and the indicators already developed by local authorities. Thanks to this analysis, the study team elaborated a first list of indicators including at least one indicator by article of the Charter.

 

The Study team presented the first list of indicators at a workshop organised in Brussels on the 11th of July. Experts’ members of the Steering Group of the Pilot project, representatives from the European Commission and representatives from a selected number of local authorities participated in the workshop and provided their inputs on the suggested indicators.

 

Testing phase

The indicators agreed upon during this workshop were sent to a selected number of signatories that were able to test them during the months of July to September 2014. During these months, the signatories applied the indicators to their local context. An analysis of the feedback of signatories was made and presented during a second workshop in Brussels in November 2014. Following this meeting, the study team revised the indicators further and proposed a final list of indicators to the European Commission who approved it at the beginning of December 2014.

 

Monitoring phase

In January 2015, the project entered the monitoring phase in which the signatories are invited to participate and use the indicators to monitor their gender equality policies. The monitoring will run until the 15th of March 2015. The results of the monitoring will be presented in a report elaborated by the study team and also available through an online database.

 

What’s next?

  •  Development of a toolkit for the indicators

A toolkit will also be developed in order to support local and regional authorities in their use of the indicators. It will be tested among a selected number of local and regional authorities in different countries in order to make sure it is adapted for different contexts. The aim of the toolkit is to support signatories to make a self-assessment of their gender equality policies by using the indicators. It will be available for all signatories at the end of the project so they can use the indicators in the forthcoming years.

  •  Organisation of a final conference

The outcomes of the project including the final indicators and the toolkit for self-assessment will be presented at a final conference that will be organised in Brussels in October 2015. It will be the occasion to present good practices of monitoring and implementation of gender equality policies from local authorities signatory of the Charter from all over the European Union. In addition, some signatories will be awarded prices of ”good practices” for their work with the Charter and their active participation in the pilot project.

 

Note: EU policies – contextual background

The Pilot project goes in line with the objectives of the European Union in promoting and enhancing equality between women and men, stated in the Treaty on the European Union and reinforced gradually since 1990 through various legislation and strategies, which include:

  • Treaty on the European Union;

  • Charter of Fundamental Rights;

  • Lisbon Treaty;

  • Commission’s Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2010-2015;

  • European Pact for Gender Equality; and

  • EU 2020 Strategy.

  • (In addition, – the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, initiated in 1995 during the Fourth World Conference for women is also relevant to mention in this perspective)

 

For more information:


Test 2


In 2009, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) developed indicators to certain articles of the Charter in order to support local and regional authorities in monitoring the implementation of their action plan.

 

These ideas identifying indicators have drawn on the experiences and comments of the CEMR national associations of local and regional authorities.

 

You are invited to use indicators that you consider relevant according to the particular realities of your territory.

Article 1 – Democratic accountability

  • Percentage of men and percentage of women elected to local government

Article 2 – Political representation

  • Percentage of men and percentage of women elected to local government
  • Percentages representing the numbers of male and female candidates who were successfully elected
  • Percentages for each gender holding mandates with political responsibility within your local government (Deputy to the Mayor, Chair of a Committee, etc.)

Article 3 – Participation in political and civic life

  • Percentage of women and percentage of men in the local public consultative bodies (neighbourhood councils, consultative committees, etc.)
  • Percentage of women and percentage of men in the administration councils of associations which receive subsidies from the local authority

Article 4 – The public commitment for Equality

  • Was the signing of the charter publicised or made an event? Is so, how?
  • Has your local authority adopted an equality action plan since it signed the Charter?
  • Does your local authority issue progress reports on the implementation of the Equality Action Plan? If so, how is this done? If so, how often?

Article 5 – Working with partners to promote equality

  • Has your local authority undertaken consultations with its partner bodies and organisations, including its social partners, on your Equality Action Plan?

Article 6 – Countering stereotypes

  • Does your local authority provide training sessions or workshops for staff members and elected officials aimed at countering stereotypes based on gender?
  • If so, what percentage of your staff receives this type of training? How many are men and how many are women?
  • If so, what percentage of elected officials receives this type of training? How many of them are men and how many are women?

Article 9 – Gender assessment

  • Does your local authority undertake gender assessments relating to its principal areas of competence?
  • Does an official and endorsed equality action plan exist?

Article 10 – Multiple discrimination or disadvantage

  • What is the percentage of your territory’s population who are of different ethnic origin or immigrants? (Insofar as such surveys are legally authorised) Of this total percentage, what is the breakdown by gender, in percentage?
  • What percentage of women of different ethnic origin or female immigrants in your area is employed and what percentage is out of work?
  • What percentage of men of different ethnic origin or male immigrants in your area is employed and what percentage is out of work?
  • Has your local authority taken any specific measures to combat multiple discrimination in its local equality action plan?

Article 11 – The employer role

  • Average salary of your employees in your local administration, analysed by gender and level of position
  • Calculation in percent of the gap in salaries between the average income of male and female employees holding an equivalent position level
  • Percentage of female employees within your local authority who occupy posts traditionally viewed as masculine and vice-versa (and taking into account, if possible, the different position levels)
  • Percentage of women and percentage of men employed part-time within your local authority, for each position level if possible
  • Has your local authority adopted and implemented policies against sexual harassment in the workplace?
  • Has your local authority adopted positive actions relating to hiring/promotion policies in favour of equality between women and men?

Article 12 – Public procurement and contracts

  • In your local authority, how many major contracts were signed within the past year, the specifications of which contain provisions taking gender perspectives into account?
  • Does your local authority provide gender perspective training for local authority personnel in charge of preparing call for tenders relating to public procurement?
  • If so, how many receive such training?

Article 13 – Education and lifelong learning

  • What is the percentage of each gender employed in local educational structures, broken down by age groups (childcare/kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, etc.)?
  • What is the percentage for those holding senior/management positions in educational establishments?
  • What is the percentage of personnel employed by your local authority who have received training with respect to gender issues within the local educational structures, broken down by age groups (childcare/kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, etc.)?
  • Has your municipality carried out an evaluation of the content of the teaching materials using a gender-based approach?
  • Has your local authority taken any measures, in or with local schools and educational establishments, to promote non-traditional career choices for women and men?

Article 14 – Health

  • What percentage of the budget allocated to healthcare is set aside for actions highlighting the specific and different needs of women and men? (If local government has jurisdiction over healthcare in your area)
  • Has your local authority undertaken gender-based health education initiatives?
  • Has your local authority undertaken steps to carry out a gender-based assessment of local health services?

Article 15 – Social care and services

  • What is the percentage of each gender that benefits from the authority’s local social assistance services, broken down by category of services or care (e.g. mental illness, care for the elderly, etc.)?
  • Has your local authority evaluated feedback in terms of the needs and satisfaction of women and men who use social care and assistance services?

Article 16 – Childcare

  • Number of children under school age in your local area
  • Number of approved childcare places offered in your local area for children under school age broken down by age groups
  • Do childcare services exist for your administration’s employees?
  • If so, what is the percentage of families who use such services?

Article 17 – Care of other dependants

  • Total percentage of women and men who work part-time in the public administration and who have to care for dependants other than children (elderly persons who are vulnerable, those with a serious disability, etc.) Of this total, what are the percentages for each gender?
  • If your local authority can estimate the number of full-time carers existing in your local area devoted to the care of other dependants, what are the percentages gender-wise who are concerned?
  • How many people occupy serious full-time jobs in social care and services in your local area? What percentage of these people are women? What percentage of these people are men?
  • Does your local authority provide support to them?

Article 18 – Social inclusion

  • Do your social inclusion programmes incorporate a gender-based assessment?
  • What is the total number of unemployed persons surveyed in your local area?
  • What are the percentages of this total according to gender?
  • Percentage of the local population receiving social aid, broken down by category and by gender
  • Estimated percentage of women and men among the total population who do not speak the main language in use in your local area

Article 19 – Housing

  • Estimated number of people living in substandard accommodation, broken down by gender of the head(s) of household
  • Percentage of female and male single-parent families in such accommodation
  • Estimated number of people who are homeless or in a precarious housing situation, broken down by gender
  • Estimated number of people, homeless or in a precarious housing situation, who were re-housed within one year, broken down by gender

Article 20 – Culture, sport and recreation

  • Percentages for both women and men who are members of the local sporting associations administrative boards
  • Percentages for both women and men who are members of the local cultural associations administrative boards
  • Percentages of the total budget allocated to sporting equipment and activities set aside for sports viewed as traditionally female or traditionally male
  • Do you organise and finance initiatives to encourage women to practice traditionally male sport activities and vice-versa?

Article 21 – Safety and security

  • Total number of victims of incidents (including serious crime against the individual) affecting security and safety, analysed by category of crime (to be defined locally), per year
  • What are the percentages, by gender and by category, of victims?
  • Does your local authority measure people’s fear of crime using a gender-based approach?

Article 22 – Gender-based violence

  • Total number of reported incidents of gender-based violence per year
  • What percentage of these reported incidents concerned violence against women?
  • What is the percentage of incidents reporting violence against men?
  • Has your local authority undertaken any measures to prevent gender-based violence (e.g. public awareness campaigns, training of specialised personnel, etc.)?
  • Does your authority provide or finance specific support measures for victims of gender-based violence (e.g. refuges, shelters, etc.)?

Article 23 – Human trafficking

  • Does your authority provide or finance specific support measures for victims of human trafficking?

Article 26 – Mobility and transport

  • Has your local authority drawn up a transport or mobility plan which takes into account the specific habits and needs of women and men?
  • Overall number of people using public transport, by gender
  • Number of people using public transport, analysed by gender, and by zone or by route or by means of transport (to be defined according to your local context)
  • Does your local authority measure satisfaction among the population with the local mobility and transport infrastructures, taking into account the views of women and men separately?

Article 27 – Economic development

  • Does your local authority undertake and/or finance measures to encourage women trainees to learn skills traditionally seen as male, and vice versa?
  • Does your local authority undertake and/or finance measures to encourage employers to recruit women trainees in relation to skills and positions traditionally seen as male, and vice versa?

Article 30 – Twinning and international cooperation

  • Among your local authority’s European twinning or international co-operation actions, are there any projects concerning equality between women and men?
  • Number of women and men taking part in twinning activities per year

Gender Mainstreaming

  • What is Gender Mainstreaming?

This is a strategy which consists in integrating a gender perspective in all areas, all spheres and at all levels in order to achieve gender equality. This method is based on the idea that it is not enough simply to «add in» a gender component late in a given project’s development. All programs, policies and budgets must consider their impact on women and men from the beginning to the evaluation.

  • How to integrate gender mainstreaming to my local/regional authority?

Examples of actions:

  • Train staff regularly on gender equality
  • Make sure that the different parts of the authority understand their role, and that gender equality objectives and actions are built into their existing plans
  • Take into account gender equality in relation to the public procurement process (e.g. service specifications for contracts)
  • Undertake an assessment of the potential impact on women and men at an early stage for any significant new or amended policies and procedures, major projects or allocation of resources
  • Analyse budgets by gender, at least for each key priority, as part of each annual budget cycle
  • Collect information, in relation to the key priorities, broken down by gender (e.g. who uses services, who responds to consultation, who is employed and in what jobs etc.)

Gender Budgeting

  • What is Gender Budgeting?

To apply the Council of Europe’s accepted definition of the term: Gender Budgeting 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.

It is an essential step to verify if the aims of your local/regional authority in achieving gender equality have been translated into budget decisions.

In other words, this method consists in:

  1. analysing how public resources are used in terms of gender equality by focusing on resource distribution
  2. evaluating the impact of unequal distribution of public funds on women and men
  3. restructuring the budget by identifying how resources have to be redirected to reach a fairer distribution of resources.
  • How to proceed?

To analyse how public resources are divided between women and men and verify if they meet women and men’s needs, there are two complementary approaches:

  1. Identify specific budgets for planned projects in the field of gender equality
  2. Review existing budgets from a gender perspective and those budgets that might have an impact on gender equality

Gender Statistics

  • What is Gender statistics?

Gender statistics provide information on gender (in)equality in all spheres of society. It cuts across traditional fields of statistics to identify, produce and disseminate statistics that reflect the realities of the lives of women and men, and policy issues relating to gender.

  • Why should I consider this method to achieve gender equality?

Gender statistics are needed to:

  1. Raise public awareness on the real conditions of life of both women and men
  2. Provide an efficient source of information to evaluate the impact of government’s policies on the lives of women and men.
  3. Provide policy makers with sufficient baseline information to implement favourable changes to existing policies affecting women and men differently

The 3R method

  • What is the 3R method?

The 3R method was developed in Sweden in the late 1990’s to facilitate the implementation of gender mainstreaming in municipalities. The approach is to analyze an activity on the basis of the 3 R’s: Representation, Resources and Realia.

The first two R’s involves gathering statistics that are necessary to complete the analysis and that will serve as a base for discussion on how to achieve the third R.

  • Representation: to analyze gender distribution on all levels of the activity and in all decision-making processes, including examining statistics on the representation of women and men at all levels
  • Resources: to analyze how the resources of the activity are distributed between women and men and how they are used by women and men
  • Realia: to reflect upon the reasons behind why the representation and resource distribution ended up this way, bearing in mind the conclusion found in step 1 and step 2

This type of study enables to discover the division of power between women and men and the ways in which gender affects the character and the organization of an activity.

By revealing information on existing inequalities, this method helps to concretize and structure the gender mainstreaming work and gives a general analytical framework for starting a gender mainstreaming process.

  • Example of a completed 3R analysis from the Swedish Jämkom project

It is an analysis of girls and boys choices of youth study programmes.

In the first part of the analysis (Representation), not surprisingly, it emerged that boys mainly choose technically oriented subjects while girls dominated in the study programmes that had to do with care and in business and administrative programmes.

In the second part (Resources) the distribution of the costs was analysed, and it was shown that the youth study programmes that attracted boys cost between SEK 81,000 and 114,000. The programmes to which the girls were attracted cost between SEK 48,000 and 67,000. This means that far more economic resources were used on the boys.

This led to a discussion of why male-dominated study programmes are more costly than those dominated by women. The immediate answer was that the technical equipment required by the boys education cost more.

But this answer does not seem to answer the whole difference. For example, computers are necessary in most lines of study, but also on this point there was a difference in the way in which the resources were divided. Again it was the girls who were treated unfairly. The analysis gave rise to reflections about why more resources are devoted to male-dominated study programmes, and from there to how this routine could be changed.