SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

• Is there a permanent government institution/body at the national level which is responsible for promoting gender equality and supporting government-wide gender equality policy?
• Is the level of responsibility and position of the gender equality institution within the governmental structure adequate for promoting gender equality and supporting government-wide gender equality policy?
• Has the gender equality institution the sufficient mandate and resources for promoting gender equality and supporting a government-wide gender equality policy?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

 
Central gender equality institutions, which take many forms, help ensure that the public sector fosters gender equality and mainstreaming across government policy and within society as a whole. They can be a separate ministry, paired with other portfolios within a single ministry, or located within the office of the head of government or state. Sometimes. gender equality councils or commissions function as autonomous bodies with an independent status or in consultation with the government.

Whatever their form, such institutions should not be given the exclusive responsibility within the government for promoting gender equality. Rather, they should provide advice and guidance to government and line ministries and monitor improvements in relation to gender equality. They need sufficient resources, visibility and authority to co-ordinate a government-wide initiative. Finally, they also need access to gender-disaggregated statistics and data on the gender equality outcomes of government policies and initiatives (for more on gender-disaggregated statistics and data, see Recommendation II.2).

ACTIONS TO CONSIDER

• Locate central gender equality institution within the highest possible level of government (e.g. Cabinet level) to ensure it has visibility and authority to coordinate and monitor government-wide gender equality strategic plan;
• Establish clear mandate, resources and capacity within central gender equality institution to deliver as expected;
• Assess whether available resources (e.g., time, staff, budget, skill sets, equipment, training, etc.) are adequate to effectively execute its mandate, strategic goals and work plans;
• Allocate and systematically review resources to meet the strategic goals and work plans of gender equality institution;
• Ensure that central gender equality institutions are staffed with expertise in policy, analysis, advocacy, communication and monitoring to implement their mandates.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

• Central gender institutions do not have the leverage necessary to co-ordinate a whole-of-government approach across policy fields regardless of their institutional designs;
• Central gender equality institutions have limited capacities, inadequate or inexistent budgets and/or unclear responsibilities;
• Central gender equality institutions lack expertise in policy development, analysis, advocacy, communication and/or monitoring to fully implement their mandates;
• Central gender equality institutions are unable to effectively ensure gender mainstreaming at the sub-national level.