Share

Institutional roles and responsibilities for promoting and monitoring gender balance in public employment are well defined, with clear and well-funded lines of accountability.

 

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTION

  • Is there a whole-of-government institutional framework with clearly identified roles and responsibilities and lines of accountability for promoting and monitoring gender balance in public employment?

  • Do responsible institutions or units have clear mandates to lead gender-related initiatives in the public sector?

  • Do responsible institutions have the capacity (adequate and sustained funding, human and material resources, etc.) to execute their mandate?

 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

 

Gender equality objectives in civil service employment can only be realised if all relevant institutional players are assigned clear responsibilities, lines of accountability, and adequate resources

These institutional players generally include: central structures of civil service management who co-ordinate and monitor HRM procedures and policies across government; individual ministries/agencies/departments/organisations; leadership and senior management in ministries/agencies/departments/organisations; public sector employees; and gender equality support mechanisms.

Central structures of civil service management have a bird's eye view of the management of gender equality in public sector, and can promote gender equality through:

  • Developing or proposing gender equality legislation, policies and strategies in public employment;
  • establishing gender-responsive performance appraisal systems (see section below on executive accountability);
  • providing guidance and policy advice (e.g., by toolkits, networks, trainings, etc.) to ministries;
  • requiring clear reporting from ministries/departments/organisations.

At organisational level, senior management can play an important role in implementing government's gender equality objectives within their workforce and workplace. Central gender equality institutions and support units within ministries/departments/organisations can provide guidance and advice.

ACTIONS TO CONSIDER

 

  • Identifying roles, responsibilities and clear lines of accountability to advance gender equality in public sector;
  • Developing monitoring mechanisms to facilitate the implementation of gender equality objectives across the public sector to ensure gender equal public workforce and workplace.

 

PITFALLS TO AVOID


  • Positioning gender equality work as a voluntary activity within individual public organisations;
  • Limiting gender equality oversight powers of central structures of civil service management;
  • Neglecting the development and the training of human resources responsible for gender equality policies and initiatives.

 

COUNTRY EXAMPLES

 

Australia

The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) played a leading role in developing the Australian Public Service Gender Equality Strategy 2016-2019. It also has a supervision role in evaluating and reporting on the Strategy’s progress. According to the implementation guide developed by APSC to ensure effective implementation of the Strategy, Government agencies are asked to collect and provide data as requested when evaluating and reporting on progress and objectives. The strategy further provides agencies (including leaders, managers and employers) with roles, responsibilities and lines of accountability integrated within quantitative and qualitative requirements.

Extract from the APSC Strategy on Gender Equality: Measurement and Evaluation
Honest and timely reporting will drive the necessary focus, resources, and capability required to achieve gender equality across the APS. Evaluation and measurement will highlight problematic areas in agencies and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of gender equality initiatives. Steps:

  • Agencies must evaluate their current gender balance across classifications and work areas. This includes appraising organisational culture and reviewing programmes, policies, guidance and training to address unconscious bias;
  • Agencies will review performance assessment processes and performance indicators across all levels of management to ensure a range of skills are valued and rewarded;
  • Where targets are not being met, leaders, managers and supervisors will engage in honest conversations with their staff about progress towards gender equality and workplace flexibility;
  • Agencies will monitor their progress against the Government’s 50 per cent board representation target, at both agency level and individual board level, providing data to the Office for Women for the annual Gender Balance on Australian Government Boards Report, and as requested;
  • Agencies will monitor their progress against actions taken under the strategy and adjust their approach as required;
  • The APSC will evaluate and report on APS progress towards gender equality. Agencies will contribute data to the APSC as required.