Guide on gender mainstreaming to promote real equality.

Eliminating inequality in all aspects of public life remains a major challenge for modern politics. Although there has been progress in the labor, social, and educational fields, several issues still need to be addressed — such as the gender pay gap and the glass ceiling, which remain deeply rooted in corporate environments. Gender mainstreaming is a concept that encompasses all political strategies aimed at promoting equality between men and women.

Would you like to learn more about gender mainstreaming and gender mainstreaming strategies? Discover everything in this post!

What is gender mainstreaming?

Gender mainstreaming is a strategy whose goal is to incorporate gender equality across all policies in the various sectors where public policies operate. Ensuring that genders are equally integrated, valued, and involved in the management and decision-making processes carried out by public administrations is its main objective.

Moreover, gender mainstreaming not only seeks equal participation of all genders in political life but also aims to implement laws that promote equal opportunities and treatment in all aspects involving public services.

Origin of gender mainstreaming or gender equality integration

Although gender mainstreaming is currently gaining recognition and visibility across all areas of society, the concept itself is not new.

It was first discussed at the Third United Nations World Conference on Women in Nairobi in 1985, and resurfaced at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. This approach to policymaking was adopted by the EU in the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999, which formalized the commitment to gender equality.

What are the goals of gender mainstreaming?

Gender mainstreaming pursues an overall goal: achieving equality in all public policies and social spheres. To reach this goal, the following key steps must be worked on:

• Implement measures to eliminate stereotypes and discrimination based on gender.

• Integrate the gender perspective into all policies, programs, and actions — recognizing existing differences and inequalities, and analyzing how these may affect each individual.

• Raise public awareness about gender inequalities and discrimination, promoting greater understanding of the challenges that women and men face in different contexts.

• Ensure equal participation of women and men in all areas of society, including political, economic, and social decision-making, as well as representation in positions of power and leadership.

• Challenge outdated structures, beliefs, and social norms through new proposals and initiatives.

Who are the main actors in a gender mainstreaming strategy?

For a gender mainstreaming-based plan to succeed, it is essential to focus on the main agents driving and implementing it, as they lay the foundations for each action to be taken.

• First, every individual working in the field of public policy must be committed and have a strong conviction regarding equality. This will foster a critical perspective on the current landscape and help identify cases of inequality.

• Once identified, proposals for equality must be incorporated into all public entity agendas. After establishing these initiatives, it’s crucial to design a specific methodology for implementation.

• To ensure that the entire team works toward the same goal, each stakeholder involved in the development of the public sector or service must actively participate in the established strategy.

New laws promoting gender mainstreaming in public life

Over the past decade, several regulations and laws have been enacted to promote gender mainstreaming and to safeguard sexual and expressive freedom — not only for specific groups but for each individual. Some of the most significant include:

• Law 4/2023, of February 28, for the real and effective equality of trans people and the guarantee of the rights of LGTBI individuals.
• Law 7/2023, of April 20, on effective equality between women and men in La Rioja.
• Organic Law 3/2020, of December 29, amending Organic Law 2/2006, of May 3, on Education.
• Royal Decree 455/2020, of March 10, developing the basic organizational structure of the Ministry of Equality.
• Royal Decree-Law 12/2020, of March 31, on urgent measures for the protection and assistance of victims of gender-based violence.
• Order IGD/577/2020, of June 24, creating the Council for the Participation of Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Bisexual, and Intersex People (LGTBI) and regulating its operation.
• Royal Decree 902/2020, of October 13, on equal pay between women and men.
• Organic Law 10/2022, of September 6, on the comprehensive guarantee of sexual freedom.

As you can see, equality is a central issue that concerns everyone who aspires to a more developed, competent, and fair society. If you want to learn more about gender equality and how to apply it in the workplace, join Educa.Pro for company training courses specializing in this and many other vital topics.