This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Gender: Programme of Action for the mainstreaming of gender equality
This Communication aims to draw up a systematic and coherent approach to mainstreaming gender equality in the European Community's development policy with a view to achieving its main objectives.
ACT
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament of 21 June 2001 - Programme of Action for the mainstreaming of gender equality in Community Development Cooperation [COM(2001) 295 final - Not published in the Official Journal].
SUMMARY
In addition, these initiatives in the field of development cooperation are part of a broader Community framework strategy. This initiative aims to mainstream the objectives of doing away with inequalities and promoting gender equality in all Community policies.
1. New approach
The old approach to integrating gender in the development policy focused exclusively on the role of women. The new approach highlighted in the programme of action places greater emphasis on the general relationship between gender and development. From this perspective, it involves tackling the entire problem of gender inequality by also looking at the role of men.
In this respect, the Communication establishes a long-term incremental approach. The Commission also believes that it is time to give priority to positive discrimination measures, which represents a step forward.
2. Main axes
Gender will be integrated around three main axes, namely:
3. Axe I: integration within priority areas
This involves integrating gender equality within the six priority areas identified in the communication on the European Community's development policy:
4. Axe II: mainstreaming gender within projects or programmes designed at country or regional level
The national governments and the Commission must give priority to mainstreaming this dimension, particularly in political dialogue, the partnerships between all the actors (the Member States, civil society, etc.) and the programming and management of the project cycle.
5. Axe III: building gender capacities
It is particularly important to enhance the EC's internal capacities, tools and methods in this area. The communication includes the following proposals:
6. Implementation
The programme of action will be implemented over a five-year period (2001-2006). There will be a mid-term evaluation of the results and a final evaluation. It will also form an integral part of the annual report on the implementation of the European Community's development policy.
A special budget line is devoted to mainstreaming gender issues in development cooperation. This will continue to be used to provide additional on-call technical assistance.
7. Background
There is a strong link between gender inequality and poverty. It is estimated that of the 1.5 billion people living in poverty, 70% are women. It not only inequality of access to social and economic resources but also access to a political voice. Gender inequality is a priority cross-cutting theme within the general framework of development policy.
This programme of action is also part of the global political framework for this area adopted by the Community and presented in the following documents: the Communication on integrating gender issues in development cooperation (18 September 1995), the Council Resolution of 20 December 1995 on the same subject and Council Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on integrating of gender issues in development cooperation.
Last updated: 10.07.2007