Through this position paper, the European Community of Practice on Gender Mainstreaming (Gender-CoP), asks the European Parliament, the EU Commission and the Member States to coherently anchor gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the preparatory work for the next Structural Funds period.
The Gender-CoP stresses the need for a coherent integration of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in all planning steps and documents for the next Structural Funds programming period, as well as not least, in the multi-annual financial framework of the EU.
In short, the recommendations made by the Gender-CoP consist of the following points:
- Create a Gender Mainstreaming “infrastructure”
- A coherent approach must be ensured and also mechanisms for learning and collaboration
- Apply Gender Budgeting methods
- Ensure the use of a European Standard on Gender Mainstreaming in the Structural Funds
- The standard should be supported by a EU training programme for Structural Funds actors at both EU and national level
- Ensure a clear focus on gender in the monitoring and evaluation processes
In the last section of the policy paper an outline of recommendations for the Structural Funds Regulations is presented in order to ensure that Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming will become binding requirements for all phases of implementation post 2014.
Link to position papers and consultations written by the Gender-CoP
