Gender equality is achieved when women and men, girls and boys, have equal rights, life prospects and opportunities, and the power to shape their own lives and contribute to society. Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, policy or programme, in all areas and at all levels before any decisions are made and throughout the whole process. It is a strategy for making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes so that both women and men benefit and inequality is not perpetuated. Gender mainstreaming is not a goal in itself but an approach for promoting gender equality.

Key areas of Gender Mainstreaming

Responsibility of all
Gender mainstreaming is the responsibility of all actors involved. Gender mainstreaming ensures that the perspectives of women and men, girls and boys, and the relationship between and among them, are considered and acted upon throughout the cooperation process. It is not only a women’s issue.
Context specific
Different contexts require different actions and enable different means. A single standard mainstreaming requirement for all interventions will not suffice. The shape and form of mainstreaming has to be adjusted to the context and the surrounding society.
Expertise
Gender equality is an area that demands expertise, just like the economy and the environment. To mainstream gender does not mean that everyone could or even should become experts.