Gender : Topics
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Definition
What kind of policy ?
Bureau for Gender Equality
Monitoring progress
Gender and the ILO Staff Union
Gender : Definition
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In July 1997, the United Nations Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) defined the concept of gender
mainstreaming as follows: "Mainstreaming a gender
perspective is the process of assessing the implications for
women and men of any planned action, including legislation,
policies or programmes, in any area and at all levels. It is a
strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women
as well as of men an integral part of the design,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and
programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres, so
that both benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated".
Gender : What kind of policy ?
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An internal gender policy which corresponds to the
recommendations of the ILO member states.
An ILO Action Plan on Gender Equality and Gender
Mainstreaming submitted to the Governing Body in March
2000
Systematic assessments of the implementation of the ILO
gender policy using different tools and mechanisms such as
the gender audit (the first round of audits took place between
October 2001 and April 2002. It involved 15 offices at HQ and
regional and sub-regional levels).
Gender : Some figures
In the United Nations system
1999 P-staff women
2003 P-staff women
2003 D-staff women
In UNPD
2002 P4-staff women 38%
2002 P5-staff women 41%
2002 P+D-staff women 41%
38%
42%
31%
In the ILO
1999
2002
2002
2003
2003
P-staff women
P4-staff women
P5-staff women
P-staff women
D-staff women
31%
40%
17%
38%
26%
Bureau for Gender Equality
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Proposes gender mainstreaming policies.
Advocates for these policies.
Monitors implementation of policies defined by the
Governing Body.
Follows up on decisions and recommendations defined
during the Fourth World Conference for Women held in
Beijing in 1995.
Develops participatory self-assessment methodologies
for Office units.
Organizes training of trainers to carry out participatory
self-assessment on gender issues.
Gender : Monitoring progress
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Coordination of participatory self-assessments involving all
staff members.
Review of documents produced by the work units.
Organization of small group seminars to discuss strengths
and weaknesses of the gender mainstreaming policy.
Carry out individual interviews.
Preparation of a report containing the findings of the different
activities and recommendations for improvement.
Gender and the ILO Staff Union
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Request a gender audit of the Staff Union to be coordinated
and facilitated by the Bureau for Gender Equality (foreseen in
the first semester of 2004).
Request the Joint Negotiation Committee that the Gender
Bureau conducts an audit on the gender awareness in the
internal human resources development policies.
Propose to establish an advocacy network aimed to promote
the gender dimension of work and life-related issues – work
and personal life, work opportunities for spouses, career
development, geographic mobility, inter-sectoral mobility,
lateral movements, management of working time and working
conditions, access to social services, etc.
Women need the Staff Union …
…and the Staff Union needs
women !