Bettina Vollath, Minister of Styrian Government, bettina.vollath@stmk.gv.at,
Heide Cortolezis, NOWA, heide.cortolezis@nowa.at , www.nowa.at, www.popupgem.at
Gender Mainstreaming as a cross section theme within all policies in Styria
Since 2003 - within the framework of the EQUAL-projecst JUST GEM and POP UP GeM - in
Styria started a simultaneous and consolidated process by organisations with political impact
to gear their policy, programmes, products and public services toward equality between
men and women.
The developed concept and systematic way to reach the implementation of Gender
Mainstreaming was disseminated by NOWA and other GM-experts. Seminars for managing
and directing personnel (more then 200 up to now) have been carried out. Gender Agents
for staff functions required by the implementation process have been trained in 12-daysseminars. (48 up to now).
2006 the Government of Styria followed a motion of Bettina Vollath, Minister for Youth,
Women, Family and Education, and decided unanimously to install a staff position for GM,
authorised to control all strategies, programs and measures, to render an expert opinion
which has to factor all decisions. Furthermore new competences within the government and
the regional authority will be built up fitting exactly to the tasks during the conversion process.
The Styrian GM-experts have been involved in the development of the National Strategic
Reference Framework 2007-2013. For the first time GM is anchored in all strategies aiming to
strengthen the competitiveness of the regional economies, increase the attractiveness of
Austria´s regions based on the principles of sustainable development. Gender Mainstreaming
as a cross-section-theme is reflected in the integration of a gender perspective not only in
ESF-financed programmes but also in the new Styrian Structural Fund programmes.
Theoretical concept
The base of the Styrian activities come from a theoretical concept which says, that all
organisations are determined by three dimensions.
1. The dimension of strategy. Here are the political - in a broader sense - goals, the reason,
why this organisation exists, here lies the mission statement.
2. The dimension of structures. Structures form the way in which the organisation achieves its
aims. Here are the goals operated down to earth. Here lie processes – deciding processes
as well as planning and communication processes, rules, guidelines.
3. The dimension of culture. Here are values and worth positioned, as well as qualification.
Culture of an organisation influences how people handle their jobs and functions.
These dimensions are interdependent, you can imagine it like a triangle.
In the political context we focus strategy and structures. We are not interested in the personal
and private attitudes of the people working in political organisations. We want these
organisations to work toward equality between women and men at all levels and in all fields
of action.
This means, whatever the organisation wants to reach, all of the achievements have to lead
to more equality between men and women. Orientation to equality is not hidden in an extra
niche ore something which sticks on some parts of the organisation. This has to be an
integrated part of the strategic and operative goals.
Gender Mainstreaming does not put into question the strategic objectives of organisations.
GM is to integrate the perspective of equality between women and men into the existing
strategic and political goals of the organisation or political system.
And this means, all structures which hinder and obstruct to bring the equality goal down to
earth have to be changed and reorganised.
Preparation the implementation of GM by two EQUAL-Projects
2003 within the framework of the Equal-Project JUST GEM in Styria started a simultaneous and
consolidated process in which organisations with political impact have been supported to
gear their programmes, products and public services toward equality of men and women.
 The theoretical base and associated methods and tools have been developed.
 Gender Mainstreaming experts started to carry out workshops for managing and
directing personnel of organisations dealing with employment policies.
 NOWA and other experts trained employees of these organisations for staff functions
required by the implementation process. (Gender Agents)
The process started with pilot projects carried out by political relevant organisations (e.g. Graz
City Council; Federation of Austrian Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation; Regional
Business Platform; Federal Office of Social Welfare; Styrian Innovation Centres; Public
Employment Service Styria)
Since 2005 the
Mainstreaming.
second
EQUAL-project
POPUPGeM
aimes
at
deepening
Gender
Those public organisations which got training and support within JUST GeM now are acting as
active multiplier and supporter for implementation of Gender Mainstreaming in other
organisations in their political fields.
POPUPGeM now goes the next step and will broaden the efforts into the private sector. GMexperts support the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the policies and strategies of
leading firms of the private industry in Styria. They show how the firms will benefit from equality
of women and men and a discussing process between political and public organisations and
private industries about the necessary regulations and conditions has started.
Implementation of Gender Mainstreaming in the Styrian government and regional
authority
Equality or inequality of women and men has social and economic consequences and
effects. The social, employment and economic system, as well as social norms and values
have to anchor the advancement of gender equality.
Gender Mainstreaming is a top-down strategy, thus only those who have power base or are
explicitly authorized can launch the implementation of Gender Mainstreaming
Following a motion of Bettina Vollath, Minister for Minister for Youth, Women, Family and
Education the Styrian Government decided unanimously to install a staff position for Gender
Mainstreaming, authorised to control all strategies, programs and measures, to render an
expert opinion which has to factor all decisions and to support the building up of new
competences within the government and the regional authority at all levels.
By definition GM requires that all actors involved in decision-making processes focus on
equality. This presupposes an organisational routine, which ensures that (different) effects on
women and men will be considered and that all strategies and actions are working toward
the equality goals.
The realisation of Gender Mainstreaming can be realised in long term, if a structure is
established in the organisation, this guarantees the integration of a gender perspective into
all systems of data acquisition, planning, controlling and evaluation.
Actors have to know what equalization in the respective context means.
Gender mainstreaming is successful if all actors on the different levels have got knowledge
fitting exactly to their tasks during the conversion process. Therefore the demand of knowhow must be specified on all levels.
Implementation of Gender Mainstreaming leads to change and thus has to be
accompanied by building up new competences within the organisations at all levels.
GM become to a cross section subject
Gender Mainstreaming needs a clear order, a systematically procedure and know-how.
The way towards equality of women and men is successful if effects on equality are analysed
before planned actions are realised.
Integration of GM into daily work means, that equality between women and men is a crosssection subject and the gender perspective is a matter of course. It needs awareness of the
fact that everything which humans concern, concerns women and men. GM does not put
the general strategy into question – equality goals have to be integrated into each strategic
objective.
Thus Bettina Vollath, Minister of the Government gave order that that all steps of planning the
Styrian Structural Funds programmes 2007 – 2013 have to be controlled by a Gender Expert.