The 6-Steps-Method1 is a simple and easy to understand method that can be fitted into any organisations planning system.

It leads step by step from setting goals to working towards achieving quantitative and qualitative targets. Monitoring and evaluation procedures are built into the cycle mechanism of the Six-Step-Method. This allows for regular reviews to assess progress and to examine what works and what now, what is driven or hampering progress and enables necessary changes to initial plans. This method was successfully implemented in the framework of EQUAL. The graph below shows the cyclic mechanism of the 6-Steps-Method:

In this text, two examples are provided for each of the six steps presented below. The first example takes one and the same thematic issue through all the six steps, the second refers to a variety of examples from different national contexts and thematic priorities. Whilst the first example is an invented case that is likely to occur in many Member States, the others are based on real situations.

STEP 1A: KNOW THE ACTUAL SITUATION

By definition GM requires that all actors involved in decision-making processes focus on equality. This requires an organisational routine, which ensures that concerns of and impact on women and men will be considered and that all actions are geared towards the equality goals. Introducing GM into a strategy, programme, project or organisation does not have to affect any existing goals. It simply builds an equality perspective into the plan for achieving those goals. To integrate equality goals it is necessary to know what the current equality situation is. This involves considering who the target groups are, where the finances come from, and who or what can influence the success or failure of the strategy or project. The so-called 4R method is a good tool to do this; it enables a thorough look at the differences between women and men in terms of 1. Representation: sex counting: how many women, how many men are participating in the relevant decision-making processes? are benefiting from policies and practices in a given thematic area? 2. Resources: how are resources such as money, time, qualification, networks, power, healthdistributed between women and men?

This method is based on a GM tool developed in Germany 6-Schritte Prfung by Getraude Krell, Ulrich Mckenberger and Karin Tondorf. The tool was adapted and used by EQUAL projects in Styria and then also adopted as a highly performing and easy to handle model by the Transnational Partnership Gender @ Work. Through transnationality it was transferred to other Member States. The method continues to be used in Styria and in an increasing number of Austrian regions.
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3. Reality: what are the reasons for the differences or disparities? societal conditions, norms, values, gender roles and stereotypes? and 4. Rights: how to establish equal rights and equal treatment for women and men. When undergoing this exercise it is important to use gender studies and gender disaggregated statistics that are relevant to the thematic field and/or policy area to understand the broader reality and not only to be informed by ones own reality and personal experience!

Example 1: Under both the Convergence and the Regional Competitiveness and Employment objectives Member States are now starting to implement their priority axes that are aimed to increase and/or secure employment and to foster economic growth. Integrating the gender dimension into all the strategic and thematic approaches requires as a first step - to analyse the situation of depart which is intended to be improved and as a second- to assess the eventually different impact of these approaches on women and men. The latter is called a Gender Impact Assessment (GIA). At both steps, the dimensions to be explored for women and men are the following: access to and participation in all areas and levels of the labour market; access to and participation in education and training opportunities and participation in business creation and growth reconciliation of work, family and private life participation in decision-making.

The analysis will most probably reveal imbalances and inequalities, such as for instance: gender gaps in employment, unemployment and pay; segregation of the labour market into male and female domains significant female inroads into higher education which are not mirrored in the situation of women in decision-making and senior management positions female under-representation amongst start-ups and business owners lack of care provision for children and other family members lack of family friendly work organisation predominance of women in part-time work predominance of men in decision-making

Eventually a lack of gender disaggregated data will become apparent that requires action.

Example 2: This example demonstrates a procedure how to handle a gender impact assessment - GIA. It was developed during the last programming period in Ireland, when the so-called NDP Gender Equality Unit (NPD GEU) was established. The GEU was a dedicated structure for promoting and facilitating gender mainstreaming (GM) across the ESF-co-financed National Development
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Plan (NDP) 2000 2006. The unit produced a wide range of tools that proved to be helpful to ESF managers; one of them was a form to be filled it when undertaking the GIA. The form below refers to the Border Midland & West Operational Programme and its Local Enterprise Priority Tourism - Marine Tourism. Step One: Outline the current position of men and women in the area which this expenditure activity will address. Who are the current beneficiaries of this area of expenditure activity? (Beneficiaries include users of the facility, or participants) The marine leisure sector encompasses not only the active pursuits such as water sports, boating, and angling but also passive pursuits such as visits to beaches, swimming in the sea, coastal touring, pleasure boats and cruising, nature tourism, aquaria, maritime museums etc. How many are women? How many are men? A 1996 ESRI (Economic and Social Research Institute) survey suggested that 57% of males and 54% of females participate in some marine leisure activity, but participation is higher for males in all activities, except for trips to the beach, and is significantly higher in the areas of angling and water sports. What data source did you use to determine these figures? 1996 ESRI survey Step Two: What factors lead to women and men being affected differentially in the area being addressed by this expenditure activity? Identify the factors which lead to the differential impact on women and men. a) See Step Three below Step Three: How can the factors which lead to women or men being affected differentially be addressed and changed? How can the policy proposal/measure respond to the factors identified in Step 2 above? Where considered appropriate, what actions do you propose in this regard? To promote greater equality of opportunity, the measure will a) encompass passive as well as active water-based activities b) in its application forms, request a paragraph on gender impact and targeted employment/participation figures on a gender disaggregated basis c) in its scoring system, give a high weighting to the provision of facilities for female and family participation, and to community partnership projects d) include a representative of women's and community groups on the Project Assessment Committee e) take gender representation into account in membership of the Project Assessment Committee

STEP 1B: FORMULATING OBJECTIVES

For each objective in the organisational system or programme equality goals must be defined as integral parts. These have also to be broken down into operational goals which in turn have to be integrated in the operational goals of the organisation. Equality goals should be aimed to bring about change in all the areas where differences between men and women were identified (for instance via the 4R method). If these differences are not taken into account the planned activity might be discriminating against women or men.

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GM: Integrated equality goals 3 Dimensions of the Organisation

Existing objectives

2. Dimension: Structures 1. Dimension: Strategy

(Governing objectives, guiding principles) (Processes, procedures)

GM: Structures have to be changed!

3. Dimension: Culture
(Guiding values, know-how)
GM-know-how has to be built up

This is probably the most difficult and crucial point of the 6-Steps itinerary. It is therefore proposed to collect gender equality objectives related to the big challenges of gender equality (gender gaps in employment, unemployment and pay, horizontal and vertical segregation), reconciliation of work, private and family life, strategies to overcome gender stereotypes, tackling gender gaps in the unpaid domestic work) and/or the ESF thematic priorities.

Example 1: Strategy: As outlined above the overall gender equality objective is to ensure that both men and women can benefit from the activities (measures) implemented under the objective increasing employment and economic growth. Breaking down this overarching challenge into operational goals could probably result into a list such as the one below: tackling gender gaps in employment and unemployment; addressing the gender pay gap; dismantling the gender segregation of the labour market into male and female domains; promoting female access to decision-making and senior management positions; working towards gender balance for business start-ups and SMEs; improving the work-life-balance of women and men;; overcoming gender stereotypes on the labour market and in society as whole.

Structures:

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tackling gender gaps in employment and unemployment: sensitising and training decision-makers in guidance and training institutions, guidance counsellors, teachers, trainers to help them integrate the gender dimension into all their daily routines and activities; addressing the gender pay gap: working with employer organisations and trade unions; dismantling the gender segregation of the labour market: stimulating education and training providers to attract women and men to professions/occupations where they are underrepresented; promoting female access to decision-making and senior management positions: working with numerical targets in the public sector; working with decision-makers by pleading the business case of gender equality in the private sector; working towards gender balance for business start-ups and SMEs: making gender mainstreaming a requirement for all business support systems that are receiving ESF funding; improving the work-life-balance of women and men: combination of public sector provisions (care institutions, mobility and transport etc)and working the social partners so that w-l-b and the gender perspective are included in collective bargaining; overcoming gender stereotypes: reviewing corporate identity and daily routines of ESF MA to identify stereotypes and push for change.

Culture: requirement of integrating the gender perspective in ESF MA itself, i.e. make gender expertise available by involving experts whilst also providing basic training to all staff requirement for all projects and measures: proof of existing gender expertise and/or gender training for those involved in implementing ESF funded projects and measures

Example 22: The Austrian Labour Market Service (AMS) is in charge of implementing ESF- programmes in the regions. AMS practises gender mainstreaming as a strategy to enhance equality between women and men on the job market. Based on a nationwide plan (agreed in 2003), the concept of equality had to be integrated into the most vital areas of the organisation by 2006. The responsible AMS executives are actively supported by consultants specialising in gender equality and gender mainstreaming. In the region of Styria one of the priorities of labour market policy to be implemented by the AMS is keeping older people in employment . The step-bystep overview below shows how a gender perspective was incorporated into the process. Triangle Segment: Strategy 1. Defining goals and let them influence every step in every process of the organisation: higher participation of both older women and men in employment 2. Defining indicators to measure progress towards the goal: aim: keep periods of unemployment of older people short

Presentation of Herta Kindermann-Wlasak, Deputy Director of Styrian Regional Employment Office, at the GM CoPs Peer Review, held in Graz in May 2007. More info on the GM in the AMS can be found in the input paper to the relevant workshop.
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indicator: diminished duration of unemployment equality-factor: when recruiting labour: older men are defined as aged 50 years and above, older women as 45 years and above

Triangle Segment: Structure 3. Planning process Planning teams and GM-experts as participants in these teams Aspects that emerged from the gender analysis. i. different retirement age for women and men and differences in male and female pensions3 ii. older people requesting part-time-jobs (particularly older women) iii. more women with no/low skills than men iv. measures in the framework of support systems differ (for instance ZAM4, the centre for training management) v. structural aspects like qualification or different steps in the process of advice and support - Integration of GM in every qualification and support programme

Triangle segment: Culture 4. Awareness raising and competence building training of AMS management board; training of AMS staff as GM-experts training of concept designers from institutions implementing measures for the AMS raising the awareness of enterprises for equality of women and men on the labour market (done by the SfU, i.e. AMS Service for enterprises) cooperation with the Economic Chamber, the Austrian Trade Union Federation and the Federation of Austrian Industry strategies to change the attitudes of AMS counsellors towards women in general, older unemployed people, and against women and their requests for par-time jobs

According to the Deputy Director of the Styrian AM, GM has enabled smarter planning and measures that are more focused on the needs of female and male target groups. Clearly, GM led to better governance, for instance, in the above case. Before GM was used, for the AMS
3

Retirement age for men is currently 65, for women 60. This rule will hold true until 2024. Between 2024 and 2033 womens pension age will gradually be raised from 60 to 65 years of age. Due to female career patterns which frequently include breaks for raising children, women can often not accumulate long enough periods of payments towards their old age pension. This is one of the factors that lead to generally lower pensions for women. 4 Financed by the AMS ZAM measures provide counselling and support to people having difficulties to access the labour market, including older women and men. ZAM also works with enterprises and aims to match the needs of companies and job seekers, i.e. a personalised training itinerary is designed that takes account of both the background and interests of the trainee and the job requirements of the employer.

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older workers were perceived as aged 55 and beyond. This target group has priority in the new ESF programmes (2007-1013), and the thorough gender analysis indicated that this definition is only true for men. Women are considered as older and therefore difficult to place in the job market already from the age of 45. This information allowed the AMS to conceive and offer more effective training and support for both women and men and thus - better job opportunities.

STEP 2: ANALYSIS OF RESTRAINTS AND OBSTACLES

Once the current situation has been analysed and the desired goals identified, decision-makers have to carefully consider the reasons why the (non-satisfactory) current situation exists and why it is far from the desired position identified as the objective. The method for this analysis can once again be the 4R method that should be informed by relevant studies and/or statistics. Retaining the services of a gender consultant to ensure the findings are well informed and accurate is advisable. Example 1: Barriers identified in an ESF programme could be: no or unclear gender dimension in the OP, in particular in the implementation oriented parts of the document; gender is no issue in the SWOT; no or only weak gender expertise in the Monitoring Committee (MC); no gender balance in the MC; no or not enough gender expertise in the MA (not enough personnel; not enough budget to buy in expertise) no political will in MA and/or at political level; no sufficient budget provision for GM as transversal principle in projects and/or for positive actions; insufficient budget for integrating GM in the management of the ESF programmes.

Example 25: In Germany, the Regional Government of the City State of Bremen, adopted a strategy to gradually integrate gender mainstreaming in all policy areas and parts of the administration. The strategy started with a pilot programme in 2004, which was, after careful evaluation, followed two years later by the general introduction of GM. Obviously, the strategy includes planning, programming, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of European Structural Funds programmes. A number of problems and restraints were encountered when trying to integrate the gender dimension in policies and practices, in particular:
5

responsibility for gender mainstreaming delegated to specialists; lack of resources (personnel, time, funding for external support);

Thorsten Armstroff: Senatsstrategie zur Doppelstrategie des Gender Mainstreaming in allen Politikbereichen des Landes Bremen Input paper (in DE) to GM CoPs Peer Review in Graz, May 2007.
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belief that gender neutrality exists; rigid understanding of gender mainstreaming as an additive strategy; equal opportunities objective carries low weight in decision-making processes; additive instead of integrative approach to gender mainstreaming; female decision-makers shying away from an assumed womens issue.

These findings are quite in line with the experiences of the above mentioned Irish NPD GEU, which, when presenting its results6, emphasised that the firm political will of the top political decision-makers and the commitment of those managing the relevant programmes is required. Whilst winning support from gender equality advocates and experts from both inside and outside of ministries was very successful, convincing the other two categories of players proved to be more difficult.

STEP 3: DEVELOPMENT OF OPTIONS

With thorough knowledge and understanding of the current situation, the goals set and the possible restraints identified, it is now necessary to look at the options which - whilst overcoming restraints have the potential to achieve the desired goals. Options may include specific actions for either women or men which are aimed to redress existing imbalances.

Example 1: tackling gender gaps in employment and unemployment: creating comprehensive pathways to the labour market, in particular to (future) growth sectors where labour shortages exist and the demand for certain occupational/professional skills cannot be met; women only and mixed measures; addressing the gender pay gap: reviewing low-pay sectors with growth potential (childcare, elderly care, tourism, catering), reviewing job content; up-grading and valuing so-called typical female work; dismantling the gender segregation of the labour market into male and female domains: promoting vocational choices and training for the underrepresented sex in highly segregated areas (science, engineering, technologies, construction; health care, childcare, elderly care, tourism service etc.); both specific actions and mixed measures; promoting female access to decision-making and senior management positions: building up female potential at entrance and middle management levels; mentoring and coaching schemes; working towards gender balance for business start-ups and SMEs: positive actions for female start-ups and business owners; integrating the gender dimension into business creation and SME support systems; GM training for business advisors; improving the work-life-balance of women and men: more and better care for children and other family members; promoting family friendly work organisation for both women and men;

GM CoP Peer Review in Dublin, June 2007 which focused on dedicated structures for gender equality and gender mainstreaming.
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overcoming gender stereotypes: awareness raising and training as part of all measures; campaigns addressing the public-at-large.

Example 2: One of the thematic priorities contained in Swedens ESF OP is aimed to open up entrepreneurship to women and ethnic minorities. Business creation and healthy SMEs are seen as key drivers of economic development and growth. However, compared to self-employed men who currently make up 13% of the male workforce, womens share stands only at 5%. But female entrepreneurship is increasing and among the newly started companies 30% are women owned (1997: 18%). Promoting equality in entrepreneurship is also an important focus of ESF programmes designed in Swedish regions. Activities and results of an EQUAL project that was implemented in the region of stergtland provide food for thought when developing options. Before contemplating various possibilities, the project managers had anticipated obstacles to female entrepreneurship they would most probably have to face. These included the reticence of women to take risks; the lack of knowledge of business advisors and bankers about differences and similarities of male and female start-ups and businesses; the lack of gender knowledge and expertise in business support agencies; the lack of comparable gender disaggregated data which is necessary to get a clear and detailed picture of the state-of-pay. In this or a similar situation the following options can be envisaged to overcome the assumed obstacles, to generate progress and to improve the gender balance amongst start-ups and entrepreneurs who succeed to grow their businesses. Setting numerical targets and yearly milestones: at the end of the programming period the percentage of women amongst business creators will have increased to 35% and female self-employment will have moved from 5 to 8 %. In order to achieve these targets all business support organisations receiving state/ESF funding are required to introduce a flexible quota for women into all their services and programmes. Sensitising and training business advisors and financiers to include a gender dimension into their activities offered to clients. Establishing a specific action programme dedicated to women only: supporting both potential start-ups and already active entrepreneurs. Integrating a typical female domain (in the case of the project it was health and wellness) into a regional programme that seeks to generate innovation, i.e. stimulating business creation and entrepreneurship and more and new fields through special support schemes and loans.

STEP 4: ANALYSIS OF OPTIONS

This is the stage at which all options are systematically analysed. This means to simply go through the options and check which of them would lend themselves to achieve of the goal. The selection is then screened again in order to identify those options which are within the actors sphere of influence, achievable during the given time span and can be supported both politically and financially (by the relevant players and/or programmes). People are then left with a number of options that would both achieve the set objectives and be also a realistic and viable choice. After having decided which is the best option timing and schedules must be set and indicators created that serve to measure and evaluate progress. Example 1:
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As mentioned earlier, according to their OPs many Member States will be implementing measures under a priority axis aimed at sustainable labour market access for unemployed and/or inactive people. Young people, women, immigrants and ethnic minorities are the target groups. This example links two of the options mentioned above: tackling gender gaps in employment/unemployment and reconciliation. Often the Lisbon target of increasing female labour market participation to 60% by 2010 is addressed in that context. Intended activities are frequently combining training and support for labour market access whilst at the same time strengthening policies and practices for better reconciliation of work and private life. A GM related choice would ensure that solving the issue of reconciliation is not seen as a womens problem but as a challenge to be faced by parents being both gainfully employed. Options could, for instance, look like that: supporting employers to introduce work-life-balance schemes as part of personnel policies, which offer flexible work organisation and working time arrangements for women and men; specific actions women who wish to re-enter the labour market after the so-called family break; creating more and better care for children and other dependants; as part of the quality improvement: men will be encouraged to train as carers with the aim providing children with an environment where both genders take on a caring role. local or regional pacts for reconciliation developing a variety of support measures for women and men (childcare, elderly care, after school care, cooperation with employers to stimulate family friendly personnel policies; better solutions to transport and harmonising city times. strategies to stimulate men and women to overcome traditional gender roles and to share home making and child raising responsibilities.

Of course the choice of the best option depends of the situation in a Member State or a region. For those lacking childcare and being still far away of the EUs childcare targets (by 2010: provision for 90% of the children between 3 years and compulsory school age and 30% for kids under 3) creating childcare may come as top of the list. Countries or regions that have a rather satisfying care provision may rather opt for work-life-balance schemes, which are seen as a crucial HR development tool by a growing group of, particularly large, enterprises. The emphasis on SME support which plays an important role in the ESF could help to implant gender equality into those smaller companies. Obviously, the choice is also a question of money, i.e. the budget earmarked for reconciliation under the relevant priority axes.

Example 2: In the Swedish case that was mentioned above the County authorities kept most options, but decided against strict quota, thus avoiding the aversion many people have against this tool. The activities were orchestrated into a concept that combined positive actions for women and efforts to integrate the gender perspective into the business support services of the region. This included awareness raising and training of business advisors; promoting larger entrepreneurial variety by putting an emphasis on so-called female dominated sectors such as wellness, social and health care; organising cooperation amongst research institutions and business support organisations in the endeavour to produce gendered data and to develop a common system to make data generated by the different partners comparable.
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This combination of options is a good example that can inspire MAs when undertaking the step of analysing options in the context of business creation and entrepreneurship.

STEP 5: IMPLEMENTATION
To move from planning and programming to action it is now paramount to integrate the chosen options into the overall planning and controlling processes of the organisation which is in charge of ESF implementation, so that monitoring and evaluating GM progress is automatically undertaken alongside all the other areas that are regularly being monitored. When the monitoring process shows that the desired goals cannot be reached during the set timescale, the option will need to be reviewed and modifications agreed in an effort of bringing the interim goals back into line. The implementation of GM within the different priority axes and fields of action should incorporate the same GM principles and rules7 that are crucial for the whole policy cycle from the very beginning: Top-down approach: commitment and backing of leaders and senior management; GM to be safely anchored on the agenda and in the work programmes of Monitoring Committee, sub-committees, working groups and networks; gender balance and participation of relevant NGOs and gender equality bodies in the different groupings; GM Team or Steering Group established within the Management Authority or Technical Support Structure or external GM assistance team; development and follow-up of implementation and work plan so that GM can be managed as part of the organisational and quality development process; Knowledge base: gender disaggregated data; qualitative data; Competence base: gender training plus gender equality knowledge as part of content related and methodological continuing training of MA and NSS staff; Tools: practice oriented guides, checklists, glossaries etc. Gender transparency of budget and use of resources.

Example 1: Implementing GM under the objective of sustainable labour market access for unemployed and/or inactive people, i.e. young women and men, male and female immigrants and ethnic minorities, women returners or older women and men requires a set of interlinked actions, which include: Political leadership and/or ESF senior management emphasise the added value of GM: explaining to the business community that equal opportunities are not only a legal obligation but also an effective strategy to release unused potential to the benefit of economic development at both micro and macro levels. ESF senior managers show their commitment to gender equality within the organisation and make it clear to all staff that promoting gender equality is an integral part of labour market and inclusion policies.

Bundesministerium fr Arbeit und Soziales: Gender Mainstreaming Grundlagen und Strategien im Rahmen der Gemeinschaftsinitiative EQUAL. 2. aktualisierte Auflage, 2006
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GM is made a requirement for the different measures to be funded under this priority. This refers to information and guidance, pre-training, training and support schemes for labour integration. In practice, this means for instance, that when carrying out a skills assessment and designing an individual itinerary for the long-term unemployed person counsellors and case workers need gender glasses. Given the fact that young women often outperform young men when it comes to educational attainments, the labour market integration pathway of young female adults may contain less training modules, but must provide childcare solutions and support to (re)build self-esteem. In comparison, young male adult need more vocational training and components of general education, as well as more support to deal with health and alcohol problems, a structured work day, time discipline and persistence. GM tools are available to support the use of those gender glasses: - when MA or NSS are informing and counselling project promoters prior to and during the development of their applications; - when MA is selecting, supporting and monitoring projects.

Whilst the examples mentioned so far in this text refer to applying GM to ESF priority axes and themes and how ESF managers can use the Six-Steps-Method to do this, the following example demonstrates what a specifically dedicated structure can achieve for the integration of the gender dimension in the implementation of the ESF.

Example 2: A systemic approach through a dedicated structure: In the past programming period the Irish government undertook to implement gender mainstreaming as a strategy to achieve gender equality across the six Operational Programmes of the ESF co-financed National Development Plan (NDP) 2000 - 2006. To achieve this goal a specifically dedicated structure to facilitate and promote GM, the so-called NDP Gender Equality Unit (NDP GEU)8 was established. It was co-financed from the ESF and located within the Gender Equality Division of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The task of the Unit was to advise policy makers on gender mainstreaming, i.e. the incorporation of a gender equality perspective in the development, implementation and evaluation of NDP policies so that policies and programmes responded to the needs of both women and men. This included: Providing advice, training and information on issues relating to gender mainstreaming in the NDP: over 1,000 policy makers and social partners have been trained by the Unit; the Unit was advising on the inclusion of gender equality in the cofinanced programmes in the next round of Structural Funds. Collecting and analysing data and indicators to support gender mainstreaming: the Unit produced a database of gender disaggregated statistics relevant to NDP areas as well as sectoral statistical reports in agriculture, business and entrepreneurship, transport and housing and a report on gender equality across the regions of Ireland; Assessing and supporting gender mainstreaming: the Unit produced a broad range of guidance materials including a gender proofing handbook and a set of NDP measurespecific gender equality relevance sheets; ()

Presentation of Kathleen Conolly, Head of NDP GEU, at Graz Peer Review in Mai 2007.
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Monitoring the implementation of Government NDP commitments on gender equality: the Unit was represented on all NDP committees ( nine) and annually presented an assessment of progress; the Unit also provided inputs to NDP evaluations; Supporting participation by community & voluntary groups in the gender mainstreaming process: this work culminated in an international conference which was held during the Irish Presidency of the EU.

Following the Mid-Term Review of the NDP in 2004, particular areas were prioritised for more intensive work on gender equality. As all of the education and training measures fall into this category, the Units work was closely aligned with supporting the Lisbon process. ()

Results from gender mainstreaming the NDP (and thus the ESF) The achievements secured during the negotiation of the Plan : Provision of childcare funding (co-financed by EU) of originally 350 million co-financed (and increased to 500 million for the period of the NDP); Provision of funding of 29 million for the Equality for Women Measure which was subsequently increased to 35 million (includes EU funds); the establishment of new structures (two new specialist units on gender equality and a new co-ordinating committee, all supported by EU funds); the inclusion of equality between women and men as an objective of the Employment and Human Resources Development Programme.

New actions and supports to promote gender equality since 2000: Payment of childcare costs for FAS (Training and Employment Authority) trainees. (This payment was already a feature of some education programmes.); Removal by Failte Ireland (National Tourism Development Authority) of the requirement to be on the Live Register to participate in their sectoral entry tourism training (Measure 12B); Steps taken by the Department of Education to ensure greater participation by males and females in education: Teagasc (Irish Agriculture and Food Development Agency) beginning to address barriers to participation by females in residential courses and to engage in outreach to attract more female course participants; BIM (State Agency developing sea fish and aquaculture industry) offering flexible delivery of training courses: The introduction of modular delivery, the accreditation of prior learning and flexible delivery modes by the Equine Institute, University of Limerick: Mainstreaming by FAS of its Expanding the Workforce Initiative, which offers individual tailored supports to women returning to the workforce and provides for progression to further education and training, if required; The provision of more accessible public transport, e.g. low floor buses. (Addresses disability concerns as well as the needs of parents.) The production in 2004 of the Units publication, Women and Men in Ireland- Facts and Figures, the concept of which has been mainstreamed by the Central Statistics Office with the regular publication of data on Women and Men in Ireland. Monthly Progress report of National Employment Action Plan contain gender disaggregated data; considerable involvement of main actors on gender equality issues (key policy makers, NDP Evaluators and NDP Managing Authorities); the adoption of gender mainstreaming as an integral part of the operations of the County
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General mainstream supports

Enterprise Boards and the collection of a range of new indicators by the Boards; the collection of gender disaggregated data (mostly measure participants) by 60 NDP measures and also of some data on gender balance in decision making areas (EI Regional Innovation Strategies, Rural Development); approximately half of all NDP measures are collecting gender disaggregated data; analysis of the social effects of Housing and Childcare expenditure.

The above results arise from applying a gender mainstreaming approach within favourable labour market conditions. As some of the results cannot be fully attributed to demand arising from skills shortages, the NDP Gender Equality Unit believes that the gender mainstreaming approach has influenced these developments. Social partnership was also a factor. The process of gender mainstreaming the NDP has also raised awareness of gender equality issues, but the Unit is unable to quantify this.

GM as an integral part of the monitoring system is paramount to develop the full potential of ESF programmes, measures and projects. This means that measuring progress of on-going activities at the programme level and making it a requirement for project promoters to adopt as system of self evaluation and monitoring.

Example 39: Monitoring can be undertaken through setting milestones whose assessment should be used to regularly bring work teams together and to reconfirm the commitment of both top, staff and MC. Indicators should be used to move from milestone to milestone and to change track if necessary. Starting out from baseline data collected at the beginning of the six-steps-exercise indicators should be formed and regularly applied to the key issues related to gender equality such as for instance: Reconciliation: Number of childcare places (in %) Number of companies that receive ESF funding having adopted a gender equality plan Number of companies receiving ESF funding offering family support services (care services, transport, shopping, home help etc.)to their employees Number of women and men in the local community/region who cannot be gainfully employed due to lack of care services for children, aged family members or dependents with disabilities Satisfaction of male and female employees in the local community/region concerning reconciliation policies and practices

Balanced participation of women and men in business creation and growth: numbers of men and women setting up in business number of male and female business owners business creation in research and technology broken down by gender Business turnover and profits of male led and female led companies

Based on Gender Mainstreaming Planungstool, developed by Austrian EQUAL DP POPUPGEM.

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Percentage of business women and men benefiting from support to business start-up and SMEs (loans, funding, counselling, on-going support etc.)

STEP 6: EVALUATION
Evaluating GM in the framework of the ESF evaluation needs like all programme evaluations to re-iterate the various stages of the implementation and to assess coherence, effects and impact. To ensure that the gender dimension is taken account of requires making it an integral part of the evaluation and not an additive one. However, most of the time, GM figures as an additional and often marginal chapter in the evaluation reports, thus demonstrating how little weight is accorded to gender equality.

Example 1: The following questions10 can lead to useful parameters for an integrated solution of GM in the ESF evaluation: Kick-off: Is the integration of GM into the evaluation formulated as a requirement in the tender for the evaluation? Which weight is accorded to GM when the offers for the evaluation are assessed and contracted? Is gender expertise a requirement for the institutions accepted as respondents to the tender? What are the standards set up by the MA to measure and analyse gender equality (final beneficiaries, division of budget, use of instruments and tools, integration into the labour market)? Does the MA make it requirement that the evaluation takes account of the gender related outcomes of the OPs SWOT? Is it part of the evaluators task to further develop assessment parameters and indicators?

Controlling: Does the evaluation design contain an integrated approach to GM? Which theoretical and practical foundations are used to assess the proposals of institutions responding to the tender? Who are the assessors? Are people with gender expertise part of the assessment team?

Securing results:

10

Quoted from: Bundesministerium fr Familie, Frauen, Senioren und Jugend: Leitfaden Gender Mainstreaming im Europischen Sozialfonds, 2006. Verfahrensschritt 7: Evaluation.
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The results of an integrated GM approach should be visible in the evaluation reports. For each stage of the ESF policy cycle the evaluation should show a thorough gender specific and gender sensitive analysis of all programme elements. The tasks of a programme evaluation (analysis of coherence, validity of strategy, checking socio-economic context and effectiveness) must be assesses in terms of implications, effects and set objectives for women and men. () Past experience tells that this integrated approach is rarely used. If such an approach has not been part of the evaluation from the beginning, it is proposed to include it in the yearly reports and the mid-term evaluation. The idea is that the Monitoring Committee should request that the evaluation teams put an emphasis on gender equality or equal opportunities. This means no extra reports, but only that the scheduled evaluation reports have to include the gender dimension. MAs, ministries involved in the ESF, implementing bodies and promoters could, for instance, be asked the following questions: What were the gender equality objectives? Which needs and/or deficits in terms of gender specific discrepancies were found by the evaluation? Which resources and tools were used to achieve the objectives? What were the results? Did they bring about change? Was there an impact created by the improved labour market conditions and supportive frameworks?

The guide emphasises that this kind of GM focus in evaluation reports can help to initiate and improve the application of GM in current and future ESF programmes, and contribute to making labour market policies and practice more gender fair. Example 211: These guidelines were developed by an EQUAL project with a perspective of helping public and private organisations to set up and carry out a meaningful evaluation of their GM implementation. Approaches and procedures of internal and external evaluations are being explained in an easy to understand way that also clarifies how an evaluation that incorporates the gender perspective can be an asset for organisational development and for maximising the achievement of objectives. Moreover, there is an overview on what is being evaluated: Identifying and analysing all intended and non-intended effects of the measure; Input: resources (in terms of finances, personnel etc.) required to implement the measure; Output: achievements and tools generated by a measure in order to reach a set objective; Relevance: Coherence of objectives with problems and needs of the target groups which the measure undertook to tackle; Viability: Costs and benefits analysis; Impact: long-term effects of a measure or programme.

To bring on board the policy makers who have an important role to play when it comes to deciding if and how thoroughly GM will be integrated in the evaluation, the Austrian project made an effort to explain the concrete steps in a language that can be understood by anybody
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POPUPGEM: GM Planungstool, Evaluierung.

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who is not an evaluator. It was explained how easy it is to verify the achievement or nonachievement of numerical targets compared to analysing more complex issues related to sustainability and lasting impact. Different qualitative methods are presented through examples that also show how and why different categories of stakeholders should be involved. Problems faced by the evaluation may be related to the fact that: Objectives are very general and not clearly stated; Objectives stated in the project or programme documents are different from the real intentions; Objectives have changed over time; Actors involved strived to achieve different objectives.

These problems point at the importance of formulating clear and viable objectives that can be checked and of establishing a permanent controlling process during the implementation of the measure. If projects or programmes have underachieved evaluators, stakeholders and decisionmakers will need to consider whether the chosen option was wrong, or the circumstances changed (both internally and externally) during implementation. Even if objectives and targets have been reached it is wise to check for an eventual change of context and circumstances and to also find out if and how the success is due to the choice of the option(s). All this is relevant information to be fed into the evaluation which is then used as a corner stone for moving forward to the next round in the project or programme cycle. Besides using GM evaluation as the base for further developing GM in an organisation or a programme, evaluation results can also be used to extend GM to more and other policy areas. The Austrian GM project that was developed and implemented under both rounds of EQUAL is a good example of such a process. Whilst the first round project (Just GeM) undertook to apply GM to the employment policies and practices of the Region of Styria, the second round project (POPUPGEM) supported key players in regional and local policies as well as in enterprises to integrate GM into their various fields of action. The EQUAL achievements are now being disseminated and mainstreamed in other Austrian regions and municipalities and also in both the Styrian Government and Parliament.

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