Gender mainstreaming
In Sweden, gender mainstreaming is the main strategy used to achieve the gender equality policy objectives. Gender mainstreaming means that decisions in all policy areas are to have a clear gender perspective.
Since equality between women and men is created where everyday decisions are taken, resources are allocated and norms are established, the gender perspective must be a part of day-to-day activities. The strategy has been developed in order to combat the tendency for gender equality issues to be left on the sidelines or merely ranked alongside other political issues and activities.
Gender mainstreaming in the Government Offices
Since 2004, an extensive process of change has been under way to implement gender mainstreaming at the Government Offices. The basis of this process is to make permanent changes in the established working methods. Knowledge and experience of gender mainstreaming has been collected, analysed and circulated within the framework of this process. Gender mainstreaming efforts at the Government Offices have been based on a special plan for 2004-2010. The plan has been evaluated and the Government intends to present a new platform for this work in the course of 2011.
Gender equality in municipalities and county councils
During the last electoral period, the Government decided to allocate SEK 145 million to support the Programme for Sustainable Gender Equality run by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions. The funds have been distributed among municipalities, county councils and regions for their work to quality-assure activities and services for citizens based on a gender perspective. The Government has decided to provide an additional SEK 80 million in support to the programme during the period 2011-2013.
Support to government agencies' work with gender mainstreaming
In order to support central government agencies' work on gender mainstreaming, in July 2008 the Government instructed the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research at the University of Gothenburg to:
- further develop methods for gender mainstreaming
- create a forum for exchanges of experience on gender mainstreaming
- provide information on gender mainstreaming
- create conditions that will provide long-term support to gender mainstreaming.
The total cost of this task is estimated at SEK 13 million.
The programme has been evaluated and the results are now being processed by the Government Offices. In the course of 2011, the Government plans to present a new platform for providing support to agencies' gender mainstreaming efforts.
