Initiatives and programmes
The mission of the Institute is to contribute to the promotion of gender equality in the EU and national policies, the fight against discrimination based on sex and to raise public awareness of gender equality in the European Union. To fulfil the latter task the Institute will organise its work around the defined priority areas outlined in its Work Programme. The various activities will involve long-term programmes as well as short-term initiatives aimed at various fields of gender equality work, such as breaking gender stereotypes, developing gender mainstreaming tools and methods or collecting best gender equality practices across different areas or others.
While the main focus of the Institute in 2010 is on establishing the main administrative and financial conditions for the full functioning of the Institute, the work has already started in several other priority areas.
The Institute began creating some basic conditions for the collection of existing data, information and statistics in the field of gender equality. One of the main tasks ahead is to ensure the objectivity, comparability and reliability of the collected data, to review, update and improve the Beijing indicators or the gender indicators previously adopted by the Council.
Advocating a systematic approach to the gender mainstreaming strategy EIGE will map the existing policies on gender mainstreaming, review successful approaches and arising difficulties when implementing them by the EU bodies, Member States and civil society organisations.
Aiming to create an effective system for collecting, documenting and sharing best practices Europe-wide the Institute has started with setting up an inventory of research and best practices of Member States and local authorities, the electronic online resource database easily accessible to the public, a documentation centre and a library in Vilnius. The thematic priorities for the collected information among other things involve empowerment of women, equal participation of women and men in decision making, in care and household work, the fight against poverty and gender-based discrimination.
During the year 2010, the Institute will continue to develop a concept for an EU Gender Equality Index designed to effectively assess equality between women and men in various fields of society life.
In the field of awareness raising, networking and communication priority is given to raising the general gender sensitivity and awareness of gender equality policies as well as making the activities of the Institute visible to the European citizens. We have started with the launch of this website and officially open the Institute's activities on the 20-21 of June 2010, with an open air concert in Vilnius. And by the way, "We now have a brand new logo!"
A part of the Institute work will focus on a complex task of identifying and breaking gender stereotypes and making visible the positive examples of women and men challenging the gender norms. Do you know any Women Inspiring Europe? We are looking to highlight women's achievements in all spheres of life. Another activity is an initial study on cultural and social norms and gender patterns which still persist in "linking" women to reproduction and men to public life is expected to pave the way for the development of several pilot projects with young people seeking to create the models for breaking gender stereotypes in society.
The creation of an effective electronic European Network on Gender Equality stands as one of the biggest challenges for the future. The network that will involve research centres, national bodies, organisations and experts dealing with gender equality will among other things foster cooperation and exchange of information and optimise the use of available information.
Being a comparatively small EU agency with rather limited human resources the Institute seeks to attract the best possible competence from the outside by creating the working groups of experts in certain areas, such as gender indicators, gender mainstreaming or media and communications, and relying on their support in the development of future activities. Moreover there is a constant dialogue with the main stakeholders of the Institute, primarily the European Commission and the European Parliament, the relevant national bodies as well as the non-governmental organisations, research centres and the existing networks engaged in gender equality in the European Union with a view of establishing a strong partnership on gender equality across Europe in the years to come.
