EIGE conducts research and facilitates discussions on gender training in the European Union

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has recently started a 24-month project on gender training in the European Union and Croatia.

Gender mainstreaming is not a goal in itself but a political strategy, which requires that gender concerns are integrated into all policy decisions, legal frameworks, activities and programmes. In the context of EU policy-making, gender mainstreaming has been a policy priority since 1996. In order for gender mainstreaming to be implemented effectively, the right expertise and tools need to be in place; training, therefore, has a central role in supporting actors to fulfil their mandates.

After gaining administrative independence in 2010, the European Institute for Gender Equality set to support institutions at national and EU level in their efforts to promote gender mainstreaming. Gender training, in particular disseminating resources (e.g. training manuals, toolkits, guidelines etc.) and good practices, is a priority area for the Institute in this endeavour.

The aim of this project is fourfold: 

• To collect reliable and comprehensive information on the activities, actors and resources related to gender training in the EU-27 and Croatia;
• To identify good practices in gender training in the EU-27 and Croatia;
• To foster a discussion on the quality standards for gender training in the European Union and
• To support policy makers to access high quality tools.

The results of this study will assist EIGE in developing an online database of trainers, resources and programmes on gender training at EU and MS level. The project will also enhance dialogue and networking amongst key actors involved in gender training in Europe through online discussions and a European Conference on “Gender training in the EU” held on 20-21 November 2012 in Vilnius, Lithuania.