What can parliaments do to advance gender equality?

Women’s political participation is a fundamental basis for gender equality. Yet less than a third of all parliamentarians in the EU are women.

This step-by-step toolkit includes two tools to support parliaments at all levels in the EU to better deliver on gender equality. From assessing the state of the parliament’s gender-sensitivity to establishing a gender equality action plan. Start charting your progress towards transformative change for gender equality today.

This self-assessment tool will help you assess and monitor gender equality and gender mainstreaming in your parliament. The tool covers five areas, each dedicated to measuring a specific aspect of gender sensitivity in parliaments:

  • Area 1: Women and men have equal opportunities to enter parliament  
  • Area 2: Women and men have equal opportunities to influence parliament 
  • Area 3: Women’s interests have adequate space in parliament   
  • Area 4: The parliament produces gender-sensitive legislation
  • Area 5: Symbolic function of parliament

The tool is available in five different versions tailored to different levels of parliaments from the national to the regional, as well as a general version open to all users. 

Who is the tool for

Gender equality action plans help parliaments address gender inequalities identified during the self-assessment and facilitate gender-responsive institutional change. This tool provides step-by-step guidance to:

What are gender equality action plans for parliaments?