Main Goal
IGOS Project aimed to design an assessment instrument of legislative measures to promote gender equality in Portugal, validated at the local level: the cases of Odivelas and Seixal Municipalities.
This project aimed to develop and validate an assessment tool of legislative measures to promote gender equality in Portugal.
The two Municipalities (which were partner organizations in this project, Odivelas and Seixal) were assumed as case studies in order to participate in the development and validation instrument to assess legislative measures to promote gender equality.
The project was mainly focused on Strategic Area 1 "Integration of Gender Equality in Local and Central Government" of the V National Plan for Gender Equality, Rights and Non-Discrimination 2014 -2017 (V PNI) and it was financed by EEA Grants.
It contributed indirectly to the effective fulfillment of the goals established in the National Plan, namely to ensure the centrality of policies for gender equality in governance structure; to promote the mainstreaming of policies for gender equality in all other policies besides gender policies; to enhance capabilities of the agents of the central and local public administration, through training; and to strengthen cooperation with local authorities.
Framework
The legislative and administrative documents central for the Project were:
The priorities set out in the Strategy for Equality between Women and Men (2010-2015), which main goal ws to promote progress in the Member-States of the European Union.
The European Charter for equality of Women and Men in Local Life 2006 (http://www.ccre.org/docs/charte_egalite_pt.pdf), developed and promoted by the Council of Municipalities and Regions of Europe and its partners in 2006, invited the local communities to make use of its powers and partnerships in order to support deeper gender equality.
The fifth National Plan for gender equality, citizenship and non-discrimination 2014-2017, the national instrument of public policies on equality and non-discrimination promotion.
The context central for the Project had the following general characteristics:
The adoption and implementation of equality plans at the local level had been promoted since 2007 (year of the III National Plan for Equality - Citizenship and Gender (2007-2010) preceding the legislative status of counselors for equality, published in 2008).
There was a low degree of gender awareness continues to prevail within the Public Central Administration structures and among decision-makers.
Once Portugal had legal measures prohibiting discrimination and gender discrimination, decision-makers tended to deny:
(1) gender discrimination (mainly in working rights and related social benefits, such as payments, parental leave, access to promotions)
(2) the need for a gender assessment, whose conclusions could expose the processes and factors responsible for gender-based inequalities maintenance.
Methodology
The project promoted a shift in focus – from the promotion of gender equality at the local level, through the Municipal Plans, to an effective use of assessment tools of legislative measures used to promote gender equality.
To fulfill this goal it proposed a participatory approach through active training of local actors (the two municipalities partners in the project and eight invited organizations, among CONCIGO organizations in Seixal, and among the institutions of the Network on Domestic Violence, in Odivelas).
Learn more about the Project Gender Equality - Odivelas and Seixal here.
