The gender dimension of structural and cohesion funds: Gender mainstreaming

This chapter explores the impact of gender mainstreaming on projects funded under the Structural Funds in Scotland in the 2007–13 period. A cross-section of ESF- and ERDF-funded projects that supported labour market participation was investigated. The main issues examined included the extent to which the participants understood and were aware of gender mainstreaming and whether they undertook any gender-based monitoring and evaluation.

The European Union (EU) is a leading organisation for the promotion of gender equality. However, gender inequality continues to persist with women’s hourly earning averaging 16.2 % below that of men, in 2016, which continues to not only be a social injustice but arguably hinders economic development. A key feature of the EUs approach to gender equality was the development and promotion of Gender Mainstreaming (GM) which was an innovative approach to achieving gender equality. The EU gender equality strategy has been incorporated into many programmes including GM in regional economic strategies where the Structural Funds (SF) plays a key role for both the inclusion and promotion of the contributions of women in economic development.

Since its inception, the European Union has been at the forefront of the promotion of gender equality. A key feature of the EUs approach to gender equality was the development and promotion of Gender Mainstreaming (GM) as an innovative approach to achieving gender equality. GM has been used as an approach to integrate gender into programme formulation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation across the EU policy programmes, including the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), which plays a key role for both the inclusion and promotion of the contributions of women in economic development.

Gender impact assessment has been defined as an ex ante evaluation, analysis or assessment of a law, policy or programme that makes it possible to identify, in a preventative way, the likelihood of a given decision having negative consequences for the state of equality between women and men. The central question of the GIA is: Does a law, policy or programme reduce, maintain or increase the gender inequalities between women and men?

Gender mainstreaming has been embraced internationally as a strategy towards realising gender equality. It involves the integration of a gender perspective into the preparation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, regulatory measures and spending programmes, with a view to promoting equality between women and men, and combating discrimination.