Gender Mainstreaming in Local Authorities

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GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES BEST PRACTICES GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES BEST PRACTICES GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES BEST PRACTICES Copyright © United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), 2008 All rights reserved

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) P. O. Box 30030, 00100 Nairobi GPO KENYA Tel: 254-020-7623120 (Central Office) www.unhabitat.org HS/1016/08 ISBN: 978-92-1-131995-8 DISCLAIMER The designations employed and the presentation of material in this report do not imply of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its economic system or degree of development. The analysis conclusions and recommendations of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme or its Governing Council.

Cover photo:© UN-HABITAT

Acknowledgements: Principal Editor and Manager: Lucia Kiwala, Ansa Masaud Principal Author: Wandia Seaforth, assisted by Elizabeth Mwaniki, Martha Mathenge, Patricia Sudi, Happy Kinyili Contributors: Mayor��’�s�� Office/i-Governance Program Team, Naga City, Philippines Nest! Foundation, Netherlands Mother Centers International Network, Stuttgart, Germany Center for Partnership Initiatives for Development, Inc. (CPID), Capoocan, Leyte,

Philippines Provincial Commission for Women, Bulacan, Philippines Santoanto Andre�� Municipality, Brazil Bharatpur Municipality,�� Nepal Ouagadougou Municipality, Burkina Faso Kuyasa Fund, Cape Town, South Africa Rwandan Women Community Development Network,Kigali, Rwanda Lihok Pilipina Foundation, Cebu City, Philippines Montréal (Femmes et ville), Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine (CAFSU),

Québec,Canada Women and Family Policy Bureau, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Korea Council of European Municipalities and Regions CCRE-CEMR), Paris, France English Editor: Ingrid�� Uys, Roman Rollnick Design and Layout: Andrew Ondoo Sponsor : Government of Norway Printer: UNON/Publishing Services Section/Nairobi

i CONTENTS

FOREWORD 1 Gender and Citizenship in the Integrated Programme for Social Inclusion – Santo André, Brazil 51 INTRODUCTION 2 Poverty Reduction 56 SOURCES OF INITIATIVES PRESENTED 5 Rural – Urban Partnership Programme – Bharatpur USE OF THE HANDBOOK 7 Municipality, Nepal 56

SELECTED THEMES AND ENTRY POINTS 8 “The Green Brigade”: Setting-up of a team of women to clean the streets of Ouagadougou, Women’s Empowerment 8 Burkina Faso 59 Governance 10 Housing and Security of Tenure 61 Women’s Safety and Security 11 The Kuyasa Fund, Cape Town, South Africa 61 Housing and Security of Tenure 12 Village of Hope - Kigali, Rwanda 64 GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICY FRAMEWORK: REGIONAL AND COUNTRY EXAMPLES 14 Women’s Safety and Security 68

European-wide Gender Mainstreaming Family/Community Watch against Domestic and Policies and the Role of Local Authorities 15 Gender Violence, Cebu, Philippines 68 Rwanda: Women Representation in Integrating a Gender Perspective in Governance at National and Local Levels 21 Public Transit - the “Between Two Stops” Service Montréal Québec Canada 72 South Africa: Gender Mainstreaming Policies and the Role of Local Authorities 22 CONCLUSION: LESSONS LEARNED BEST PRACTICES CASE STUDIES 25 FROM THE CASE STUDIES 77

Comprehensive Approach to REFERENCES 79 Gender Mainstreaming 25 ANNEXES 84 Gender Mainstreaming and the Women Women Development Code of Naga City 84 Development Code of Naga City, Philippines 25 Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Implementation Strategy Gender Mainstreaming, Women Friendly City Project 104 Vienna, Austria 30 The European Charter for Equality of Women and Municipal Plan to Promote Men in Local Life 110 Gender equity in Belén, Costa Rica 36

Women’s Empowerment 39 The Grassroots Women’s International Academy 39

Mother Centres International Network /AG International, Stuttgart, Germany 42

Governance 42 Programme on Gender and Development for Capoocanons (Pro-GAD Capoocanon), Philippines 45

Provincial Commission for Women in Bulacan, Philippines 48

ii BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

ACHPR African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights AU African Union BCW Barangay Council for Women BDC Barangay Development Council CAFSU Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine (Women’s Urban Safety Action Committee) CBOs Community Based Organizations CCRE – CEMR Council of European Municipalities and Regions CCTVs Closed-Circuit Televisions CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CGE Commission on Gender Equality CHRAJ Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice CODI Committee on Decorum and Investigation of cases on Sexual Harassment in the city government of Cebu COHRE Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa CoP Community of Practice CORDAID Catholic Organization for Relief and Development AID CPFs Community Policing Forums CPID Center for Partnership Initiatives for Development CRC Convention on the Rights of Child CSW Commission on the Status of Women DAG Development Action Group DAS Municipality of Ouagadougou

iii DIABP Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment DILG Department of Interior and Local Government DJI Deutsches Jugendinstitut EAC East African Community EAGGF European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund EC European Commission ECA Economic Commission for Africa ECE Economic Commission for Europe ECOSOC Economic and Social Council of the United Nations EDPRS Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy EEA European Economic Area EED Der Evangelische Entwicklungsdienst eV (Lutheran Development Service) EFSU European Forum for Urban Safety ERDF European Regional Development Fund ESF European Social Fund EU European Union EUCPN EU Crime Prevention Network FCM Federation of Canadian Municipalities FGM Female Genital Mutilation FIFG Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance GAA General Appropriation Act GAD Gender and Development GBI Gender Budgeting Initiatives GBV Gender-based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product GFPs Gender Focal Points GRBs Gender Responsive Budgets GRBI Gender Responsive Budgeting Initiatives GROOTS Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood GWIA Grassroots Women’s International Academy

iv BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

HIC Habitat International Coalition HIC-WAS Habitat International Coalition Women and Shelter Network HIPC Heavily Indebted Poor Countries HIV/AIDS Human Immuno-deficiency Virus / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome IBIS A funding agency ICASA International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa ICPC International Centre for the Prevention of Crime ICPD International Conference on Population and Development ICT Information Communication Technology IDRC International Development Research Centre ILGS Institute of Local Government Studies ILO International Labour Organization INAMU Women National Institute ISPs Internet Service Providers IULA International Union of Local Authorities LGRP Local Government Reform Program LSR Local Sectoral Representation MAP Men as Partners Program MCDGC Ministry of Community Development Gender and Children MD Municipal Departments MDGs Millennium Development Goals MGFT Municipal GAD Focal Team MLGRD Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development MWCSW Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare NCCW Naga City Council for Women NCPC Naga City People’s Council NCPS National Crime Prevention Strategy NDAP National Decentralization Action Plan NEDA National Economic and Development Administration NEDLAC National Economic, Development and Labour Council v NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development NGOs/POs Non-Government and People’s Organizations Nisaa Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development NSGRP National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty OSW Office on the Status of Women OVC Orphan and Vulnerable Children PACT-USA A nonprofit corporation PCWB Provincial Commission for Women of Bulacan PO- RALG President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Governments POWA People Opposing Women Abuse Pro-GAD Program on Gender and Development PRS Poverty Reduction Strategy PWC Parliamentary Women’s Caucus RCCTT Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust RWN Rwanda Women Network SADC Southern African Development Community SALGA South African Local Government Association SFWF Seoul Foundation of Women and Family SIDA Swedish International Development Agency SMS Short Messaging Service SPARC Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres SSP Swayam Shikshan Prayog STCUM La Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal TLOs Tole/Lane Organizations (CBOs) UN United Nations UNCDF United Nations Capital Development Fund UCLG United Cities and Local Government UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance Framework UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

vi BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

UNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for Women UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme USAID United States Agency for International Development VAW Violence Against Women VoH Village of Hope VSO Voluntary Services Overseas WDF Women Development Fund WEED Women Empowerment through Enterprise Development WEU Women’s Empowerment Unit WHP Women and Habitat Programme WNC Women’s National Coalition WSSD World Summit on Social Development WUF World Urban Forum

vii FOREWORD

ood local governance Often, but not always, there is a supportive policy Gmust address gender framework at the national level. The initiatives equality and social described in this handbook combine some or all of inclusion. The goal of these characteristics. gender equality is central to the mission and mandate This handbook is designed to assist Habitat of UN-HABITAT: to Agenda Partners, which include national and promote sustainable and local governments and civil society, to incorporate inclusive cities and shelter gender issues into urban development polices and for all. There can be no programmes by learning from the experience of sustainable urban development without considering others. the specific needs and issues of women, men, girls Many thanks goes to the Government of and boys within the urban context. Since the late Norway for its financial support in the 1980s, UN-HABITAT has been engaging partners production of this handbook - one in a series of on women’s full participation in human settlements gender handbooks. Thanks also go to the best development, as well as in gender equality in urban practices featured for documenting their work areas. For women to enjoy equality with men in and allowing for it to be shared with others. enjoying the full benefits of urban life a range of policies, structures, resources, capacities, and programmes have to be in place. Interventions for addressing the basic needs of women need to go hand-in-hand with those that enhance women’s effective participation in governance. From the 1990s, gender mainstreaming was introduced, to help address basic inequalities in a systemic and comprehensive way. Anna Tibaijuka Executive Director and Local governments increasingly have become Under-secretary - General arenas offering opportunities to women to influence the development agenda. Many of the best practices incorporating gender concerns into local governments display outstanding leadership at the local level, and strong engagement with civil societies, especially with women’s organisations.

1 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

INTRODUCTION

ollowing a series of international mandates control over their lives. Gender mainstreaming Fcontained in the Beijing Platform for Action programmes and strategies often include women’s and the United Nations Economic and Social empowerment issues. It is recognised that women Council Resolutions 1997/2 and 2006/36, gender do not share equal status in society, and that there mainstreaming was introduced as a process for is a need to focus women on political participation, assessing the implications of legislation on men and on obtaining access to basic services. In urban and women’s concerns and experiences. It became areas, local authorities often incorporate women’s an integral part of the design, implementation, empowerment programmes. monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in the political, economic and With increasing urbanisation, UN-HABITAT social sphere of countries around the world. estimated that by the end of 2007, half of the Gender mainstreaming seeks to address gender world’s population was living in cities. The number inequality, and looks at both women’s and men’s of urban residents in the world has risen from roles in society and their needs in development 700 million in 1950 to 3 billion today—more intervention. This has entailed changes to policies, than quadrupling in less than an average human institutional cultures, resource allocation and lifetime. As the pace of urbanisation quickens, the design of programmes and projects. social challenges facing rural regions have started to shift more significantly towards urban areas, Gender mainstreaming does not replace government often with adverse consequences for women and policies on gender inequality. Gender equality and men, girls and boys. Poverty, inadequate housing women’s issues are complementary strategies and and shelter, insecure land and housing tenure, should be examined together, but this depends on poor water and sanitation services and basic the data available in determining what is needed. infrastructure, and health and environmental risks, all are causing massive new challenges for women One of the most important prerequisites in achieving in society, particularly in cities where slums have gender equality is the political will to implement a become commonplace on the continents of Africa, strategy. A gender equality policy should be in place Asia and Latin America. and gender-sensitive data and statistics should be available. Tools and instruments to put the strategy The experience by men and women of a city is quite into practice have to be developed and the people different. Spatial and organisational aspects of the involved have to be trained. city affect men and women in different ways. A gender-aware approach to urban development and Women’s empowerment is about improving its management would seek to ensure that both women’s confidence and status in society, increasing women and men obtain equal access to and control their opportunities and facilitating greater over the resources and opportunities offered by a

2 INTRODUCTION

city. It would also seek to ensure that the design, (c) Collecting, analysing and disseminating gender- provision and management of public services disaggregated data and information on human benefits both women and men. settlements issues, including statistical means that recognize and make visible the unremunerated Globally, gender equality in development agendas work of women, for use in policy and programme remains a challenge. However, a number of planning and implementation; successful strategies have been integrated into programmes by municipalities. These practices (d) Integrating a gender perspective in the design are known as best practices in this handbook. and implementation of environmentally sound The purpose is to demonstrate how initiatives can and sustainable resource management mechanisms, address the needs of the urban population and lead production techniques and infrastructure to a positive impact on development in general. development in rural and urban areas; (e) Formulating and strengthening policies and Building on the Beijing Platform for Action, and practices to promote the full and equal participation other human rights policies and instruments1 , of women in human settlements planning and the Habitat Agenda (1996) contains a wide range decision-making. of provisions for mainstreaming gender in human settlements development. In particular, it is worth Similarly, in the United Nations Millennium noting the commitment of UN member states in Declaration (2000), heads of State and paragraph 46. governments committed “to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, as effective ways of 46. We commit ourselves to the goal of gender combating poverty, hunger and disease and to stimulate equality in human settlements development. We development that is truly sustainable.” further commit ourselves to: Since the 1980s, there has been growing recognition (a) Integrating gender perspectives in human of the need to ensure women’s equal access to settlements related legislation, policies, programmes urban public spaces. This applies to physical space and projects through the application of gender- such as streets, parks, and public transport, as well sensitive analysis; as to governance structures, and the cultural and economic life of a city. From the perspective of the (b) Developing conceptual and practical human settlements arena, there is also recognition methodologies for incorporating gender perspectives of the need to address women’s access to resources, in human settlements planning, development housing and basic services, such as electricity and and evaluation, including the development of energy, water and sanitation, refuse and waste indicators; management. Women face several barriers in urban life: Institutional barriers prevent them from participating in local government and planning institutions; information barriers affect how they access opportunities and resources; absence of gender-disaggregated data, especially at the city level, negatively affects how policy, plans and programmes address the respective 1 Such as the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the needs of women and men. Rights of Child (CRC), among others. 3 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Research around the world reveals the challenges Interventions in specific areas often reinforce the women face in the context of growing urbanisation. ultimate goal of gender equality. For example, Those challenges include: personal safety; access an initiative to improve transport services from a and mobility; affordable housing; public toilets and woman’s perspective can lead to improved safety, local facilities such as shops, community facilities increased mobility and improve job opportunities. for children and the elderly, schools, meeting If this type of initiative were to include consultations places, parks, leisure facilities and playgrounds. by local government with women’s organisations, Low-income women in developing countries face it could eventually lead to the institutionalisation additional issues, such as lack of access to water of women’s participation in local planning and and sanitation as well as legal barriers to owning development. housing, land and property. These initiatives often are supported by policies, One way of reflecting women’s issues in development strategies and action plans. Mechanisms for and planning agendas is to ensure their greater scrutinising resource allocation including gender participation in local government – in political and budgets2 are provided. Stakeholder participation planning structures. However, mere representation is encouraged and institutionalised, within which does not assure women’s issues are addressed. Legal women’s organisations are recognised as stakeholders and policy reform, advocacy, capacity building and in the process. Such initiatives integrate monitoring awareness creation are equally important. and accountability mechanisms and are also backed by gender disaggregated data. Many initiatives by local governments promoting gender equality have been documented. Some are comprehensive and are based on supportive policies. Others are ad hoc and address specific issues, sometimes as a result of a crisis. Whatever the context, the initiatives provide lessons for others to learn from. Indeed, many city-to-city exchanges take their origins from the ‘best practices’ from other contexts. The best practices can be arranged into three main sections: (i) gender mainstreaming (ii) women’s empowerment (iii) women’s safety and security. Women’s empowerment encompasses a wide range of related issues: poverty reduction, increasing women’s participation in decision making, enhancing women’s access to housing and security of tenure, better access to basic services, including, for example, child care facilities. 2 A gender budget is a budget that accounts for the direct and indirect effects of a government’s expenditure allocations and revenues on both women and men. It acts as an instrument for holding the government accountable to its gender equality commitments. Source: www.gender-budgets.org Gender Responsive Budgeting - Gender Budgets: an overview - Canada

4 SOURCES OF INITIATIVES PRESENTED

he initiatives presented in this handbook are has been organising the Women’s Safety Awards. Tdrawn from the best practices database of These and other partnerships have elicited several United Nations Human Settlements Programme best practices illustrating how local governments are as well as other databases and websites. The UN- taking women’s issues into account and supporting HABITAT Best Practices database is fed largely by women’s participation in local development. submissions to the Dubai International Award for Initiatives range from incorporating gender issues Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment. to addressing single issues in a particular locality. The award has been running for ten years and about 3,000 initiatives have been collected in the The main reason for awards is to motivate process. Some of the thematic categories for the documentation and to encourage the development of award include Good Governance, Social Inclusion programmes. In some instances, awards also accord and Gender Equality. In addition, many practices political mileage to initiatives undertaken under submitted under different categories – for example, difficult political circumstances. Competitions Access to Housing or Safety and Security addresses have proved valuable in: women’s empowerment and directly or indirectly, • Raising awareness about initiatives that may gender mainstreaming. have remained only at a local level UN-HABITAT has had a programme on women’s • Comparing different best practices using empowerment and gender mainstreaming since common documentation formats and criteria 1990. The programme has worked with women’s • Providing the opportunity to isolate the essential networks, local authorities and their associations catalytic factors and the elements for success and (notably the International Union of Local sustainability Authorities/United Cities and Local Government) and other United Nations programmes. The role of • Building a body of best practice knowledge that gender mainstreaming is to provide technical advice others can learn from and to enhance the capacity of UN-HABITAT • Bringing to light enabling policies underlying staff and Habitat Agenda partners. Further, UN- successful initiatives but also constraining policy HABITAT Gender Mainstreaming Unit together factors with the respective regional offices, and in • Increasing political mileage for innovative partnership with UNIFEM, organises competitions practices that may not be fully accepted in their on Gender Responsive Municipal Governments in home country or district. Latin America & Caribbean, and Asia and Pacific regions. Similarly, UN-HABITAT, in collaboration with UNIFEM and Women and Cities International

5 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

This handbook has drawn from the knowledge generated by the awards, including the learning exchanges motivated by the award process. It attempts to offer a representative, rather than comprehensive, set of best practices. Countries and regions are at different stages in development and democratisation, and the sample initiatives reflect this fact. However, some very interesting initiatives come from relatively underdeveloped regions, and networking at inter-regional levels can also facilitate the sharing of best practices. The two annexes at the end are detailed case studies on: The Women Development Code of Naga city and Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women Friendly City Project, Korea. Naga City is included as an illustration of a successful gender mainstreaming programme. It demonstrates the structures and actors, as well as the monitoring mechanisms. The Seoul case study is a new initiative whose impact is not yet measured. It is included for two reasons: 1) it is comprehensive in nature and 2) it documents the efforts of a city to bridge the gap between national policy and practice, and urban realities.

6 USE OF THE HANDBOOK

his handbook aims to disseminate the Texperiences from these initiatives that are contributing to the goals of gender equality in urban contexts. It is intended to assist UN-HABITAT Programmes, Habitat Agenda partners – national and local governments, as well as civil society - in mainstreaming gender issues in urban development policies and programmes. It attempts to extract the lessons on what is working, as well as identifying some of the challenges. The book can be used in a variety of ways: making available general information on gender and women’s issues, inspiring others, providing a basis for exchange programmes, using the examples in training and capacity building programmes and tools and informing policy formulation and programme design.

7 SELECTED THEMES AND ENTRY POINTS

he following themes are by no means Several initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment Texhaustive. They are presented as illustrative have been implemented. Examples include: of the most common interventions as described in the case studies. The contribution to gender • Development of gender policies at national mainstreaming in most cases will depend on how and local authority levels. Some have involved far a particular initiative addresses women’s rights, incorporating laws, legislation and quotas aimed or on its effect on structural issues, such as the at making local government institutions and institutionalization of women’s participation as a structures more inclusive. measure of gender equality. • Gender equality indicators and indexes at local, national and regional levels. These are aimed at monitoring, for example, education WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT levels, labour force participation, incomes, and Empowerment of women involves awareness- percentage of council members, of both women raising, building self-confidence, expanding choices and men. and increasing access to, and control over resources. • Affirmative action which includes women in The important instruments of empowerment decision-making processes. For example, the include information and networking activities Southern African Development Community – often entailing a process through which women (SADC) governments have committed acquire knowledge, skills and a willingness to themselves to 50 percent of occupancy by women critically analyse their situation and take appropriate in political and decision-making structures by action to change the status quo in society. 2020. Some countries have established offices Empowerment involves practical measures to and departments coordinating women’s issues, enhance women’s participation in decision-making including the promotion of women’s activities in and in governance processes, and generally to uplift decision-making and municipal management. their status through literacy, education, training and • Women’s initiatives for self-empowerment, as raising awareness. Other actions include poverty individuals as well as in groups. These include reduction programmes, that themselves involve mutual self-help groups as well as networking income-generating activities and enhancing access and solidarity-building activities. to job opportunities. Underlying issues are taken • Women development funds and grants. into account such as the protection of a woman’s human rights, her reproductive health as well as • Special measures on women’s access to justice. property ownership. 8 SELECTED THEMES AND ENTRY POINTS

Women working for change in Kabul, Afghanistan © UN-HABITAT

• Scholarships, sponsorships, fellowships, awards, UN agencies such as UNDP, UNFPA, UNIFEM, exchange programmes and conferences for UN-HABITAT and international organisations, capacity building. have continued to play a role in women’s • Charters for equality of women and men in empowerment. They endeavour to link women’s local life. empowerment to themes such as: democratic governance, poverty reduction, crisis prevention • Gender-positive recruitment and staffing and recovery, environment and energy, HIV/ policies including affirmative action. AIDS, and Millennium Development Goals. UN- • Facilities and measures to help women combine HABITAT is particularly dedicated to Targets 103 domestic roles, and work outside the home, and 114 , Goal No. 75 , and recognises a woman’s including child-care and flexible working hours. right to fully enjoy the rights and opportunities Combining home and work has increasingly accorded by human settlements development and become an issue for men. This ultimately management. encourages men to take on family roles traditionally attributed to women – in effect contributing to greater gender equality.

3 Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water. 4 Achieve signiﬁcant improvement in lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers, by 2020. 5 Ensure environmental sustainability.

9 WUF4 - Women Roundtable © Jiang Suping and Nanjing Women’s Federation

GOVERNANCE In the EU, the European Pact for Gender Equality Governance reffers to a process of decision-making and the European Commission Roadmap for and the ways in which decisions are implemented. Equality between Women and Men 2006-2010, Both national and local level governance involve aims to achieve equal representation for men and formal and informal decision-making, implementers women in decision-making processes. At the city- and implementation structures. Government is level, the Women Development Code of Naga only one of the actors in governance. A measure City aims to expand citizens’ role in governance of good governance involves, to a large extent, processes through gender-responsive development the relationship between government and civilian policies and programmes, to create an environment actors. The latter include women’s organizations. where women have equal opportunity. The participation of women in governance issues encompasses: policy frameworks, participation in Participation in decision-making includes the decision-making, inclusion in the development active involvement of women’s organisations agenda and resource allocation, to mention a few. and the broader civil society, in processes such as participatory planning mechanisms and in Gender policies may be enshrined in national budgeting. Democratic and political governance constitutions (equal rights), in legislation, in monitoring mechanisms such as the African Peer gender frameworks, charters, and declarations. Review Mechanism also plays a role in enhancing Implementation strategies may include affirmative gender equality in governance. Targeted funds may action to address gender-based inequalities, be allocated to women’s governance issues, and including representation in governance structures. towards carrying out specific activities and initiatives Several countries and regions have put in place focusing on women in governance. At the national policies and targets for gender equality in level, for example, Ghana has a fund for women governance. in local governance. At the international level, UNDP has a Democratic Governance Thematic Trust Fund. 10 SELECTED THEMES AND ENTRY POINTS

UN agencies and international organisations Violence comprises domestic violence and violence continue to play a key role in promoting gender in public spaces. Violence in the public sphere equality in the governance agenda, at the influences a woman’s ability to freely participate in international level. UNDP, UNIFEM and UN- urban life. Some successful initiatives have been: HABITAT are involved in activities such as: policy local and women safety audits; domestic violence support for governance; parliamentary development; bills; public awareness campaigns; and provision electoral systems and processes; justice and human of services to help victims of violence such as rights; e-governance and access to information for emergency hotlines, emergency housing, crisis citizens’ participation; decentralisation and public and counseling centres. Other initiatives include: administration reform. training of public officials (including the police) in charge of recording reports from victims of There are inter-agency initiatives such as the violence; maintenance of public areas and facilities UN Joint Programme on Local Governance and such as lighting, bus stops, telephone booths, and Decentralized Service Delivery, an initiative of ILO, lifts; and gender audit checklists amongst others. UNCDF, UNDP, UN-HABITAT and UNICEF. The programme aims to support local authorities Ensuring women’s safety and security also and communities to achieve efficient and equitable involves awareness planning. It takes into account services delivery through participatory governance. women’s specific needs in spatial planning, intra- It particularly targets women, minorities and city transport, housing and public services. The marginalised groups. transport system forms part of women and men’s use of public space, and the impact on their ability UN-HABITAT implements the Global Campaign to reconcile work and domestic life. Review of on Urban Governance, which includes gender public transport routes and timetables therefore equality and social inclusion in local governance. often become a part of gender-mainstreaming Similarly, the Gender Mainstreaming Unit promotes programmes. women’s empowerment and gender equality in urban governance. Best practices on gender equality On a global level, global assessments have been in local governance may incorporate some or all of made on successful practices by organisations the measures described. and institutions, both governmental and non- governmental, which have developed responses to the lack of safety and security for women in their WOMEN’S SAFETY AND SECURITY communities. There are also processes facilitating It is acknowledged that gender mainstreaming is network building and knowledge exchange on a multi-sectoral issue. Women’s safety and security women’s safety and security issues. is an integral part due to the fact that it involves At the national level, different countries pursue many issues. In addressing women’s participation various strategies to address women’s safety and in urban life, an issue of concern is violence security issues. Some strategies are: in private and public spaces. Responses to this problem incorporate gender-aware planning and • Undertaking comprehensive efforts to combat management of public spaces - streets, car parks, violence against women and trafficking in plazas, open/green areas and the transport system. human beings, especially women and girls (Kosovo).

11 Mpumude women group meeting with project coordinator and district Chair, Uganda © UN-HABITAT

• Family and community watch against domestic include traditional/customary laws and practices, and gender violence (Cebu, Philippines). constitutions with discriminatory provisions; • City-wide women safety initiatives (South limited implementation of laws and policies; land Africa). registration of land laws in favour of the man; lack of representation on decision-making bodies; and • Integrating a gender perspective into public lack of awareness. transport (Quebec, Montreal, Canada). Practical entry points to addressing housing and security of tenure have been pursued. Some HOUSING AND SECURITY OF TENURE examples comprise: Gender inequalities are prevalent in housing • Lending or access to micro-credit/finance, linked and security of tenure. For example, women as a to housing, to help women pursue income- group are widely marginalised by administrative generating activities. This is an important tool in institutions in respect of land, property and empowering women. inheritance. Women are systematically excluded from decision-making and control over household • Housing projects that address women’s rights, resources. This has a historical dimension where aimed at improving shelter strategies. access to land and property predominantly has • Policy advocacy initiatives - these have focused on been a male domain. As a result women have been rights-based approaches on housing and security denied access, ownership and right to property of tenure titling and quotas, which are affordable and inheritance. Several factors have contributed and target poor women. Global campaigns and to this - discriminatory policies and laws which networks at the global, regional, national, and local

12 levels have been other advocacy avenues. Also, and Habitat International Coalition, as well as UN raising awareness to highlight the importance of agencies are all working on this issue. The UN plays housing, land and related rights for women. a key advocacy role in legal standards pertaining to • Ensuring women’s access to housing and security women’s housing and land rights. UN-HABITAT of tenure through social housing, government is dedicated to the Habitat Agenda in achieving projects, and slum upgrading initiatives. “Adequate Shelter for All”, which includes women, who constitute the majority of the urban poor. • Regulating the rental market to cushion the poor UN-HABITAT has further developed a policy on and the marginalised in society. women that includes securing housing and land • Housing cooperatives, supported by governmental tenure as a fundamental human right. The policy laws and incentives, guaranteeing housing for all, also addresses inheritance rights and governance as well as contributing to women’s shelter and issues. development. Women stand a greater chance of benefiting from housing cooperatives since they organise themselves in groups. Several international organisations and networks, such as the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions,

Global campaign for secure tenure and Urban Governance in © UN-HABITAT Dakar , Senegal

13 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICY FRAMEWORK: REGIONAL AND COUNTRY EXAMPLES

his section contains one regional and two Today, women hold public office in government Tcountry policy framework overviews. The and business. The country has the highest number regional overview is in Europe, and the country of women in the legislature – women took 56 summaries are from Rwanda and South Africa. percent of the seats in the elections held in 20086 - The examples illustrate three different, but equally setting a new world record for female representation interesting contexts. in Parliament. Gender mainstreaming in local government is viewed in the context of overall, The European region highlights the policy context nation-wide gender mainstreaming initiatives. in which gender mainstreaming or women- specific targeted interventions are implemented. South Africa emerged from the apartheid era with Many innovative country initiatives exist under new leaders who were committed to justice for all the umbrella of the European Union. The region people to “heal the divisions of the past and establish has collectively expressed a commitment to a society based on democratic values, social justice gender mainstreaming through a wide range and fundamental human rights.” 7 One of the key of instruments, through declarations, charters, mechanisms used to ensure justice for all is a new treaties, and pacts, with roadmaps and strategies constitution. It has been widely recognised as one for their implementation. They are backed by of the most progressive constitutions in the world, monitoring and evaluations mechanisms. The especially its Bill of Rights. It lays special emphasis region has integrated initiatives on gender-based on establishing a society where gender equality is violence and gender-aware planning, taking into paramount. The Commission on Gender Equality, account both women and men’s needs in spatial a State institution, is one step towards ensuring that planning, intra-city transport, housing and public gender issues remain in the forefront of political services. Europe as a region is unique in that decision making. The Commission is charged with there is a regional structure that can significantly protecting and ensuring gender equality in the influence the national level through mechanisms of formulation of laws, policies and practices. accountability. Rwanda, on the other hand, is a country that has addressed structural gender inequalities in a post- crisis context. Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, was recognised through the Africa Gender Award 2007 for his commitment to gender equality.

6 http://www.awid.org/eng/Issues-and-Analysis/Library/Rwanda- sets-world-record-for-women-in-parliament 7 The preamble to the South African Constitution. 14 GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICY FRAMEWORK: REGIONAL AND COUNTRY EXAMPLES

Here life goes on still, we see and decide our world with strength and hope © UN-HABITAT

EUROPEAN-WIDE GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICIES AND THE ROLE OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES The European Union has played a key role in The Treaty of Lisbon or the Reform Treaty was fostering gender mainstreaming in member adopted in Lisbon in December 2007, and is countries. scheduled to be ratiﬁed in all Member States by the end of 2008, in anticipation of the 2009 European The Pisa Declaration was issued in February 2008 Commission elections. The treaty includes clauses by representatives of local and regional governments on promoting equality between women and men. from 28 European countries who met in Pisa, Italy. The Declaration was the outcome of the conference The European Commission Roadmap for Equality on the project “Implementation of the European between Women and Men 2006-2010, adopted in Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local March 2006, sets out six key areas for EU action: Life”. • Equal economic independence for women and The European Charter for Equality of Women men and Men in Local Life was launched in May 2006 • Reconciliation of private and professional life by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions. It has over ﬁve hundred cities, regions and • Equal representation in decision-making municipalities as signatories. • Eradication of all forms of gender-based violence The Charter encourages local and regional • Elimination of gender stereotypes governments to make a formal commitment to • Promotion of gender equality in external and draw up and implement action plans to promote development policies. gender equality in all spheres of life, as well as to counter gender-based stereotypes and combat gender-related disadvantages. 15 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

For each area, it identifies priority objectives and for Women, the Commonwealth Secretariat and actions. An implementation and evaluation report the International Development Research Centre. is expected in 2008, with a follow-up proposal in The partnership supports governments and civil 2010. There is a Committee on Women’s Rights society in analysing national and/or local budgets and Gender Equality for the Roadmap for equality from a gender perspective, as well as applying this between men and women 2006-2010. analysis to the formulation of gender responsive budgets. The Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs is in line with the overall European gender equality policy and Gender is incorporated into the European includes several gender equality instruments. For Structural Funds, notably, the European Regional example, the European Pact for Gender Equality, Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the the Community programme “PROGRESS”, the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee European Structural Funds, among others. It is Fund and the Financial Instrument for Fisheries worth noting that Point 20 of the EC Roadmap Guidance. Incorporating the equal opportunities urges Member States “to appoint a national official dimension into structural policies reflects a need to take charge of gender equality for the purposes of to lessen inequalities between women and men implementing the Lisbon strategy. The official’s task with regard to employment, training, access to should be to help draw up and revise the respective the labour market and participation in decision- national plans, and monitor their implementation, making processes. so as to encourage gender mainstreaming and budgeting as regards the policies and targets laid Organisations supporting gender mainstreaming down in the plans.” activities in Europe: The European Pact for Gender Equality, approved Council of European Municipalities and Regions by Member States at the European Council of is the largest organisation of local and regional March 2006, reflects the determination of member governments in Europe. Its members are national states to implement policies aimed at promoting associations of towns, municipalities and regions gender equality. Member States have committed from over thirty countries. Together these themselves to reinforcing gender equality focusing associations represent some 100,000 local and on economic independence for women and men regional authorities. The Council of European – a key area of inequality. Municipalities and Regions has been working on women’s political advancement at the local level for The European gender equality policy, adopted in the past twenty five years. The Council of European April 2006 for the European Economic Area and Municipalities and Regions develops methodologies the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, serves as a for achieving gender equality at local level, and complementary guide to other strategies in the collects best practices on gender equality. Further, EU. Council of European Municipalities and Regions facilitates the exchange of good practices between Gender Responsive Budgeting Initiatives have signatories of the European Charter for Equality been integrated in several EU countries including of Women and Men in Local Life, and evaluates the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Spain, progress made in the implementation. Italy, Belgium, among others. Gender Responsive Budgeting Initiative is credited to the partnership between the United Nations Development Fund

16 GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICY FRAMEWORK: REGIONAL AND COUNTRY EXAMPLES

Other Council of European Municipalities and • These two bodies conduct consultations on Regions activities: European local authorities. For example, the European Commission consultations on the • National associations have contributed to the European Union approach to democratic local Charter’s implementation including translating governance, decentralization and territorial the Charter into different EU languages. development, running from 21 April to 16 June • It has a Committee of Women Elected 2008. Representatives promoting the European • A database that presents survey results on women’s Charter. participation for thirty European countries. • It constitutes the European section of the United Councilors representation is (293,317) 23.9% Cities and Local Government. women and (935,214) 76.1% men, while for United Cities and Local Government plays a mayoral representation, women account for leading role in promoting the role of women in (7,900) 10.5% and men (67,398) 89.5%. local government worldwide. United Cities and European Union: The EU, a partnership of Local Government does this through the Global twenty-seven independent European countries, Programme on Women in Local Decision-Making. was founded to promote political, economic and United Cities and Local Government has developed social co-operation. The EU plays a significant an information library containing papers, reports, role in advancing legislation promoting equality articles and case studies on women in local of women and men across Europe. This policy government, as well as conducting a worldwide takes a comprehensive approach which includes survey to develop a database on the percentages of legislation and affirmative action. The EU has been women elected representatives. United Cities and instrumental in providing financial support for Local Government also produces a newsletter on the development and follow-up of the Council of women in local decision-making and briefings on European Municipalities and Regions Charter, as well key events. It also supports networks of elected as giving support to various equality actions. Articles women through the United Cities and Local 2 and 3 of the EC Treaty (gender mainstreaming), Government Committee on Gender Equality. as well as Article 141 (equality between women and The Committee acts as a forum for international men in matters of employment and occupation), exchange of information and experiences related and Article 13 (sex discrimination within and to gender and the promotion of women in outside the work place), form the foundation decision-making. It also monitors progress on the policy. implementation of the Worldwide Declaration on Women in Local Government. United Cities European Commission: The EU countries have and Local Government further brings the voice several instruments for adopting and implementing of women mayors and councilors to the United legislation. The main ones include the European Nations. Parliament, the Council of European Union, and European Commission. The EC represents the Specific United Cities and Local Government initiatives common EU interest, and some of its initiatives in in Europe include: relation to gender equality include: • Those undertaken through the Council of • European Commission’s Roadmap for Equality European Municipalities and Regions, which between Women and Men 2006-2010, adopted serves as its European Section. in March 2006.

17 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

• European Commission Manual for Gender • Promoting women’s entrepreneurship and Mainstreaming of Employment Policies, July gender sensitive Small and Medium-sized 2007 Enterprise policies • European Commission has a Unit dealing • Mainstreaming gender into sub-regional with “Equality between Women and Men”, economic cooperation, through the Working coordinating gender mainstreaming. Group on Gender and Economy within the • European Commission also has a Unit dealing UN Special Programme for the Economies of with “Equality, Action against Discrimination: Central Asia Legal Questions” that ensures eﬀective • Developing methodologies, collecting gender- implementation of Community legislation and disaggregated data, and training on gender initiates new legislation. statistics. • A European Institute for Gender Equality ECE works closely with national initiatives, non- was established by Regulation no. 1922 of the governmental organisations, the EU, and other European Parliament and of the Council of 20 UN agencies including UNIFEM Regional Oﬃce December 2006. The tasks of the Institute are: for the Commonwealth of Independent States to gather and analyse information regarding and UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the gender equality, to raise EU citizen’s awareness of Commonwealth of Independent States. gender equality and, to develop methodological tools in support of gender mainstreaming. There Monitoring and Evaluation mechanisms: are opportunities for collaboration between the The European Community of Practice8 on Gender Institute, Council of European Municipalities Mainstreaming provides for a monitoring and and Regions and national associations of evaluation mechanism for programmes funded by the Council of European Municipalities and the European Social Fund and implemented in the Regions, to support the implementation of the period (2007-2013). Seven governments: Finland, European Charter for Equality of Women and Belgium (Flanders), Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Men, through gathering and analysing data on Spain and Austria (Styria), have partnered to evaluation of local actions for equality. share and disseminate EQUAL9 achievements • The PROGRESS programme for 2007-2013 in gender mainstreaming throughout the EU. A supports the implementation of the principle communication and networking platform is being of gender equality and promotes gender developed for European Social Fund programme mainstreaming in EC policies. managers, gender equality bodies and experts, policy makers and European Social Fund promoters. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe This platform serves as a gender mainstreaming is involved in a wide-range of gender activities. clearinghouse, storing tools and experiences from These include: member states.

• Providing a forum for regional reviews of the 8 A CoP is deﬁned as “groups of people who share a concern, Beijing Platform for Action and exchange of a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an good practices in mainstreaming gender into ongoing basis.” (http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/equal/ economic policies news/200701-gendercop_en.cfm) 9 The EQUAL Initiative promotes a model for working life that does not discriminate or exclude on the basis of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation; funded through the European Social Fund (ESF). 18 GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICY FRAMEWORK: REGIONAL AND COUNTRY EXAMPLES

Peer Reviews: A number of peer review meetings on developments towards gender equality and are held and involve key players associated with the orientations for gender mainstreaming of policy European Community of Practice in the analysis areas. and validation of good practices emerging from EQUAL projects and national thematic networks. Gender based violence: These reviews focus on: implementing a gender Gender violence includes domestic violence and mainstreaming approach in regional development violence in public spaces. Violence in the public with a special emphasis on employment and sphere affects women’s ability to participate freely inclusion policies (Syria); overcoming gender in urban life and governance in Europe and the stereotypes through media campaigns (Flanders); world over. One interesting European initiative to empowering enterprises and social partners to address gender-based violence is the Local Safety implement gender best practices (Italy); capacity Audit. The European Forum for Urban Safety building to promote and facilitate gender has produced the Guidance on Local Safety Audits mainstreaming (Ireland). (2007) as a tool for crime prevention. The guide The participants in a Peer Review are government targets: representatives, independent experts and • People responsible for policy and legislation representatives from the European Commission. at national level, as well as civic leaders with The learning opportunities also bring together a mandate for crime prevention at city level. practitioners and evaluators from the host country It looks at the connection between safety and as the advocates of the EQUAL good practices. wider social, economic and environmental With the launch of the European Community of issues. It identifies who need to be involved in Practice communication platform, the outcomes of a safety audit and what kind of skills, the scope the meetings reach a wide audience. of audit activity, the principles of good practices Gender disaggregated data at local level: A useful and the stages of audit implementation monitoring avenue is provided for by the fact that • Groups overseeing the audit process. It focuses European countries have gender disaggregated data on specific and important issues that pose at local level. For example, the Council of European major challenges, because they are difficult to Municipalities and Regions report of February investigate. For example, ‘at risk’ children and 2008, on “Women in Local Politics in Europe” youth, women’s safety, human trafficking, illicit presents research carried out by national associations drugs and crimes involving businesses from thirty four countries of Council of European • Practitioners who undertake audit work, Municipalities and Regions membership. The emphasizing the importance of combining report shows legislation regarding women quotas. quantitative and qualitative data to gain a good It also presents data on women’s representation in understanding of problems and causal factors. European local governments including: women members of municipal councils; women in the The EU Crime Prevention Network, set up in May municipal executive positions; women mayors and 2001, by an EU Council Decision, is also an avenue vice-mayors etc. for promoting crime prevention activity including gender-based violence in Member States. The Annual Reports: the European Commission EU Crime Prevention Network provides a means in collaboration with Member States prepares through which crime prevention good practices annual reports to the Spring European Council can be shared.

19 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Gender-aware planning: Relevant European initiatives have been documented. The city of Hanover, Germany, In 2005, the Council of European Municipalities has incorporated gender issues into policies, and Regions launched a publication, “Virtual Town programmes and projects where urban policy is for Equality”, based on best practices implemented concerned, especially public transport. Helsinki, in various European municipalities. The “virtual Finland, has introduced a policy where persons town” addresses women’s specific needs in fields traveling with young children in baby buggies travel such as spatial and urban planning, intra-city free, encouraging parents to use public transport. transport, housing and public services. This In the UK, the Women’s Transport Network publication highlights gender aware planning promotes safe and accessible environments and initiatives taking place in various European towns. encourages women to progress in the transport Some representative best practices are described industry. A study into in-car safety and the personal below. security needs of female drivers and passengers was Norway has integrated women in to municipal published in 2004. A checklist on women and life by taking into account their needs and issues public transport has been developed. It includes a in urban planning. This has included increasing series of statements, against which managers check women’s participation in municipal consultations, current practice and service provision, published in education in town planning, training on processes 2000. There is a public transport gender audit report that culminate in city plans, use of gender- published in 2000. The report includes a wide- disaggregated data, among other initiatives. Berlin, ranging literature search and uses focus groups to Germany, has developed guidelines for city and identify and explore factors which affect women’s town planning as well as land use classification experience of public transport. The report includes plans taking gender into account. The city of a gender audit checklist. The checklist is a useful Ulm, Germany, after conducting a neighbourhood management and community tool: it assesses how survey, has developed an outdoor playground well organisations meet women’s needs; it identifies adapted to the needs of girls and boys, in terms priorities for improvement; it measures progress of of games, equipment and building material. gender-based targets; it assesses how well a local Dudelange, Luxembourg, set up an information transport provider or local authority is meeting booth for women to offer consultations and advice women’s transport needs; it identifies priorities on administrative procedures in the municipality. for campaigning, lobbying and negotiations; and In Bristol, UK, single women with children are it measures the progress of operators and local given preferential treatment in allocation of social authorities. housing. Transport related research has been undertaken Gender-aware planning encompasses gender on Gender Mainstreaming European Transport mainstreaming in the transport sector. The Research and Policies, by the Co-ordination for transport system occupies a public space used by Gender Studies, University of Copenhagen in both women and men, and impacts on their ability 2007; Women and transport study by the European to reconcile work and domestic life. Gender issues Parliament in 2006; Promoting Gender Equality in the transport sector include safety, schedules, in Transport, Equal Opportunities Commission parents traveling with small children, as well as the in 2005, Working Paper Series No. 34; among policies that affect these issues. others.

20 GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICY FRAMEWORK: REGIONAL AND COUNTRY EXAMPLES

RWANDA: WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN Engendering the Economic Development and GOVERNANCE AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL Poverty Reduction Strategy in Rwanda has influenced LEVELS national policies and development frameworks. The Checklist developed by the gender oversight Rwanda has the highest percentage of women in its group is being used as a mainstreaming tool for all legislature, of any country anywhere in the world. the main sectors of the Economic Development After the 1994 genocide, Rwanda’s population and Poverty Reduction Strategy. The checklist is was sixty per cent female. Given this demographic a first step to defining programmes and activities imbalance, women immediately assumed multiple that are critical to budget allocations. The lessons roles as heads of households and community learnt from this process have facilitated integration leaders. They were significantly involved in of gender equality and women’s empowerment in rebuilding a decimated society. They found homes the initial United Nations Development Assistance for nearly five hundred thousands orphans, and Framework prioritisation process in Rwanda. This built shelters. Women in Rwanda were leaders experience has generated non-traditional partners in the reconstruction efforts. Today, women like the Ministry of Finance, the Rwanda Defense contribute significantly to the productive capacity forces and the Supreme Court. of the nation. Acknowledging the presence, needs and potential role of women, the government Rwanda promotes the participation of women at determined that women should be central to the all administrative levels, from the smallest cell to process of governance, reconciliation and in the provincial and national levels. Rwanda introduced rebuilding the country. two electoral innovations: the triple balloting system and a parallel system of women councils and As of 2007, Gender Budgeting is one of the women-only elections. The triple balloting system strategies within the national gender policy, aimed introduced in March 2001 guarantees the election at promoting gender equality through the allocation of women to a percentage of seats at district level. of resources. With the support of UNIFEM, Through this system, each voter uses three ballots: women members of parliament have been trained a general ballot, a women’s ballot and a youth on Gender Responsive Budgets and are able to ballot. Through a subsequent indirect election, a identify priority areas including capacity building, district council is chosen from candidates who win development of advocacy tools, creation of a gender at the sector level. This district council includes disaggregated monitoring and evaluation system all those elected on the general ballot, one third and collaboration with key partners. It is expected of the women and one third of the youth. From that UNIFEM will play a major role in supporting this group, the district mayor and other executive parliamentarians in implementing the gender committee officials are chosen. This system has policy within the framework of the newly adopted been successful in putting women into office. It second generation Poverty Reduction Strategy: also provides room within the system for women Economic Development and Poverty Reduction who are not comfortable challenging men directly Strategy, 2008-2012. Members of parliament have in elections. Instead, they can compete against been trained and they are applying the acquired other women and gain experience campaigning skills, especially in budget analysis and approval. and serving in government.

21 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

The women’s councils and women-only elections SOUTH AFRICA: GENDER MAINSTREAMING guarantee a mandate for women onto all elected POLICIES AND THE ROLE OF LOCAL bodies. These ten member councils include AUTHORITIES representatives of legal affairs, civic education, In maintaining its commitment to human rights health and finance. These councils have an advocacy and gender equality, South Africa is a signatory to role. They are involved in skills training and various international human rights instruments, making local women aware of their rights as well as such as the Convention for the Elimination of All advising the generally elected bodies on issues that Forms of Discrimination against Women, Convention affect women and take women’s concerns to them. on the Rights of Child; Beijing Declaration and They ensure that the views of women on education, Platform of Action; the Copenhagen Declaration health and security are communicated to the local and Programme of Action (World Summit on authorities. Social Development); regional instruments such Rwanda’s achievements can be attributed to its as Southern African Development Community membership to regional inter-governmental Declaration on Gender and Development, the Africa organisations that are involved in empowerment Platform for Action (adopted before the Beijing initiatives for women. These include the African Conference); Women’s Rights Protocol; national Union, the United Nations Economic Commission Women’s Charter for Effective Equality. for Africa, East African Community, and the The country is also a member of various regional Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. inter-governmental organisations such as the The African Union has a Women, Gender and African Union, the United Nations Economic Development Directorate whose core functions are: Commission for Africa, and the Southern African gender mainstreaming; coordination; advocacy; Development Community that advocate for policy formulation; performance tracking, women’s empowerment. monitoring and evaluation; training and capacity building; research; communication, networking South Africa has a Bill of Rights, which guarantees in and liaison. It also follows-up on the Draft law the equality of men and women and addresses Protocol of the African Charter on Human and all forms of discrimination. It has the Labour Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, Relations Act; the Basic Conditions of Employment as well as, several declarations and action plans. Act; the Employment Equity Bill; Domestic Violence The New Partnership for Africa’s Development, an Act; Customary Marriages Act; Child Maintenance initiative of the African Union, also contributes to Act. The Constitution provides for the equality the empowerment of women. The United Nations of women and allows for affirmative action Economic Commission for Africa has a Gender and to address gender and race inequality. It also Social Development Programme, which among provides for affirmative action for people from other objectives, works towards the empowerment previously disadvantaged groups. Additionally, the of women. The East African Community has a government promotes the advancement of women Regional Gender and Community Development and black people within the public service and in Strategy and Programme. The Common Market for the decision-making process. Eastern and Southern Africa has a gender policy, a gender mainstreaming strategy and an action plan.

22 GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICY FRAMEWORK: REGIONAL AND COUNTRY EXAMPLES

The Constitutional Court seeks to promote gender gender perspective; commissioning research and equality. There is a national gender policy framework, making recommendations to Parliament and other which addresses the systemic inequalities between authorities; educating and informing the public; men and women; assists in eradicating gender investigating complaints on gender-related issues; discriminatory policies in the workplace; provides as well as monitoring the country’s progress towards a framework for the implementation of positive gender equality in relation to international norms. measures to advance women in the workplace; The Commission on Gender Equality also actively and addresses issues such as sexual harassment and campaigns to increase the representation of women affirmative action. in local government. The national gender machinery includes structures in The South African Local Government Association government, the legislature, parliament, statutory has established a National Women’s caucus, bodies and civil society organisations. It includes to coordinate women’s empowerment in local among others, the Office on the Status of Women; government, and has enshrined a target of 50% the Commission on Gender Equality; the Gender female representation in its constitution. South Focal Points and Units in government departments; Africa adopts integrated development planning the Women’s Empowerment Unit which addresses provided for by the 1998 White Paper on Local the obstacles to women’s full participation in law- Government and Municipal Systems Act of 2000. making processes; the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus This includes integrated municipal development and the Parliamentary Committee on the Life and planning which promotes gender equality. The Status of Women that seeks to make parliament more Women’s National Coalition represents the interests gender sensitive. TheOffice on the Status of Women is of women in the National Economic, Development placed within the President’s office and coordinates and Labour Council, a government-sponsored the work of gender desks in line departments and forum between business, government and the provincial Office on the Status of Women as part of unions. government’s gender management system. Specific functions include: There is a Gender Budgeting Initiative that analyses the national budget and assesses its impact on women • The promotion of affirmativeaction in and men, as well as giving them an opportunity to government exert influence on the budget process. • Supporting government bodies to integrate gender perspectives in policies and programmes • Organising gender training within government departments • Helping different government departments to work together on issues. The main functions of theCommission on Gender Equality include: monitoring all organs of society on gender equality; assessing all legislation from a

23 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

South Africa has adopted aﬃrmative action to include Other initiatives include the Multi-party women in decision making processes. The Southern Parliamentary Women’s Group that helps women African Development Community governments, members in their work, and the Committee including South Africa, have committed themselves on Improving the Quality of Life and Status of to giving 50 percent of decision-making posts Women. The Speakers Forum has a Women’s within member states to women, up from the Empowerment Unit that trains national and previous 30 percent. The Municipal Structures Act provincial representatives to do their work better. of 1998, includes guidelines promoting quotas for The National Crime Prevention Strategy prioritises women [every party must ensure 50 per cent of gender-based violence. Policy documents such as candidates on the party list are women] and provides the White Paper on Safety and Security 1999-2004, for equal representation between women and men “In Service of Safety”, emphasizes the critical role on the Ward Committees. The White Paper outlines of local government/authorities in mainstreaming measures to ensure that councils speciﬁcally target gender into safety policies, supporting and allocating women for inclusion in participatory processes. appropriate resources to gender-based violence initiatives, and promoting the access of women to strategic positions within local government. WOMEN AT A GLANCE10 • Parliament: 30% • Cabinet: 45% including key portfolios such as Justice, Health, Education, Housing, Public Administration, and Land Affairs • Local government: 40% • Ambassadors: more than 50%

10 Adapted from: The Promotion of Women’s Rights in South Africa, www.sudafrica.it/notizie/The%20Promotion%20of%20W omen’s%20rights%20(f).doc 24 BEST PRACTICES CASE STUDIES

BEST PRACTICE CASE STUDIES

COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO GENDER MAINSTREAMING

GENDER MAINSTREAMING AND THE WOMEN DEVELOPMENT CODE OF NAGA CITY, PHILIPPINES

Introduction Approximately twenty percent of the city’s population was homeless. Naga gradually overcame its problems he City of Naga is located in the Bicol Region such that, by the end of the 1990s it was considered Tof the Philippines. It is 377 kilometers southeast one of the county’s fastest-growing and most livable of Manila, the nation’s capital. It is the commercial, cities. Improved governance was seen as key to this educational, financial, religious and cultural centre of improvement. The city has also become a recognised the Bicol region. Naga city is at the core of Metro Naga, model in Philippine local governance, largely because a fast growing area composed of 14 municipalities. of its effective and innovative programmes. Key to Naga city has an outstanding form of governance - the sustaining these programmes has been an emphasis on i-Governance Programme that goes beyond stakeholder participatory mechanisms. Indeed, the city pioneered participation to address individual participation. The several efforts to engage the community in governance initiative is a “people-driven” programme that promotes processes. In 1995, it enacted a landmark legislation transparency, accountability and participation in known as the Empowerment Ordinance. This expanded governance processes and in local service delivery, and the people’s role in governance by establishing a promotes its attractiveness to investors. The programme functional framework for partnership and participation uses various media - a citizens’ guidebook, the Internet, with more than a hundred non-government and people’s print and broadcast tools and text messaging to empower organisations through the Naga City People’s Council. the citizenry and actively engage them in government It is within this context that gender equality in local policy-making, and programme implementation governance was viewed. and evaluation. Through the programme, there has Objectives been increased transparency and accountability, more meaningful community participation and more equitable Specific objectives of the better-governance initiative service delivery. Responsiveness of the public service has were defined as: resulted in Naga being chosen as an anti-red tape model and being voted, for two consecutive years, as the most • Community participation to bring the current business-friendly city in the country leading to a 6.5 per partnership and participation-driven model cent annual economic growth, and a household income of Naga governance down to the level of the which is 42 percent and 126 percent higher than the individual to ensure that all citizens had a voice national and Bicol averages, respectively. in government decision-making. Background • Transparency and Accountability – through improved access to information, especially with Naga city was stagnating in the 1980’s. Business regard to the responsibilities of government confidence was low, unemployment was on the rise agencies, processes and operational standards and taxes were in decline. This affected delivery of basic services especially in health and education. Crime was for the delivery of services, and mechanisms to on the rise. allow the constituency to monitor government performance and pinpoint the office or person 25 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

who is exactly accountable for the outcome • Responsiveness, Effectiveness and Efficiency • Equity – to afford all constituents equal – with interactive engagement and the ability treatment and access to city services, regardless of to pinpoint exact accountability, coupled with their status in life, by enhancing consciousness of a policy of government striving to approximate opportunities and ensuring predictability of the private standards, enable the bureaucracy to “do service delivery mechanism more with less” and sustain a culture of excellence and innovative management.

26 BEST PRACTICES CASE STUDIES

Process The Women’s Council functions as a feedback mechanism in planning, policy formulation and Gender issues have been implemented through a implementation of gender issues. number of ordinances. Labour-Management Cooperation Ordinance The Women Development Code of Naga City of the city of Naga seeks to promote strong is a collaborative initiative between the city collaborative relationships between employers and government of Naga and various women’s groups. employees. The Labour Council is a partnership The common objective is to institutionalise composed of the city government, representatives existing initiatives to ensure that they continue from the employers sector and representatives even when there are changes in government. This from the employees’ sector. In upholding the local legislation declares, in unequivocal terms, the rights of women to participation in decision- commitment of the city government of Naga and making, the Ordinance requires that at least one the organised women’s groups to vigorously pursue of the three representatives from the employers and and implement gender-responsive development the employees sectors shall be women, and that policies and programmes to create an environment women’s issues will be on the agenda. where human dignity is felt and experienced by every person, particularly women, and allows them Outcomes equal opportunity to develop their potential. Consistent with its commitment to empower The ordinance declares principles and policies the people towards meaningful and sustained that guide the city government in the exercise participation in governance, the city government of its powers: Rights of women which the city of Naga strongly facilitates and supports, through government commits to uphold; clear mechanisms policies and budget, various private sector initiatives to ensure enjoyment of the women’s rights in response to the issues and concerns of women. declared under the ordinance; direct women’s Three outstanding initiatives are: participation in governance through seats for women representatives; allocation of at least ten The Naga City Task Force Sagip is a mechanism percent of the city government’s Annual Budget, created to implement the mandate of the women for programmes and projects mandated under the development code to prevent and prohibit the Ordinance; creation of the Naga City Integrated publication of pornographic and indecent materials Gender and Development Office; strengthening or the staging of indecent shows. Another initiative, the Naga City Council for Women, making a the Naga City Home Care Center is a facility that private-public partnership mechanism to monitor serves as a “half-way house/shelter” for women and and ensure implementation of the Ordinance. children victims of domestic violence. It is run and operated by a non-government organisation but The Naga City Women’s Council Ordinance: A funded by the Naga City Government. The Naga networking mechanism for public and private City Bantay Familia Initiative facilitates delivery activities on issues affecting women. It consists of all government and private services to women of all city government offices whose mandates and children victims of violence, from the city level affect and address women’s issues and concerns in down to the barangay (ward) level. collaboration with other women institutions.

27 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Policy Mandate The Code devolves to local governments certain regulatory powers, such as the reclassification of Philippines has strong national policy machinery for agricultural lands, enforcement of environmental gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment. laws, inspection of food products and quarantine, The National Commission on the Role of Filipino enforcement of national building code, operation Women carries out continuous programmes in of tricycles, and approval of subdivision plans. The many gender-related areas including: Local Code has increased the financial resources of • Ensuring gender responsiveness in national the local government units by increasing their share development plans of national wealth from 11 percent to as much as 40 percent. The Code mandates a participatory • Advocacy planning process involving representation from civil • Monitoring and assessment society, and the private sector in local development • Capacity building for women and women’s councils. The councils include civil society organisations representatives, and are obliged to mobilise people’s participation in local development efforts and also • Gender awareness for the policy makers and the monitor implementation of local development general public projects. Women’s organisations constitute one of • Policy studies and reviews the significant participant groups. • Support to balancing traditional and modern Lessons Learned roles of women Due to these interventions, a greater segment of • Budget monitoring the society is now more aware of the important • This policy and provisions are made at the role played by women in the development of the national level and implemented at local level community. Women have been given a voice in backed by the decentralisation policy. local decision-making processes, and have become visionary leaders in their society. This initiative The 1991 Local Government Code was adopted as a uses a top-down and bottom-up approach to constitutional amendment. It defines the mandate, governance. Policy suggestions and programmes of role and responsibilities of local government. It action sometimes come from the top (government includes the formal recognition and designation of officials) and sometimes they come from the four tiers of governance - provincial, city, municipal bottom (non-governmental organisations and and barangays (the smallest political unit). It people’s organisations). Both parties are open and also affects national government as far as their ready to respond to concerns raised by the other. relationship to the local government is concerned. Bottom-up-top-down approach has worked in The Code devolves to local government units the many participatory initiatives in the Philippines responsibility of delivering basic services. These including those on gender issues. The effectiveness services include: health, social welfare services, of the Naga programme has several pillars: gender environmental protection, agricultural extension, policies, effective decentralisation, institutionalised locally funded public works, education, tourism, community participation and very strong political telecommunications services and housing projects, commitment. and investment support and promotion.

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Sustainability A detailed annex on the Women Development Code of Naga City is presented in Annex 1. The Women Development Code of Naga City is the first of its kind. It is the first time a local Contact Information government has made funding commitment of City Mayor’s Office/i-Governance Program Team this magnitude to gender issues, and the first time City Hall Compound, J. Miranda Avenue to entrust monitoring to a private group, thereby Naga City, Philippines truly implementing the principles of transparency. Tel. No. (63)(54) 811-3961 To replicate it, the city authority has already started disseminating the ordinance, in partnership Fax No. (63)(54) 811-1286 with a non-governmental organisation, with the Email: [email protected] or [email protected] different municipalities in the province through presentations/fora with women legislators of these local government units.

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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR GENDER MAINSTREAMING, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Introduction Actions Vienna is the capital of Austria, and one of nine The gender mainstreaming project was implemented states of Austria. It has a population of about in three phases. The first phase was to work towards 1.6 million (2.2 million within the greater metro a cross-sectional implementation of Gender area). Vienna is by far the largest city in Austria as mainstreaming within selected departments. The well as being the cultural, economic and political second phase was to expand it to all departments centre. Vienna is determined to stay current of the administration. After three years, Gender with social changes, hence the improvement of Mainstreaming was expected to be applicable equality between women and men is considered within all key parts of the administration with every to be an important aim item in the city’s agenda. key personality being able to apply it within their Since the beginning of the 1990s there has been a own functional responsibilities. This was viewed as commitment to cross-sectional women’s and equal achievable only through formulation and ongoing opportunity policy in the City. updates of an implementation strategy brought about by existing know how and competence in Background the fields project management. The sensitisation, In 2000, the City of Vienna initiated the consciousness raising and knowledge transfers project of Gender Mainstreaming, with the city for the application of Gender Mainstreaming, as administration and the Municipal Department for well as consultation among corporate consulting Promotion and Co-ordination of Women’s Issues services, initiation and coordination of Gender being the responsible bodies. In October 2005, the Mainstreaming programmes and the development project centre was established in the Chief Executive of evaluation and reporting methods in the project Office – Executive office for Urban Planning. This centre were also important. was to facilitate a cross sectional implementation Pilot Project – Mariahilf District within all parts of the administration with “top- down” approach. Since the Project is part of the Mariahilf was picked out as the “Gender administration all resources required such as Mainstreaming Pilot District” in 2002. The physical space, technical support as well as human coordinating office for Planning and Construction and financial resources, were mobilised by the city takes into consideration the specific needs of administration. women. The Executive Office for Urban Planning, Development and Construction is in charge of the Objective process and provided the theoretical and practical The main objective was Structural Implementation background. The aim is to take into account the of Gender Mainstreaming within selected interests of pedestrians when designing public road departments in Vienna. space.

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In 2002, a set of maps depicting qualities and deficits They all took into account area-wide gender in the pedestrian-path network was made available mainstreaming for all measures implemented in to all districts as part of a “Gender Mainstreaming the 6th district. Model Districts” programme to support gender- sensitive decisions for projects in public space. In 2006, the core departments again considered Districts also received a manual of gender-sensitive gender mainstreaming an area-wide issue for the perspectives for traffic and transport planning 6th district. The procedures hitherto applied were at the Co-ordination Office’s. Based on these revised. As of the second quarter of 2006, the circumstances Mariahilf was chosen as the Gender planning process for road construction projects in Mainstreaming Pilot District in late 2002. the 6th district were initiated with a gender check taking into account different target groups and The project process was carried out in several phases. their specific circumstances from the very start and The first phase was for preparation and it entailed to facilitate relevant decisions. two studies on Gender mainstreaming in planning: Best Practice – Gender Mainstreaming in Planning Since the project first began in late 2002, almost and Construction in Europe, and Implementation 1,000 metres of pavement have been widened, of Principles set out in Transport Master Plan approximately 40 street crossings have been added, 2003 Relevant to Pedestrian Traffic in Gender 26 lighting projects have been implemented, Mainstreaming Pilot District Mariahilf. During the barrier-free pavements have been created in five study a systematic and area-wide transfer of quality different places, one lift has been installed in standards set out in the Transport Master Plan, was public space, two minor square designs have been undertaken and priorities and cost estimates were completed and additional seating has been placed established. in nine different locations. The second phase was the Master project and it The main challenge was to methodically integrate included an inaugural meeting in July 2004, where the interests of pedestrians into traffic and transport participating departments had the opportunity to planning and to put them on an equal footing exchange experiences for the first time. It is through with other interests. Precise knowledge of internal this that municipal departments independently procedures at the level of municipal departments selected gender mainstreaming master projects was essential for the success of the process. Practical from the current working programme. Area wide illustration of gender mainstreaming based on a initiative was the third phase, where the seven concrete pilot process raised people’s acceptance participating departments involved in the project of the issue and reduced fear of contact among assessed gender-specific implications and carefully members of staff. considered their decisions in accordance with the Due to the positive results from the pilot district needs of different target groups. The instruments Mariahilf, the minimum standards prepared by developed for the purpose were first tested during the core departments are to be extended to other pilot projects and procedures in the district. In districts. 2005 Municipal Departments (MD) 28, Road Management and Construction, MD 33, Public Lighting and MD 46, Traffic Management and Organisation, were selected as core departments for the project.

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Process Gender specific needs The implementation of Gender Mainstreaming • “Her-Programme” – The Vienna Women’s was supported by Vienna City Council, in Health Programme: pioneering within Europe particular by the Executive City Councillor for was established by a unanimous resolution of Integration, Women’s Issues, Consumer Protection the Vienna City Council in November 1998 and and Personnel and coordinated with political has been a division of the Vienna Social Welfare resolutions such as: the closed meeting of the city Fund since 2002. The “Her-Programme” was government in October 2004 in which Gender developed by an expert commission chaired Mainstreaming was the subject of discussion; the by the City Councillors of Public Health and closed meeting of the city government in January Women’s Affairs, and comprising representatives 2005 with it’s resolution on Gender Budgeting from all relevant fields of medicine, psychology in order to complete the Gender Mainstreaming and social affairs as well as non-governmental process. organisations and politicians from all parties of the Vienna City Council. The programme’s So far the Gender Mainstreaming Project has objective is to improve medical, psychological established a gender training facility for city and social services for women. Awareness of employees to introduce the main objectives of the women’s health and the adoption a holistic project. approach to health care has all been aided by The other objective is to enable the public to become gender mainstreaming. an active part of the implementation process. • Gender Mainstreaming Pilot District – gender Another programme initiated is the Vienna Women’s sensitive planning: the former Executive City Health Programme (“Her-Programme”) whose Councillor for Women’s Issues Mag. a Renate objective is to improve medical, psychological and Brauner and the Executive City Councillor social services for women. A sustained campaign for Urban Development Dipl-Ing. Rudolf of sensitisation on gender budgeting and gender Schicker launched this pilot project managed mainstreaming is carried out targeting political and by the Co-ordination Office for Planning and administrative staff of the city. Construction taking consideration the specific Outcomes needs of Women in 2001. Mariahilf (6th district) was chosen as a pilot district. Beginning Gender roles and responsibilities: in 2003, every department of the Policy group for Urban Development, Traffic and Transport “Gender Trainings”: in cooperation with the had to commit themselves to display gender- Academy of Administration, the Project has specific impacts of every single action within established a concept for gender training of this district and furthermore to enhance equal employees which aims to introduce the Principals opportunities for women and men in the of Gender Mainstreaming, to sensitise and for it following three years. to become an active part of the implementation process.

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WHO USES THE PUBLIC SPACE ?

Different users of public space in Vienna © City of Vienna

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Access to resources The city also requires educational institutions supported by the city to submit gender-sensitivity Gender Budgeting Pilot District – gender reports. sensitive budgeting: in February 2004 Meidling (12th district) decided to provide its budget for Reporting on gender accountability by each testing on gender budgeting at the district level. department is made available to all other Accordingly, during the formulation of the budget departments. This increases the commitment to estimate for the year 2006, Gender Budgeting- addressing gender issues. principles have been incorporated into the analysis of all expenditures assessable on district level. This Policy Mandate budget estimate was approved on 16th December The implementation of the project centre Gender 2005. Mainstreaming was obtained by an enactment by the The outstanding results are: Chief Executive Director of the Viennese Municipal. It was supported by the Vienna City Council, • Institutionalisation of Gender Budgeting by particularly by the Executive City Councillor for political resolution. Integration, Women’s Issues, Consumer Protection • Creation of consciousness and sustainable and Personnel and the Executive City Councillor for sensitisation for Gender Mainstreaming Urban Development, Traffic and Transport. It was and Gender Budgeting for politicians and coordinated with political resolutions such as the administration staff involved. closed meeting of the city government in October 2004 concerning Gender Mainstreaming and in • Accomplishment of a gender-specific user January 2005 concerning Gender Budgeting. analysis. Gender Budgeting Vienna – gender sensitive • Preparation of gendered information for policy- budgeting central budget estimate 2006: in January makers. 2005, the city government decided to complete the • Compilation of a gender sensitive budget Gender Mainstreaming process by means of Gender estimates which include an outline of the way Budgeting. An employee of the Administrative services are offered by the city administration. Group of Finance, Economic Affairs and Vienna The aim is to offer services in a way that will Public Utilities was appointed the Gender Budgeting lead to more gender equity. Commissioner. In the course of the preparation of the budget estimate of 2006, she and the budget co-ordinators of all Administrative Groups With this analysis common procedures and services accomplished their first review of all budgetary were questioned – the precise gender screening of inclusions of each Administrative Group. This who benefits from which products, services and analysis set a national and international benchmark financial means proved to be a trigger for re-thinking for the implementation of Gender Budgeting. the actual target group as well as new strategies The introduction to the usual budgeting process and solutions within the Municipal Departments, guaranteed an overall learning process, which leading to innovative new pilot projects such as increases the chance of sustainability. gender sensitive planning of a schoolyard, of parks and of municipal buildings.

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Lessons Learned Mainstreaming in their daily work The Gender Mainstreaming commitment has to • 53% female employees and 36% male employees start with top-level decision-makers with a clear agree that it is relevant to adapt public services top-down involvement by the people in charge. to the different needs of women and men It has to be based upon a wide political consensus • 52% female employees and 24% male and requires wide support. The continuation and employees agree that a gender sensitive language advancement of women’s policy and affirmative is important for a more equal society action programmes for women are of great importance. Central to the successful implementation is a sex- • 57% female and male employees agree that disaggregated database for all aspects of city life. gender sensitive statistics are relevant for their work Sustainability Contact Information The Project Centre mainly benefited from Vienna City Administration, Chief Executive experiences generated by the Municipal Department Office - Executive Group for Organization, Safety for Promotion and Co-ordination of Women’s and Security Issues during cross-sectional projects with other departments and various Gender Mainstreaming Project Centre Gender Mainstreaming pilot projects covering several years. Rathaus 1082 Vienna A survey carried out at the end of 2007, among all employees of the City of Vienna, (about 57,000 Austria persons working for the city administration) show Tel.:++43/1/4000/75126 that equality and gender mainstreaming remain Fax: ++43/1/4000/99 75126 topics of divisive discussion. Nevertheless, the Mail: [email protected] results prove that there is increasing awareness and knowledge of gender issues as well as a greater willingness to integrate gender aspects in various fields of work. • 90% female employees, 76 % male employees agree that the city of Vienna has to take positive action to promote equality among women and men • 69% of female employees and 64% of male employees state that they informed themselves on the Gender Mainstreaming strategy of the city of Vienna • 52% female and male employees agree that gender issues are an important topic in their field of activity • 41% female employees and 53% male employees state that they have already applied Gender

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MUNICIPAL PLAN TO PROMOTE GENDER EQUITY IN BELÉN, COSTA RICA

Introduction Actions Belén is a district of the province of Heredia, in • Capacity building among the decision-makers Costa Rica. It is part of a greater metropolitan area, and staff at senior management levels in the with residential housing occupying at least 25% of municipality the area while 18% is occupied by industry. It has • Implementation of civic audits for monitoring a population of 20,000. and follow-ups of municipal engagements. Mainstreaming and institutionalising gender equity The local government is in charge of assuring a within the Belen municipality has been done at democratic, inclusive and participatory approach two levels. At the strategic level: this involves and to promote social and gender equity redefining policies and management indicators. • Monitoring target population groups to study At the operative level: this incorporates actions on changes in the institutional culture. gender matters through organisational structures, processes and programmes. There is also awareness- Process raising of local actors and capacity building on In 2004, an assessment was carried out: a document’s gender issues. review was conducted together with interviews of Background civil servants to asses the extent to which social and gender equity and equality issues had been Gender needs and interests were not given priority mainstreamed into municipal areas. The study within the municipality. There was a vast gap in concluded that gender issues were barely addressed. service delivery and access to resources between This assessment was complemented with another different sectors of the population: women, study made up of representative women groups. children and physically challenged people are As a first step, a dialogue between the municipal marginalised. Gender issues have been addressed administration and women representatives was by the gender unit in the municipality. As a result, established. it has not been addressed as a cross-cutting theme in all departments within the municipality. Capacity building: Workshops on gender capacity building and awareness raising were held for the Objectives municipality staff. From May 31st to September 24th 2004, nine workshops on the following areas Awareness-raising in the municipality to promote were held: change in institutional culture. • Introduction to Human Rights • Provision of tools to incorporate equity in the working terms and conditions of municipal • Patriarchy and gender-sex system staff. • Gender gaps and gender sensitive policies (use, • Capacity building and evaluation of achievement control, access to resources, affirmative policies of municipal commitments. and strategies, among others) • Municipal management and local development with gender equity and equality • Planning with gender perspective

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Community Participation on Urban Issues © UN-HABITAT

• Building specific objectives, strategic actions accordance with the goals of improving the quality and indicators of life of Belen’s citizens. Political support was • Systematisation and collective integration of the given. Consultations and meetings were held with Plan different council departments to promote the plan. Plan designing: Municipal staff and women’s organisations discussed key points to be Workshops on gender awareness were well received incorporated in to the Plan. The municipal Gender by the municipality staff, which led to a reduction Office organised meetings with other municipal in prejudices and a lessening of tensions between areas to design and validate general actions to fulfill men and women. the Plans objectives. The number of municipal departments Plan publication: Before the publication, women incorporating gender activities increased A manual organisations and the municipal council validated was designed [“practical tools to apply in ordinary the Plan (ordinary session no. 75-2004, November work”]. 30th 2004). A public awareness campaign was developed. It In 2005, coordination work between the gender targeted community based organisations and non- unit of the municipality and the rest of the council’s governmental organizations, working on a range departments was established for each council of issues which include, safety, economic subsidy department. programmes and management of public spaces. In 2006, specific gender activities and projects Outcomes were incorporated in the annual operative plan for 2007. Evaluation and follow up mechanisms and The main achievements were increased knowledge implementation tools were developed. on gender equity in the following municipal areas: urban development, media and use of language, In 2007, there were elections, and the municipal public involvement, contract procedures and administration changed. This presented an project design/implementation. opportunity to renew the institutional commitment to promoting social and gender equity in local All the municipal work units have incorporated development. This institutional commitment concrete goals and actions on gender equity matters was incorporated into the strategic development (118 actions). Agenda of Belen municipality 2007-2011, in

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Positive changes in the municipal work culture as assessed before the implementation plan. The well as staff relations. methodology should be participatory, generating internal processes to analyse personal attitudes, An internal commission on gender was formed feelings and thinking on topics relating to equity representing the whole of municipality. and equality. Tools are needed for use by municipal Outcomes in specific areas: urban development staff (update of the municipal zoning plan, It is important to mainstream gender in municipal incorporating gender perspective, equity and processes: local government, planning, healthcare, citizen participation). employment, among others A guide on gender sensitive language and writing Gender aware policies also have a positive impact for media houses (within and without the on vulnerable and marginalised groups municipality), was developed. At the operational level, a gender development plan Strengthening alliances between the Women is only effective if it is backed by a good policy, and National Institute and the municipality, working implementation is not limited to a single gender/ together on social development. The number women’s unit of women in the municipal commissions has increased. Capacity building, awareness-raising and evaluation should be continuous processes throughout The experience is viewed as a model to be replicated municipal structures. in at least eight other municipalities in Costa Rica. Contact Information There is increased goodwill towards gender and social equity at work among civil servants. Maria Picado Belen Belén Municipality Policy Mandate P.O. Box: 123-CP 4005 The Plan represents the first national effort City/Town: Belén district, Heredia Province in incorporating social and gender equity Country: Costa Rica mainstreaming in to local government. There is an Telephone number: telp.506) 293-5944 ext. 107, institutional policy supporting this work. Women 111 National Institute, the governing entity on gender Fax number: (506) 2933667 equity and equality in public policies, since 2005, Email address: ofi[email protected] has used Belen’s municipality model, to design similar plans in other municipalities around the country. Lessons Learned Political support is important. It means budget allocation and clear and consistent ideological positions in promoting the welfare of all citizens An assessment should be done before to establish the baseline data from which future progress is

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Grassroots Women Meet the Challenge roundtable - “Women’s life, Women’s decision”. © Globe Foundation

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

THE GRASSROOTS WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY

Introduction Practices of local women’s groups, however successful, have not been documented on the usual circuits The Grassroots Women’s International Academy disseminating global information. Their practices is an international transfer mechanism created have been more vulnerable to misappropriation by by grassroots women’s international networks to mainstream development actors, who have been transfer and upscale their practices. The Grassroots better equipped with packaging and dissemination Women’s International Academy provides a tools. Networking at the grassroots level results structure for peer learning to identify the successful in the identification of inspiring best practices elements of grassroots practices around the globe of grassroots women. Financial resources were and to include them in mainstream channels. The secured through a strategy of linking major global Grassroots Women’s International Academy is about events, such as big international meetings. When redefining governance and development roles and the German government organised the Expo reframing the use of knowledge and resources from 2000, they were interested in showcasing women’s the perspective of what works best on the ground. best practices through The Grassroots Women’s The Grassroots Women’s International Academy International Academy as a way to include the is a methodology and practice for collecting and grassroots experience at the Expo. Thus the first transferring the best practices of grassroots women’s The Grassroots Women’s International Academy groups in improving everyday life conditions for took place. those families and communities. The Grassroots Women’s International Academy provides targeted opportunities to grassroots innovators, particularly women, who often lack prominent fora and opportunities, to articulate and share their experiences, and to develop the tools to disseminate them.

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Background Objective The Grassroots Women’s International Academy was The objective of The Grassroots Women’s designed and initiated by members of the Mother International Academy is to transfer and replicate Centres International Network for Empowerment best practices both horizontally (peer learning) and conducted in cooperation with the Huairou and vertically (assuring that other stakeholders Commission. The inauguration of The Grassroots become involved). Precondition to its success is the Women’s International Academy’s was part of the ownership by the grassroots group of the knowledge Expo 2000 in Germany and was sponsored by contained in their best practice. the Family Department of the German Federal Government, the German Division of SOS Actions Children’s Villages and the Huairou Commission. These objectives are achieved through a process of The initial Grassroots Women’s International reflection and documentation, generated by peer Academies (1998 – 2000) took place at the SOS teaching and peer exchange. Another core action Mother Centre in Salzgitter-Bad, Germany. is the analysis of the partnerships needed for the In The Grassroots Women’s International Academy sustainability of those best practices. sessions, conditions for replication and transfer Process were analysed and linked to mainstream debates in a strategic way. Participating groups were selected The ten meetings The Grassroots Women’s on recommendation after being scrutinised by local International Academy has held so far have partners on criteria such as women’s leadership, contributed to a powerful exchange and transfer of having a concrete practice that works and being best practices, from North to South, from South to community based. Every group prepared a day North, from East to West and vice versa, as well as long free format training workshop to teach their between groups in the same region who have been best practices. An important part of this was the isolated from one another. The Grassroots Women’s definition of follow-up activities to enhance and International Academy demonstrated two different consolidate transfers. This was tailor-made to levels of best practices. First, the practices of the direct exchange visits, or further training. The last participating groups were transferred to other section of The Grassroots Women’s International groups as a result of the Academy’s process. Secondly, Academy was dedicated to partner dialogues to the Academy as a transfer methodology is a best enhance exchanges and to absorb the learning of practice in itself that was replicated successfully in The Grassroots Women’s International Academy. different settings. The partner dialogues brought diverse development The first Grassroots Women’s International partners - United Nations, donor countries, Academy’s were primarily events to highlight and national leaders, local government official, big exchange best practices. The Grassroots Women’s non-governmental organisations etc - into The International Academy held in New York in Grassroots Women’s International Academy 2001, served as a tool to impact on the Istanbul+5 sessions to debate issues with grassroots women. meeting as well as a capacity building strategy. The biggest problem facing the implementation of The Grassroots Women’s International Academy The Grassroots Women’s International Academy in Barcelona at the WUF II in 2004 had a special was the lack of financial resources. This resulted in focus on partnership building. insufficient translation equipment and inadequate communication facilitation, in addition to the 40 challenge of financing travel and accommodation. BEST PRACTICES CASE STUDIES

Participating groups came together with their Work in Turkey. The Turkish women learned local authorities and prepared their presentation. how to organize community women and how to This provided strong horizontal and vertical be at the forefront of reconstruction after natural learning. The two thematic Grassroots Women’s disasters. The method of gathering information and International Academy’s that have been held on conducting community surveys as a governance AIDS, combined preparing advocacy work at the and partnership building tool was piloted by International Conference on AIDS and Sexually The Grassroots Women’s International Academy Transmitted Infections in Africa conferences, with participants Society for the Promotion of Area peer exchange and networking activities among Resource Centres and Swayam Shikshan Prayog African groups. To facilitate replication, the Nest! in India and successfully transferred to Turkish Foundation published “The Grassroots Women’s communities. International Academy Handbook” which gives practical insights in background and application of Lessons Learned its methodology. Women learnt that solutions lie in people, not Outcomes in technology. Only when there are equitable partnerships at the grassroots level, can the quality Some examples of successful transfers of grassroots of decision and policy making be improved. best practices as follow up of The Grassroots Development is sustainable when it is rooted Women’s International Academy include: locally in community networks. When women take leadership roles, corruption is reduced and 1) Savings and Credit Groups as Grassroots solutions are developed that are in harmony Women’s Best Practice from the South with the whole community as well as with the The presentations of the Society for the Promotion natural environment. After wars and disasters, the of Area Resource Centres and Swayam Shikshan reweaving of the social fabric of societies is needed Prayog in India at The Grassroots Women’s just as much as rebuilding houses and the physical International Academy resulted in powerful peer infrastructure. Women are the key to re-weaving learning and a successful transfer of grassroots the social fabric. women’s best practices from South to North. Mother Centres in Germany and Bosnia have Sustainability applied the Indian model to their local conditions. Ten Grassroots Women’s International Academy’s They use savings and credit groups as a key strategy over the years have managed to find sufficient for strengthening financial literacy, self-confidence, financial resources proving that the concept is social bonding in the group, start-up businesses marketable and financially sustainable. and responses to emergencies. To transfer experiences to an international setting 2) Community Mapping and Information like The Grassroots Women’s International Academy, Gathering as a Governance Tool a range of local cultures need to be bridged. This Grassroots Organisations Operating Together in is done by a monitoring process: “Temperature Sisterhood International organised exchanges as taking” is done on a daily basis. In these sessions follow-up to The Grassroots Women’s International a reflection and exchange on the wellbeing of all Academy between groups from two earthquake participants assures that issues are dealt with before hit regions: Swayam Shikshan Prayog in India and the Foundation for the Support of Women’s 41 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

problems arise, or before they become conflicts. Background Understanding and respecting the comfort zones The Mother Centres International Network is the result of people in the physical, emotional, cultural and of a grassroots women’s movement, that started in mental respect, is of the utmost importance in the Germany as a result of a research project at the German sustainability of this transfer process. Youth Institute in Munich. Contact Information The first three model Mother Centres were funded by the German Government Department for Family Name of the Organization: Nest! Foundation Affairs. After publication of the Book: “Mothers in Street: Spijkerstraat 331, the Center - Mother Centers” in 1985, it spread by Postal code and Town: 6828 DK Arnhem peer visits and exchanges throughout Germany and Country: Netherlands neighbouring countries. Following the transition in Telephone/fax: +31 26 3707 961 Central and Eastern Europe, Mother Centres were Email: [email protected] created from the bottom up as self-help initiatives in Website: www.GWIA.net the Czech and Slovac Republics, in Bulgaria, Russia, Georgia and Bosnia Herzegovina. World-wide, there MOTHER CENTRES INTERNATIONAL NETWORK are now some 700 mother centres, i=ncluding in Africa and North America. /AG INTERNATIONAL, STUTTGART, GERMANY Objectives and Actions Introduction • To empower women: Mother Centres differ from Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden- the usual social work deficit oriented approach: Wurttemburg in southern Germany. It has a population “You have a problem. Come to us, the experts, for of 595,452. The metropolitan area has a population of help”. The mother centre approach is the other 3.46 million (February 2007). Mother centres address way around: “You are good at least in one thing. the needs of women and children and recreate family Come to the mother centre and contribute to the and neighborhood structures in the community where community.” modernisation (in the West) and totalitarian systems and war () have destroyed them. They empower mothers • Mother centres are self-managed. The core of and create new channels of female participation and the project is a daily drop-in coffee shop that leadership in communities and in local governance. includes child care. Activities in the centres are They are an innovative model on how to strengthen paid, usually on an hourly basis, and involve civil society by revitalising neighbourhoods and the projects that help reduce expenses for families community culture. while supporting families in their everyday chores The centres are melting-pots in the community for and in times of crises. This includes services like women of diverse class and ethnic backgrounds, to meet second hand merchandise, hair cutting, midday and join forces in dealing with everyday life issues, to meals, toy library, sewing classes, repair services create community services, and to rechannel resources as well as training to expand skills to help re-enter to the grassroots level. the labour market, like language and computer courses. Holistic health services are part of this daily programme. Activities in the centres are remunerated whenever possible.

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Process In Central and Eastern Europe, public funds are more difficult to obtain, due mainly to the fact that A key strategy in sparking off the mother centre little or no money for social policies of this kind is movement was the decision by the Deutsches available in municipal and state budgets. In these Jugendinstitut (DJI) team not publish their research countries the local mother centres, using the same results as an academic book but rather to facilitate rational, have been successful in acquiring rooms a process where women could become involved and land from the municipalities, and raising funds in the first three mother centres and who would from foundations and the private sector. write down their own stories, creating an authentic and animated book, later translated into the Czech Outcomes language. When other mothers read the accounts of these women they felt inspired and encouraged to Depending on size of the centres, and the length replicate these experiences for themselves. Written of time they have been working, mother centres by community women, the book conveyed two reach between 50 and 500 families in their basic messages to grassroots women’s groups across neighbourhoods. The experience often profoundly changes the lives of the women and their families. Germany and beyond: “This is it!” and: “We can In a Deutsches Jugendinstitut study the following do that too!” The mother centre movement is an replies were received to the question about what interesting example of transferring grassroots best effect the mother centre has on its participants: practices through the story-telling. • 70% learned more tolerance, 58% said they The concept of preventive family policy measures learned to participate and raise their voices, 55% was developed and presented to municipalities and answered that they learned to cope with every private welfare organisations, arguing that it was day life with greater calm and more confidence. cheaper to help families help themselves than to For the children, the centres meant an expansion pay the high public costs for dysfunctional family of their social and physical space and experience. socialisation. For the fathers, the centres often involved a challenge to traditional family roles and the Over time, the success of the centres and their rapid sharing of responsibilities, a challenge that 67% replication created a momentum of public funding of the fathers regarded as positive that resulted in new legislation and new funding procedures allowing for mother centre funding • 80% of the respondents felt that the mother centre titles in family and youth welfare programmes. enriched the community, 47% saw improvements This was the result of extensive lobbying by the to the infrastructural conditions of families countless mother centre initiatives in communities and 41% said that the centres changed the across the country. Meanwhile, preventive family neighbourhood facilitating more social contact policy measures preserving healthy families and and social integration (including acceptance of neighbourhoods are considered a wise investment minority groups) by western welfare states, and public and private • 67% affirmed that they had influenced their funding for family self-help groups is available in community through political action and in 46% countries like Germany, Austria and Holland. of mother centres were represented on municipal councils in urban planning and development.

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Mother Centres have contributed to a new range customary social exclusion of an important group in of neighbourhood services and a new culture of society. care in communities, especially with regard to the The greatest success of these centres has proved to quality of care for children and the elderly. They be the re-channelling of resources from social work have proved successful in providing training and programmes into the hands of grassroots women’s job re-entry programmes, as well as creating new groups. In Germany’s case, the change in public policy businesses and income generating opportunities. resulted in the reform of the German Youth Welfare Legislation which now includes a paragraph on funding Policy Mandate for family self-help initiatives. Through the mother Municipal agencies, regional, local and national centres a grassroots women’s voice has emerged in local governance, creating more gender equity in the decision- governments regularly consult Mother centres. making process. They advocate on gender and family issues and have had an impact on national legislation and Contact Information urban planning . Mother Centers International Network /AG International Lessons Learned Stuttgart, Germany Muetterforum / AG International Claiming public space: The “public living room” as the Ludwigstr. 41-43 centres calls themselves, are places where every day life 70176 Stuttgart experience is acknowledged and valued. In the centres, Germany women learn to recognise and pool their skills and Tel: 49-711-50536850 resources and to support each other in developing their Fax: 49-711-50536851 leadership potential. E mail: [email protected] Participation in public decision making: for grassroots women this often involves entering an intimidating and alienating culture that disconnects grassroots leaders from their communities and from everyday life. This is one of the main barriers to grassroots women’s participation in politics. The mother centres have been successful in involving women in local governance by creating a support system that keeps women rooted in their communities. Healthy neighbourhoods are an important element in social cohesion. Mother centres create social networks that allow for neighbourhoods to meet and show more tolerance in their communities. Sustainability The mother centre movement has contributed to the transformation of social institutions and enabled legislation. They have created an innovative shift in the ﬁeld of social work and social welfare: from mothers and families as clients of professional programmes to self-help and empowerment; as active participants in local planning and decision making, counteracting the

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GOVERNANCE

PROGRAMME ON GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT FOR CAPOOCANONS (PRO-GAD CAPOOCANON), PHILIPPINES

Introduction Actions Capoocan is a fourth class municipality in the Group formation: The formation and strengthening province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the of women’s organisations at the barangay and 2000 census, it has a population of 27,593 people municipal level is an integral part of the Pro-GAD. living in 5,400 households. Pro-GAD Capoocan At present, there exist women organisations in all is a comprehensive gender programme designed to 21 barangays and municipalities. A Local Council respond to gender/women issues and concerns that of Women was also organised and is operational. have been identified through a participatory process. Education and Training: Gender Sensitivity These include poverty, political marginalisation, Training and anti-violence against women significant incidences of violence against women, orientations were conducted in all 21 barangays and limited access to basic social services, particularly and at municipal level. Other gender-related in reproductive health services. Through Pro-GAD, consciousness-raising activities conducted include, it is hoped that women’s practical gender needs are Anti-Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, answered, in the short-term Reproductive Health Rights, Anti-Sex Trafficking Background of Women and Children; forum on women’s Economic Empowerment and Basic Legislation for It is a project of the Local Government Unit of Women Legislators. Livelihood skills training such Capoocan, in conjunction with the Centre for as handicraft skills were also conducted. Partnership Initiatives for Development, and non- government organisations operating in Capoocan, Social-Economic Development: Women as its co-implementers. The programme started organisations are being assisted through the Gender in October 2001 and is being implemented in and Development Fund in the realisation of their the 21 barangays (villages) of Capoocan. The identified projects: handicrafts, decors, flowers programme funds come from the mandated production and rice-distributing centers. These 5% Annual Gender and Development Budget organisations are also given product development allocation of the Municipality and Barangay (Local and skills enhancement training. Marketing Government Unit’s.) In 2002, the total Gender and assistance is also provided through participation in Development Fund amounted to USD 38,330.13 trade fairs and product placement. and USD 42,633.28 in 2003. Overall the Gender Health, Nutrition and Family Planning: There and Development Budget for 2004 amounted to is provision for reproductive health services like USD 45,400.25. Aside from the 5% Gender and free pap smears and family planning services. To Development Budget, women also benefited from address the issue of maternal mortality through the regular programmes of the Local Government delivery, birth attendants are required to attend Unit (agriculture, health, education/trainings and training courses and are provided with health kits socio-economic projects.) (containing supplies/ instruments used for child Objectives delivery). The issues and concerns of intervention include Process alleviating economical and political marginalization It is through the representation of women’s of women, significant incidences of violence against organisations in the 21 Barangay Development women and limited access to basic social services, Council, that women are most able to participate particularly on reproductive health services. in decision-making/governance processes. As the

45 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Barangay Development Council representatives which had caused delays in delivery of medication (28 women out of 52), women leaders take an at health centres. The local media supported the active role in the annual Barangay Development cause by raising awareness about the issue on air Planning through the Participatory Rural Appraisal and in print. After almost four hours, the three approach. This way, women are able to shift a month-delayed budget was granted. Consequently, formerly infrastructure-focused Barangay plan the Annual Municipal Budget has always been to that which gives priority to health, nutrition, approved on time, even if political dynamics exist livelihood and support infrastructure for gender between the Executive and Legislative units. specific needs. Formulation of Gender and Outcomes Development Plans (Barangay and Municipality) is also another area where women take the lead in There is an observable change in the relatives deciding development matters. Women are also between men and women and among these are the represented at the municipal Local Special Bodies. following: Victims of gender violence are provided with • Significant numbers of men who attend gender- counseling, temporary shelter, legal and financial related training courses/orientations who assistance. Danger Zone Maps are disseminated take on household chores, such as washing of (identifying areas not safe for women, especially clothes and cooking. More men take care of if they venture there at night) during meetings, children. Most women, on the other hand, no school classes and on bulletin boards is another longer accept their sole responsibility is doing activity of Pro- Gender and Development anti- household chores and express their need for violence against women campaign. The maps have their husbands to share in these chores. been used as basis in the street-lighting project of • The giving of priority focus on women the Municipality. The anti- violence against women particularly on participatory governance, campaign is a year-round campaign. The climax through the Pro-Gender and Development, is during the annual commemoration of the “16 has enabled more women to be confident in Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence articulating their issues and concerns; more and against Women” (Nov. 25-Dec. 10). Anti - violence more women leaders are emerging in community against women campaigns, public film showing, development matters. stage play presentation and radio-questions are the Challenges and Constraints usual activities. Giant anti-violence against women billboards are placed strategically along the main One most notable negative effect of the highway to create visibility for the campaign. implementation of Pro- Gender and Development Capoocan is on the security of direct Gender and Advocacy is a participatory process and women Development implementers (its staff, the Centre for legislators have collectively formulated legislative Partnership Initiatives for Development, Barangay and executive agendas to influence barangay and and Gender and Development Focal Persons). The municipal policies. The most outstanding woman- active campaign against violence against women initiative, the first ever in the history of Capoocan, has caused some of the Gender and Development was the People’s Lobby for the Approval of the implementers to be harassed and threatened by Municipal Annual Budget. More than a hundred violence against women perpetrators. A Narangay women leaders, and men supporters, trooped Gender and Development Focal Person was charged down to the Municipal Council Session to demand in court in a rape case where she assisted the two the long-delayed Council approval on the budget,

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young women who were molested. Team meetings and during quarterly assessments The other negative eﬀect has been the negative and plan review. A workshop-consultation is perception by some men that they are being usually called when policy recommendations are sidelined since women have been given more focus brought to the attention of the Municipal Gender and protection. Although this is not a dominant and Development Focal Team by the M and E reaction, Pro- Gender and Development has Team. decided to give more focus to consciousness-raising Community Organizing in Pro-Gender for men such as a Gender Sensitivity Training and Development is not limited to women’s designed especially for men. organisations alone but encompass other existing Sustainability People’s Organisations (ﬁshermen, farmers, senior citizens and youth). This strategy reaches more The institutional structure responsible for people especially men which widens the support monitoring and evaluating the Gender and for gender advocacy. Development Programme is the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee for the Municipal Gender Contacts and Development Focal Team. This committee Center for Partnership Initiatives for Development, is composed of the representatives of the non- Inc. (CPID) governmental organisations (Centre for Partnership Pio C. Melgar Street, 6530 Capoocan, Leyte, Initiatives for Development, Local Council of Philippines Women, Barangay, and Health Workers Federation Telephone Number: (053) 546-1300; (053) 331- and Capoocan Young Women’s Movement) and a 6001 (telefax) representative of the Gender And Development Fax Number: 09193606205 Core Group of the National Economic and E-mail Address: [email protected] Development Administration to provide an outsider’s perspective. Monitoring and evaluation is based on a set of indicators for the Gender and Development Plan implementation within a given period. Results of the M and E are used as a basis in policy measures. Results are validated and discussed in the Municipal Gender and Development Focal

47 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

PROVINCIAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN IN The commission provided women non-governmental BULACAN, PHILIPPINES organisations with the necessary skills for problem Introduction solving to project implementation and monitoring. A critical component emphasized was the Bulacan is a province in the Philippines located participation of women in the development process in the central Luzon region. According to the – debating their feelings, ideas, suggestions, all May 2000 census, there were a total of 2,234,088 carefully considered in project conceptualisation. Bulaqueños, making Bulacan the fourth most populous province in the country. It is also the Because of the Commission’s influence, women fifth most densely populated province with 851 non-governmental organizations of Marilao people per square kilometer. There are 463,886 launched the Women in Service for the physically households in the province with an average size of disabled of Marilao to address the need for special 4.81 persons, significantly lower than the national education on mentally challenged children with average of 4.99. difficulties in being accepted, and if accepted, surviving public schools. The Provincial Commission for Women of Bulacan was created by Executive order 94 - 02 in 1994, the Women non-governmental organisations rallied first commission for women in the country. together and sourced the lot for the Special Education and Women Center. USD18, 181 was Background sourced from the Provincial government, while The Provincial Commission for Women of the Department of Public-Works constructed Bulacan works on a bottom-up approach. Women the building, the teachers were provided by commissioners are chosen by women organisations the Department of Education, the health and to sit on the Provincial Commission. These women nutrition was handled by the Municipal social are directly in touch with grassroots women. Welfare Development Office. To help the mothers They are well informed of the needs of women of these children, a special literacy cum livelihood in the villages. These needs are presented during programme was given. the general provincial assemblies held twice each As a motivator, the Commission was bestowed year and forwarded for the Governor’s attention. the Golden Medal Award. It has been awarded to Programmes to address these needs are then drawn 257 women and seven women non-governmental up, funded and implemented by concerned agencies organisations. of the Provincial Government. The programmes are monitored by the Provincial Council on Women. Objectives Initially, women organisations depended on The commission’s aim is to review, evaluate and outside funding. Today these women organisations recommend measures, including priorities, for the search for resources within the community full integration of women in the economic, social before asking for outside assistance. Indeed, these and cultural development. women organisations have graduated from single The commission opted to work with non- entities to shared responsibility, from rivalry and governmental organisations that deal with women competition among groups to cooperation and issues. There are frequent consultations, capacity mentoring and mutual appreciation of strengths building exercises, advocacy on human rights, and contributions. family solidarity, domestic violence debates, etc.

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Actions the 135 organisations it has helped to maturity. The commission provided non-governmental The commission has been assisting in advocacy, organizations with technical support vis-à-vis skills advisory, monitoring and evaluation services, in problem solving, sourcing funds and project which have positively influenced the success of implementation and monitoring. Participation these organisations. They work in groups and have of women in the development process was formed networks to implement gender sensitive emphasised. Their feelings, ideas and suggestions programmes. were considered in project conceptualisation. The programme has modified relations between Process men and women in various ways. Men now share in raising a family. When women attend meetings, Through community participation, 135 women the men wash the clothes. non-governmental organisations implemented programmes in their communities. Local citizens In other cases, when women are in meetings, the participated in project conceptualisation by sharing men serve the coffee; there are conscious efforts their insights, opinions and resources. among male lawmakers to legislate laws that will protect women; male and female department heads Some non-governmental organisations collaborated are aware that there should be more programmes with women non-governmental organisations in and more budgets allocated to women; employees, project implementation, while the private sector both men and women, are conscious about sexual donated medicines, food, money, and training to harassment in the work place; husbands allow the project beneficiaries. Government agencies- their wives to enter politics and men even vote for provided not only technical assistance but women to be village chiefs. agricultural input and health services. Other significant benefits include: women non- Women leaders at the grassroots level come to governmental organisations have grown proactive the seat of power of the provincial government, and assertive; women groups evolved from to learn about the programmes and services for stereotyped programmes and projects to more gender women. Later, the Commissioners of the provincial sensitive agendas; they are more entrepreneurial council for women went down to the district level and self-sustaining; health indicators show that for discussions with the local women. The month fewer women are dying because of childbirth of March is designated to Women’s issues. Audio- related complications and fewer babies are dying visual presentations on successful women projects since priority is given to maternal and child care. are shown publicly using cable television stations. The life span of women has increased and women News releases are made and print features written are contributing to the family income. There are in the local dailies. Contributing also are the more women in politics today. streamers and posters distributed in the different towns. Policy Mandate Recognition is given to the outstanding women in While the law in the Philippines stipulates that their different fields and to women organisations 5% of total funds are to be allocated to women that have contributed much to the enthusiasm. (Gender and Development), more money has been allocated to projects benefiting women. From Outcomes 2003, USD345, 455.00 (10% of the budget) was After 10 years of existence, the Commission’s allocated to gender development. In 2004, USD success can be measured by the performance of 727,274 (20% of the budget) was allocated. 49 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

There were changes in the provincial acts/policies/ The provincial government assigns Community regulations: Affairs Officers to monitor both the women non- • The month of March was legislated as Women’s governmental organisations and its beneficiaries. Month. The weekly monitoring is compiled into monthly reports, which are acted upon by the Departments • It was also legislated that individual women and concerned. The Governor sits in the Quarterly women’s organisations are recognised through Evaluation. the Golden Medal Award Contact Information • The creation of the Provincial Commission on Women was a result both of an Executive Order PKKB Office, Ground Floor, Women’s Center, and a Provincial Legislation Capitol Compound, Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines • Legislation approving budgets for projects for Telephone Number: 0937-662-31-10 women were passed and budget allocations Fax Number: 0937-791-51-40 increased E-mail Address: [email protected] • It was accepted that women are better managers among male department heads in the Provincial Government. The provincial commission on women is replicated in the seven municipalities of the province through the Local Commission on Women. By doing this, services for women have become faster and more accessible. The other municipalities are targeted to have their local councils in 2004. Lessons Learned The Commission is in its fourteenth year (2008). It has revolutionalised women organisations. In its early years, the Commission was confused. It was implementing programmes and duplicating the functions of other government agencies. After years of sharing, training and being a catalyst in development, it has finally found its role: advocacy, advisory, monitoring and women empowerment body. Sustainability The organisations have been trained for fundraising. The provincial commission on women monitors the implementation of programmes while the provincial planning office monitors their accomplishments. Non-governmental organisations monitor the progress of beneficiaries at the village level. © Riwaq

50 BEST PRACTICES CASE STUDIES

GENDER AND CITIZENSHIP IN THE INTEGRATED These households had poor and dangerous PROGRAMME FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION – SANTO infrastructure with illegal connections to running ANDRÉ, BRAZIL water, sewer systems, and electricity. There was a low Introduction level of community solidarity and mobilisation. In this social environment, several children and youth The City of Santo Andre is in the Sao Paolo state. were exposed to violence and crime. It has a population of 660,000. The Integrated Programme for Social Inclusion is a participatory Objectives programme based on the concept that social • To increase awareness concerning gender issues, exclusion is multi-dimensional, it involves reproductive health, as well as domestic and economic, social, urban, cultural, and political sexual violence factors that reinforce each other. This multi- • To establish a sustainable strategy for social dimensional aspect requires an integrated approach, inclusion aimed at maximising available opportunities for individuals and families in overcoming social • To mobilise resources and social assets in slum exclusion. The Santo Andre programme on social areas towards, community improvement inclusion promotes self-esteem and a feeling of • To overcome the traditional institutional culture belonging to the community. It is based on three of compartmentalised service delivery. principles: policy integration, spatial concentration Actions and community participation. In 1997, local government officials redefined their The Gender and Citizenship Programme is the priorities by making social inclusion one of five result of a partnership between the Santo Andre key priority areas of the Municipal Administration. Municipality and the Centre for Health Studies. Discussion began on a new approach to social Its aim is to foster gender awareness by promoting policy management. Sacadura Cabral, Tamarutaca, institutional arrangements reducing conflict, and Capuava, and Quilombo II were the four favelas working simultaneously with the community and or squatter areas selected for the Programme as programme teams. The programme strengthened pilot projects, with the prospect of accumulating women’s role in the decision-making process and experience for future scaling up to the city as a improved family relations in the community and whole. the city. Integrated urban upgrading and income generation Background policies were taken as the main basis for activities, Before the programme started, there were 3,700 with other aspects being incorporated gradually families (approximately 16,000 people) living in into the process. Several workshops on gender four informal settlements. Among the family heads, issues were held in the community to sensitise both fifty-one percent were unemployed or had irregular men and women. jobs; 13% were illiterate; 25% had not finished primary school, and 25% earned a meager income. Fifty-eight percent of those families were headed by women. In addition, some of the households were located in high-risk areas, subject to floods and landslides or situated on steep slopes.

51 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Process rehabilitation of degraded areas, including basic The set of programmes comprising the Integrated sanitation, running water, sewage disposal and Programme for Social Inclusion were: storm drainage, street paving electrification and public lighting. Public Works and facilities, • Service delivery – basic sanitation, infrastructure, such as day-care centres, community centres, services linked to housing improvements, public neighbourhood squares with high-quality works and facilities landscaping, and multi-purpose sports courts • Economic aspects – income supplementation, were also introduced. These measures were vocational training, micro-credit, job creation, combined with improved housing. Solid waste income generation, entrepreneurship, and removal was organised through the Community cooperatives Waste Collectors’ Programme. • Social aspects – education, health, protection 2. The economic dimension: Guaranteed of children and adolescents, and combating Minimum Family Income Programme, or discrimination on the basis of gender, race etc. family income supplementation associated Key stakeholders were government and non- with socio-educational activities; vocational governmental organisations and various training, or courses for young people and communities. Within the Gender and Citizenship adults, aimed at (re) integration into the labour Programme, a partnership was developed with the market; Cooperatives Incubator (experimental, Municipal Minimum Income Programme. This learning project) for creating and consolidating was later expanded taking cross-cutting perspectives cooperatives; People’s Bank, providing micro- with other programmes like housing, health, credit for income-generating activities entrepreneurship, micro-credit and cooperatives. 3. The social dimension: literacy courses for young Three management levels were created to guarantee people and adults; integrated health care with a integration of programmes and to improve the focus on prevention. overall results: 1. Overall Coordination, consisting of the Executive New opportunities for action like grassroots Secretaries of the respective participating entrepreneurship, and small and medium- agencies - responsible for defining the overall sized enterprises were gradually identified and guidelines and evaluating the activities incorporated into the Programme. Emphasis 2. Technical Coordination, consisting of those on issues of gender and citizenship were also directly in charge of the activities and responsible incorporated into the programme through a set of for on-going integration activities aimed at dealing with women, poverty and affirmative action in the family and community 3. Local Teams, consisting of community members context. of the different programmes working directly on activities in the four selected settlements. The different programmes are implemented directly The programmes initially making up the Integrated by the municipality or through partnerships Programme for Social Inclusion were developed on with local non-governmental and philanthropic the basis of three basic dimensions: organisations. 1. The urban dimension: enhanced urban upgrading - physical and environmental

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The community itself participates directly in both They include qualitative changes in community the management and implementation of projects solidarity and general social welfare. A significant since the community agents involved in health, number of people have improved their self-esteem, urban waste collection, adult literacy, and children’s which has increased pride in the community and recreation, are selected from among residents. the embracing of roles in building their own future and that of the city. The partner organisations and community agents participate directly in the Programme’s Several surveys indicate, for example, that sixty management. The number of community-based six percent of families who have benefited from agents is nearly fifty percent of the total number the Minimum Income Programme, report of individuals involved in the Programme. This is improvement in their living standards; eighty nine a positive strategy, since in addition to generating percent of those families believe that their family employment and income for local residents, it relations have improved - this includes more provides a close link between activities and the respect for women’s roles and a reduction in family community’s daily reality. For example, in the case violence. Of the participants in vocational training of urban upgrading, the whole process, ranging courses, a large percentage report being better from the time-table all the way to naming streets, prepared for the job market. is decided step by step in conjunction with the communities. Over one hundred discussion groups, gender awareness courses and campaigns to stop violence Outcomes against women have been held, involving In addition to the improvement in the quality of approximately 6 000 people. There is guaranteed urban life for 16 000 individuals, the Programme property rights on plots and housing units with has achieved results in other areas of community title deeds registered in women’s names. There is life, such as: growing participation in adult literacy an increase in pre-natal care for ninety five percent and vocational training courses. A growing number coverage and maternal breastfeeding for ninety of formal and informal businesses in target areas three percent of children up to three months reflecting the Programme’s success in generating old. Concerning work and income generating work and income. Health indicators show activities, a sewing cooperative was set up, significant improvements in community health consisting exclusively of women. A social inclusion agents. Community participation has progressed micro-credit line was set up by the Banco do Povo rapidly from issues of more immediate individual (People’s Bank) granted to micro-entrepreneurs in interest to those of a collective nature, indicating a the programme areas, of who forty six percent were more effective and consolidated form of community women. organisation. The less obvious, less quantifiable results are just as important.

53 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

At the administrative level, compared to the The strengthening of women’s roles in decision- performance in other areas of the city, there has making processes as well as in family and community been improved efficacy in programmes in areas relations, and the integration of women into covered by the Integrated Programme for Social productive activities demonstrate that the inclusion Inclusion, demonstrating that the synergy resulting of the gender strategy was justified. from the integration of programmes is beneficial for each of them individually. The campaigns have been important in providing visibility to the violence against women. Participation Policy Mandate and commitment of men in these activities has been Several policies already existed at the inception of critical to the success of the programme, and in the this programme. The significance of this approach positive change in community attitudes towards was integrating their provisions into a single gender relations. programme covering cross-cutting issues. Sustainability Since the pilot project generated its first results, the The success of the initial Programme, beginning incorporation of new programmes addressing issues with the pilot project, guaranteed the political that cut across various policies has also occurred commitment for continuous growth in investments at an increasing rate. Incorporated programmes and continued implementation. target gender, disability, racial, cultural and poverty issues. They also target the big problem of urban Tackling social exclusion that includes the search violence. for greater gender equality through increased social mobility empowers women and their communities. Lessons learned It creates new social assets capable of generating Negotiated solutions enhance the use of public socio-economic transformation. and social assets, generate economies of scale, Effects on patterns of consumption, production, incrementally build on achieved results, and access to information and technology, and guarantee greater efficacy, with significant circulation of material and symbolic goods suggest social and economic impact. A system with improvements in the quality of life, due to both built-in monitoring and evaluation involving the wider range of opportunities offered and an communities and providing continuous feed back improved general well-being and self esteem. into the programme enhances effectiveness and sustainability.

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Contact Information The Gender and Citizenship Programme has had an impact on daily relations by fostering new Santo Andre Municipality standards of behaviour between men and women, Praca IV Centenario, 1 – 1º andar transforming deeply rooted conservative cultural Santo Andre, Sao Paulo 09015-080 values. Women’s predominance in the management Brazil and implementation of the programme has Tel.: (55 11) 4433-0614 / 55 (55 11) 4433-0528 accelerated the community’s ownership of the Fax: (55 11) 4433-215 content and methodology of the programme, and E-mail: [email protected] ; plsouza@ their inputs into various urban, social and economic santoandre.sp.gov.br policies.

55 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Coordinator of the Uganda Poverty Eradication Program addressing a gathering on International Womens Day © UN-HABITAT

POVERTY REDUCTION

RURAL – URBAN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME – BHARATPUR MUNICIPALITY, NEPAL

Introduction Background Bharatpur, a medium sized municipality among 58 In Nepal, women comprise more than 50 percent municipalities of Nepal, was established in 1979. It of the total population. Among them, only about is situated in the Chitwan district, in the Central 25 percent are literate and live mostly in urban Development Region of Nepal. Administratively, areas. Women in Nepal are mostly involved in there are 14 wards covering 7,500 hectares of domestic chores along with the social and economic land. Based on the 2001 census, there are 19, activities required for survival. Women contribute 922 households in the municipality with a total more than 50 percent of the household income and population of 89,323 of which 49% are female. The work 10.73 hours against 7.51 hours per day for population growth rate is about 7.1 percent. About men. They are more disadvantaged than their male 35% of the total population has access to drinking counterparts due to inadequate access and control water and 95% have electricity. The literacy rate of of resources. Women are still recognised as one of the municipality is 76 percent. It is estimated that the oppressed groups in Nepal. The percentage of 15-20% of the population lives below the poverty women employed in the civil service as a whole is level. merely 7 percent. Nepalese women have not been able to fully participate in the governance process The Rural-Urban Partnership is a poverty alleviation due to illiteracy, ignorance and poverty. Moreover, programme introduced by the government of Nepal superstition and traditions have stood in the way of in Partnership with UNDP and UN-HABITAT. It women’s participation in governance activities. was started in Bharatpur Municipality in 1998.

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Objectives Development Participation: They use a bottom-up Following the Beijing Conference in 1995, the approach towards planning, which simultaneously Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare strengthens the local participatory and transparent was established in Nepal. It prepared a National governance system and improves the efficiency of Plan of Action, which adopted short-term objectives investment decisions. Women’s participation in to involve women in decision-making positions planning is encouraged. to improve their overall status in Nepal. Other Process plans by government adopted different strategies and programmes for enhancing women’s status The programme involves different activities and mainstreaming them into the development involving women in the municipal planning process. The Gender and Development concept process, development of economic enterprises was adopted by the government in its Five Years in municipalities and villages. These projects Development Plans. are implemented through Community Based Organisations. The Community Based Actions Organisations encourage citizens to participate Institutional development: Municipality initiated in transparent urban governance. Women are the formation of community organisations named particularly encouraged to participate in decision- Tole/lane Organisations (community based making and economic activities. There are 265 organisation) that encourage citizens to participate Community Based Organisations, of which more effectively and transparently in urban governance. than 50% are headed by women, and 65% are Saving is a primary activity of all Tole/lane women members. Organisations. The municipality has been conducting gender Economic activities: Enterprise development started sensitisation training for its staff and representatives with community mobilisation and sensitisation to to foster gender awareness and to build common stimulate entrepreneurial attitudes and business understanding on gender issues. More than 3500 knowledge. Among 330 enterprises formed through women and all Community Based Organisations the process about 55 percent are led and managed leaders have undergone this training. by women. Municipality has encouraged women Outcomes to participate in the economic enterprises creation and development. Gender sensitisation training and awareness raising has instilled a sense of assertiveness in women who Empowerment and Awareness: It ensures women have become more proactive in taking up leadership participate in all decision making processes and positions and engaging in economic development. economic activities. Women gain confidence and As savings mobilisation is the primary activity of power through information, training, exposure the Community Based Organisations, about 70 tour and access to resources. Realising this fact, percent women are actively involved in the saving different types of training such as leadership, groups. enterprise management, skills transfer, HIV/AIDS, technology transfer training including exposure trip, film shows of best practices are regularly organised by municipalities to boost their morale and confidence.

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More than 6 million Rupees have been collected in A Human Resource Development Centre was also the Community Based Organisations and women established by the municipality to strengthen the are more active and committed to saving than their capacity of its staﬀ, stakeholders, local authorities male counterparts. The Municipality has developed and representatives of Community Based a policy to include more than 50 percent women in Organisations. The municipality declared citizen any development work. Similarly, it has allocated charter for better service delivery to its citizens. about 7 percent of its total budget to women related Since 2003, the municipality has hosted an e- development activities like health, education and governance website, by which every citizen is able economic activities. to access municipal services on line. Policy Mandate Contact Information: The government uses Gender and Development Mr. Chet Bahadur Bhattarai concept. Deputy Mayor Bharatpur Municipality Challenges and constraints Chitwan, Nepal Barriers towards Women’s Participation in Development Process: low level of women literacy rate, patriarchal society, lack of encouragement from society and family, corruption in politics, lack of ﬁnancial support, lack of adequate corrective measures, inadequate legal provision, and unfavourable social norms and values. Sustainability Since 2002, a separate department in the municipality was established to monitor this programme. It reports to a nine-member top level Committee chaired by the mayor that is also in charge of monitoring and evaluation of the programme. The implementation mechanism and policies are clearly cited the yearly programme and a budget declared by the municipal council. Lessons learned To manage information, a centre was set up within the municipality, where gender disaggregated data at municipal level - such as women-headed households, land ownership, employment, Self-help groups managed by village women education, entrepreneurship etc - could be found. © Gram Vikas

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“THE GREEN BRIGADE”: SETTING-UP OF A TEAM OF WOMEN TO CLEAN THE STREETS OF OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO

Introduction Objectives and Actions Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation in West Africa. The Green Brigade initiative has three objectives: It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, (i) to reduce poverty through jobs creation. Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and This was achieved by the creation of 1,700 job Ghana to the south, and Côte d’Ivoire to the south opportunities. (ii) To improve the image and west. Burkina Faso, one of the least developed cleanness of public spaces as well as urban streets. counties in Africa, has a GDP per capita income In this regard, 120 km of street and 3,000,000 of USD1, 300. Lack of employment causes a high sq metres of space is cleaned every Monday and rate of emigration: for example, three million Thursday. This practice allows for the removal of people from Burkina Faso live and work in Côte all litter and all sort of waste from the streets. (iii) d’Ivoire. The “Green brigade” initiative is aimed at To provide support to vulnerable social groups, improving the city environment of Ouagadougou mainly women and children. The Green Brigade by providing secure employment to a group of is made up of ninety eight per cent women who 1200 women, most of whom are bread winners, are distributed in among the different sectors of to clean the streets and public spaces. Some of the municipality of Ouagadougou. It is estimated these women used to collect firewood by cutting that over 6 500 children have directly benefited down trees from the “green zones” of the city and from this programme, taking into account that, selling to households to make a living. Others were on average each women has to cater for the needs involved in harvesting sand and gravel from the of five children and their needs: school fees, health city’s rivers and selling to building contractors for care, and family nutrition. their daily subsistence. These precarious and casual activities did not guarantee a daily meal for their Process families. In fact, some families would go without In providing welfare to these workers, the food for several days. Ouagadougou city council put in place a money Background saving scheme for all workers. Limited basic healthcare is also provided. This initiative has The 1995-2000 plan of action by the municipal contributed to the protection and preservation of council put great emphasis on issues relating to the city’s green spaces. The beginning of the initiative waste management, the improvement of the living was not easy: the women were very reluctant to conditions of its city residents and, the protection work as street cleaners and to be seen by other of vulnerable groups. In the implementation of women. This constraint was overcome through a this action plan, a visionary city mayor decided sensitisation campaign and civic education to give to stop the degradation of the city’s green spaces value to the job of a street cleaner. Women have by providing alternative and secure employment been provided with appropriate equipment and to those women who made a living out of limited uniforms. natural resources. Several consultative meetings were organised between the mayor and the women Outcomes involved, where the mayor tried to convince them Employment was created. From 1995 to 2005, to stop the degradation of the city environment over 1,500 permanent jobs were created, including in exchange for secure and remunerative opportunities for 1,200 women as street cleaners. employment. The outcome of those meetings In 2007, five hundred additional women were was the establishment of the Green brigade where enrolled for the initiative, from disadvantaged 1,200 women were recruited as cleaners of streets neighbourhoods, increasing the number to 1,700 and public spaces. in 2008. 59 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

The cleanness of the city’s streets has brought The money distributed within the framework of changes in hygiene practices among citizens. Waste the initiative allows the women to take care of the is now disposed of in an appropriate manner. The costs associated with their children’s schooling, to sustainability of this project is guaranteed by the take care of their children’s health costs, and to fact that social issues, including poverty reduction contribute to food security for the whole family. and social inclusion, are addressed with adequate redistribution of public recourses. Members of Lessons learned the Green Brigade receive health benefits from This initiative has helped change the behaviour of the Municipality of Ouagadougou which include pedestrians. People take responsibility for keeping vaccinations against meningitis and cholera. The the city clean. Sensitisation campaigns and civic initiative was recognised as the 2003 AFRICITIES education of the public and the women cleaners has laureate for efforts in cleanliness of streets and changed people’s attitudes towards disposing waste public spaces. and has given value to the job of street cleaners. This initiative has also resulted in the protection of In Ouagadougou, activism against urban poverty the city’s environment. It is estimated that since the is like activism against women poverty. An inception of the programme in 1995, over USD2 economically empowered woman manages her million of taxpayer’s money has been redistributed affairs and takes care of people in her household. to over 1,000 women, enabling them to send 800 It was noted throughout the initiative that when children, including 300 girls to school. a woman has an income, she engages in income generating activities that allow her to take care Because of the social, economic and environmental of many people in her household, including her sustainability of this project several mayors from immediate and extended family. neighbouring countries - including Cameroon and Mali – have visited the area with the view to Women have become the better channels for replicating it in their own cities. The replication promoting hygiene, environmental education of the project has started in other Burkina cities, and behaviour change. They educate the world of such as Bobodiolasso, Koudougou, Ouahiguoya, tomorrow. Gourcy, Banfora, Kaya, Dano, and Diebougou. Winning the 2006 Dubai International Award has Replication initiatives at the sub-regional level increased the confidence and pride of the women have also taken place in Bamako (Mali), Conakry in their work, and earned them the respect of the (Guinea), and Cotonou (Benin). city’s residents. The initiative has protected vulnerable social Contact Information groups. For example, 1,200 women benefit from food security and from financial resources by Mairie d’Ouagadougou (Direction de la propreté) undertaking income-generating activities like the 140 rue de l’hôtel de Ville sale of vegetables, firewood or intensive farming. 01 BP 85 Ouagadougou 01 The association uses a saving account within a BURKINA FASO network of credit unions, resulting in a sense of Téléphone: +226 50 33 62 81 or 50 35 21 07 solidarity and self-help among its members. (direction de la propreté) Fax: + 226 50 31 83 87 E mail: [email protected] ; jnilboudo@ yahoo.fr; [email protected]

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HOUSING AND SECURITY OF TENURE

THE KUYASA FUND, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Introduction Background Cape Town is the third most populous city in The Kuyasa Fund grew out of a need for additional South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan financing for South Africans who had qualified for municipality of the city of Cape Town. It is the the state housing subsidy. Implemented to address provincial capital of the Western Cape as well as the structural inequalities of apartheid spatial the legislative capital of South Africa, where the planning and the backlog in low-income housing National Parliament and many government offices provision, the subsidies were intended for use in are located. According to the 2001 Census, the city conjunction with finance from the formal banking has a population of 2.95 million people. sector. The Fund worked in townships across Cape Town, all suffering from informal housing, from The Kuyasa Fund was set up by the Development groups earning low and erratic incomes, and a high Action Group, a Cape Town based community percentage of women-headed households who development non-governmental organisation (and had poor service delivery. This community, with a UN-HABITAT Best Practice winner in 2004). an average monthly household income of R1 600 Now a fully autonomous non-profit organisation, (USD260), qualified for state housing subsidies and the Kuyasa Fund facilitates access to housing who used the community-based savings scheme. finance as a tool for improving the well-being of The Fund explicitly sought to target its services to the poor. women who headed their own households, those in informal employment and pensioners, as these groups had traditionally been excluded from formal finance. Women comprised 74% of clients.

61 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Objectives strong networks and lobbying opportunities for Microfinance lending: To promote micro-finance practitioners, communities and policymakers to delivery via a community-based savings and loans improve the housing environment. programme; to build financial and social capital Process using appropriate credit mechanisms for the very poor making an impact at the household and Refinement of the loan product took place over the community level. first year of operation and it drew its main strength from using traditional methods of saving and tying Household sustainability: To develop a micro- these into the loan process. The common hire finance programme that is able to prioritise client purchase model, which South African consumers sustainability and well-being, while at the same have been familiar with, was a foundation of the time working towards institutional financial loan system. While Kuyasa provided additional sustainability financing for housing, the communities serviced, provided their own savings and sweat equity. To target women and pensioners: These traditionally Control of the housing process lay in the hands vulnerable groups make up the majority of Kuyasa of the community, and while Kuyasa facilitated borrowers access to other non-governmental organizations To use Savings as collateral: Unlike formal banks, and Community Based Organisations who played Kuyasa uses existing savings as collateral for a role in housing support, it was the communities, loans, enabling the informally employed to access their elected committees and individuals who built finance. their own homes. Actions Outcomes The start-up wholesale finance, which was used to The fund disbursed over R20 million (USD3.3 finance loans to clients, was obtained via a loan million) to 4,084 clients, 74% of which were from the Urban Sector Network Opportunity Fund women. All the clients earned under R3 500 (which was funded by the Swedish International (USD573) a month, with 60% earning under Development Agency). Operational shortfalls and R1 500 (USD245). The average family size of capacity building were financed by grants from the client was five people, meaning that the loans a variety of funders, including the EU, USAID, impacted positively on the lives of 20 240 people. Culemborg Municipality, the Gilles Foundation, The Funds outstanding loan balance was R8.9 Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development million, with write offs at 5%, cost recovery at 55% AID and IBIS (a funding agency). of total expenses and, as of December 2005, the Fund was meeting 79% of its operating expenses. Kuyasa pursued a two-pronged strategy: (i) It Using the loans, the clients built houses ranging promoted micro-finance delivery by forming in size from 36m2 to 60m2. This was in contrast partnerships with housing support organisations to contractor-build subsidy housing that averaged such as non-governmental organisations, local 23m2. Research showed that the clients used their government and Community Based Organisations. loans for new homes (57%), extensions (23%), (ii) The documentation and analysis aimed at for improving thermal efficiency (16%) and for improving the model and contributing to the finishes (4%). wider end-user finance and housing provision environment. These complementary thrusts created Kuyasa used wholesale loan finance to finance

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loans to clients, rather than using grant funding. The housing policy further recognises the need for This method ensured that Kuyasa was financially housing credit as a key component in sustainable sustainable, reducing a dependency on donors, housing delivery processes. It is in this regard that and ensuring the continuation of financing low- the Kuyasa initiative has led to a parliamentary cost housing, by accessing commercial loans delegation comprising micro-finance practitioners from the banking sector. The Fund anticipates to inform the debate surrounding credit legislation. reaching full sustainability by the year 2008. The Their successful experience in the micro-lending field target population includes women, female-headed has meant that they were able to provide input to households, pensioners and those who are not the National Credit Bill, which emphasised the need formally employed, in the knowledge that they for the micro-finance sector to receive institutional are able to manage micro-finance when given the and legislative support from government, not only opportunity. to facilitate its growth, but to protect both micro- finance organisations and their clients. Kuyasa A large part of the learning curve was to do with the is also involved in a provincial government task high repayment rates and repayment collections in force looking at ways of stimulating the low-cost the field. This was a direct result of the relationship secondary housing market. building with clients and the extensive fieldwork undertaken to promote Kuyasa within the Lessons learned townships in which it operated. Another major learning process for Kuyasa was the need to develop Loan product: over the past five years, the loan and refine existing operation and management product has been refined from the initial concept. information systems, for it to be able to support Providing continuous feedback from the field in its fieldworkers. The rapid scaling up that was order to adapt and refine the loan model has been achieved over the past five years radically changed key to creating the successful product currently its management information systems requirements in use. While they had built on existing financial and necessitated implementing management models and their own experience, they recognized systems, personalised to the needs of the Fund. that as they expand and move into different cultural contexts, their product had to evolve. Policy Mandate Repayment rates: a large part of Kuyasa’s learning South Africa is a signatory to various international curve has been to do with the high repayment rates and regional human rights instruments. It is and repayment collections in the field. This is a also a member of regional inter-governmental direct result of the relationship building with clients organisations promoting gender equality. At the and the extensive fieldwork undertaken to promote national level, there is legislation, which guarantees Kuyasa within the townships in which we operate. equality and addresses all forms of discrimination. Kuyasa is justly proud of its high repayment rate In the country’s constitution, the bill of rights (currently at 90%), and this is due almost entirely in section 26 explicitly recognises the right to to the constant presence of their field staff in the housing. The policy recognises the need to address communities we service. women’s disadvantaged position where housing is concerned.

63 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Institutional Capacity: the third major learning Contact Information process for Kuyasa has been the need to develop The Kuyasa Fund and refine existing operation and management 3 Wrensch Road, Observatory 7925, Cape Town information systems, so that we are best able to Tel: +27 (0)21 4483144 support our fieldworkers. The rapid scaling up we Fax: +27 (0)21 4473140 have achieved over the past five years has radically Cell: +27 (0)732994215 changed Information Technology requirements and Email: [email protected]; [email protected] necessitated implementing management systems Website: www.thekuyasafund.co.za personalized to our needs.

Sustainability VILLAGE OF HOPE - KIGALI, RWANDA Kuyasa’s clients pay interest on their loans which Introduction is set at levels below the rates of formal banking Kigali is the capital city of Rwanda. It has an institutions for comparable loan sizes in less risky estimated population of 851 024 (2005 estimate). loan markets. Kuyasa’s great strength is its strong It is situated at the centre of the nation and has contingent of field workers that follow up and been the economic, cultural and transport hub ensure good repayment rates. The approach has been of Rwanda since the country’s independence in to develop its products, strategy and institutional 1962. On April 7 1994, Kigali was the scene of capacity, and then to drive the volumes necessary the Rwandan genocide that lasted 100 days. The to serve the market cost effectively. aftermath left a devastated economy, homelessness With over 4 000 clients’ currently receiving loans, and a strong desire to put an end to a once deep- the product has been successfully replicated within rooted ethnic hatred. the Cape Town metropolitan area. The current Village of Hope is a civil society initiative whose three-year plan includes making significant aim it is to rebuild the lives of women, mainly the regional and product expansion, diversifying to 1994 genocide victims. Village of Hope is a multi- new urban areas and expanding the product from disciplinary initiative that deals with trauma in housing finance to micro enterprise finance. As a a post-conflict situation while at the same time successful micro lender, Kuyasa is keen to share its providing realistic concrete solution – shelter expertise and to participate in a number of regional and livelihood. This gives the women confidence and international exchanges. These include hosting by “getting them out” of their traumatized state delegates from Morocco, India and Madagascar, psychologically, physically and economically. attending international microfinance conferences Several crimes committed against humanity and running workshops with delegates from across like rape, torture and mutilation left its people sub Saharan Africa in Bangkok and Cape Town, as traumatised. The initiative takes care of orphans a way of exchanging best practice experience. and people living with HIV/AIDS. Most of the women who had been widowed and dispossessed had no means of survival. The initiative is an extension of the Polyclinic of Hope, a project of Rwanda Women Network, which addresses shelter needs of genocide victims. The village is made up of 20 housing units and a community centre. Houses were constructed between 1999 and 2000 and in

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2002 the centre was built. The centre is located • To construct houses for those among them that in Gisozi Sector, Gasabo District, Kigali. Village lacked shelter. of Hope has been instrumental in addressing the Actions HIV/AIDS pandemic in the community. They use a holistic programme, with an end goal Background of healing the wounds of genocide, by supporting At the end of the genocide, there were many widows peace and reconciliation. They also raise awareness and orphans. They had suffered many crimes like on women’s rights – including the right to own rape and torture. In the aftermath, women found and inherit property. The programme provides themselves taking on responsibilities that they had space for free interaction and dialogue. They have no means to fulfill e.g. as heads of households and as a participatory approach in decision-making, bread winner, fostering orphans, etc. Their situation implementing, monitoring and evaluation of was made worse by the fact that most of them had their activities. Weekly meetings are facilitated by no shelter or homes as they had been destroyed and Rwanda Women Network staff at Village of Hope, looted during the conflict. In response to their lack where women and youth share their problems, of shelter, Rwanda Women Network assisted them needs, visions, and discuss solutions to issues that in their rehabilitation and constructed houses for affect them. Some residents of Village of Hope them as one way of addressing the trauma they had also participate at Rwanda Women Network endured during the conflict. General Assembly and planning meetings. Village of Hope raises most of its support through donor After the genocide, Rwanda received a lot of funding. The residents are put into groups that humanitarian assistance. The then US President make contributions through “basket funds” for Bill Clinton visited the country and was moved by emergency purposes. the Women Survivors Empowerment Programme. After his visit in 1999, the Rwanda Women Process Network received a grant of USD100, 000 from Rwanda Women Network is responsible for the American State Department. They constructed raising funds for its projects. Spontaneous funding houses to meet the shelter needs of the most from individuals and other organisations, locally vulnerable women in the city, the Village of Hope. and internationally, is used for Village of Hope Objectives activities. Village of Hope has been supported and funded by among others, the State Department/ • Medical care and support PACT-USA, Embassy of Japan, Ministry of Health, • Education and awareness programme on Ministry of Local Government and Social Affairs, different issues e.g. human/legal rights, HIV/ the World Food Programme, and the Stephen AIDS, reproductive health, etc Lewis Foundation. The support accessed is used in implementing project activities and hiring of the • Psycho-social support and trauma counseling necessary human resources for the programme. • HIV/AIDS support services and home care • Socio-economic empowerment • Reinforcing and expanding the orphan and vulnerable children care programme (OVC) • Equipping the youth center

65 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Members of the Village of Hope contribute, once Three out of every five employees at Village of Hope a week, according to their means e.g. by sharing are people who are trained at the centre. information, ideas and solutions. Village of Hope has 3 groups that meet on different days of the The impact of this initiative has been felt week: the women living within the village and their throughout Rwanda. A spirit of volunteering has immediate neighbours meet on Fridays; the women been cultivated among women, who have initiated from the surrounding community meet on Tuesdays voluntary home-based care for HIV/AIDS patients and the youth group meets on Wednesdays. The in their villages. Women have willingly provided different groups make contributions on baskets information for documenting case studies through funds that help them in emergencies. personal interviews and testimonies. When a woman or youth approaches Village of Lessons Learned Hope for assistance, they are interviewed by the staff The Village of Hope programme has shown that at the centre and categorised within a target group. it’s not enough to put up houses without ensuring The management requests for documents from the that the people living in those houses receive basic local authorities attesting to their status, and then services to support their settlement. they are registered (format showing personal details, The programme has reemphasised the need for medical & other needs, etc). From then onwards a long term holistic approach in addressing the the person becomes part of the family and receives needs of people and in particular women who have the benefits that others receive. The beneficiary is endured violence and conflict situations. also expected to participate in the weekly meetings, be involved in ongoing activities at the centre such Village of Hope shows the need for integrating as training courses, skills development, receiving conflict resolution strategies in all programme visitors, cultural activities including singing and activities in post-conflict situations. dancing. Sustainability Outcomes Village of Hope is a sustainable programme because it The programme’s major achievements include: is community centered and involves the beneficiaries construction of 20 housing units, providing shelter in all activities. The programme builds the capacity to approximately 120 persons, establishing a of people within the community by employing community centre that provides support to 1,000 and encouraging them to take responsibility when women and 200 youths, establishing a youth centre the time comes. For example, three out of the five for youth activities, tailoring training offered to people employed at the centre are beneficiaries of 28 women, training on producing greeting cards the Village of Hope programme. for 32 youths, beadwork training for 14 women, knitting and weaving training for 12 women, provision of school fees for 17 secondary school children, provision of medical services, psychosocial/trauma/HIV/AIDS counseling and seminars on gender issues.

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Introduction Cebu City covers an area of 329 square kilometers and has a population of 610 417. It is the regional capital of Central Visayas and lies at the heart of the Philippine archipelago, 568 kilometers south of Manila. Bantay Banay, a family/community watch group against domestic and gender violence was organised on January 31 1992

Contact Information: Rwandan Women Community Development Network P. O. Box 3157 Kigali – Rwanda. Physical Location Hse #: G.S.A./G 0545 Kicukiro, Next to World Food Program Headquarters. Tel. / Fax :( 250) 583662 Email: [email protected] Website: www.rwandawomennetwork.org

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WOMEN ‘S SAFETY AND SECURITY

FAMILY/COMMUNITY WATCH AGAINST DOMESTIC AND GENDER VIOLENCE, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

in Cebu City, by participants in an inter-sectoral Objectives Forum. Lihok Pilipina Foundation, a non- Bantay Banay envisions a society that is fair, equal governmental organisation working on women’s and violence-free for all. Specifically, it seeks to: safety issues, stated that six out of ten women are battered by their partners. The initial plan was to • Improve the lives of women, children and work with each other as a response to the cases of their families through direct response to domestic violence and help minimise the reality Violence Against Women cases in families and that the home had become a dangerous place for communities many women and children. • Transform domestic violence from a personal Background issue to a public issue, to become an issue of governance Prior to the 1992 meeting, Lihok Pilipina did not include domestic violence in its advocacy work on • Generate public awareness on gender-related women’s concerns. In fact, it had not considered issues and influence policies and resource violence against women as a development issue. allocation in the different spheres: government, Though women in savings and credit schemes social development and private groups. always mentioned “family trouble” as a major Actions setback in their enterprises, it never occurred that To achieve this, Bantay Banay adopted a four- they could be referring to battering. There was little pronged strategy: literature about the subject, since this issue had not been documented. Consequently, Lihok Pilipina Community involvement: It involved inclusion of started their own documentation with the help of “family trouble” in discussions with women. The hospitals, police and barangay captains. They also sharing helped women develop a support group carried out a survey, whose results were presented among each other. Options were provided in at the 1992 multi-sectoral meeting. The national discussions on family laws, abuse and possible legal papers published this information on their front assistance, and how to stop actual violence. pages. The data was cited by then President Ramos Inter-sectoral collaboration: Organisations and in 1993 requiring women’s desks in all police public sectors that promote gender concerns stations around the country. Years later, more worked together to eradicate domestic violence. surveys by other groups in other areas validated They provided medical, legal, psycho-social and these findings. Lihok Pilipina named the initiative, practical assistance as well as assistance past the “Bantay Banay” crisis. The following story is instructive.

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“When the first battered woman came with her kids, Process we had to feed them, look for a room for her to stay Mainstreaming as a governance issue. Many and assign a staff to talk and listen to her. We offered women victims have been encouraged to speak out. a lawyer but she just wanted the battering stopped. The referrals from the communities and agencies Later, she came back with her eldest child, nine alerted the local government of the issue. The City years old, whose body was all welts - some parts still Mayor funded the training of volunteers in more dripping with blood. The father beat him up with an areas, and the construction of the Bantay Banay electric wire. The police did not want to record “family Centre. Later, a Women’s Commission was created, trouble”, because the cases do not usually get filed in and recently the Women’s Code was approved. court and only add up to their list of unresolved cases. Budget allocation is gradually being increased to Other agencies like the hospital, or prosecutors were implement the Women’s Code. There is general not sensitive either.” 11 recognition that everyone is entitled to live in safe Other problems include victimisation of those homes and communities, and that the government affected like: Threats from their husbands; should ensure this. victimisation by the police who at times refuse to list Local Anchor Partners. This was an added strategy. their complaint on the official record or even deny Cases from outside the city were referred. Requests victims a chance to express their grievances during from other groups followed. Lihok Pilipina or any investigations. Women are not given privacy during of the members did not have the institutional and investigations; many male doctors act with extreme financial capability to expand its operation. Besides, insensitivity while examining sexually-assaulted becoming big is not sustainable after a while. With women. The legal system requires mediation in a little training fund extended to the secretariat, it the Katarungang Pambarangay (Barangay Courts). offered to train groups who are willing to start out Many barangay captains have advised couples to go on their own and, more effectively because they home and resolve their conflicts or have insinuated know their own areas and their own communities. that the woman was responsible because she did not take care of her husband. This results in more To familiarise themselves with the issues, they battering and feelings of hopelessness by the asked the Women’s Crises Centre in Manila to give victims. them an orientation course and hold workshops on violence against women as well as some counseling Lihok Pilipina decided to invite the police, the on feminist issues. They echoed what they learned medical practitioners and other groups for gender to their own communities and partners and sensitivity workshops. The inter-agency council developed their own modules. The board members continues to provide for sharing and feedback as who were mostly lawyers held workshops on the well as monitoring of referrals. Other issues like law and legal process. drug addiction and basic services are also tackled.

11 Bantay Banay report 2004 69 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

When women started to become aware of their This concrete collaboration has improved rights, some of them became aggressive, this was not institutional capacity of many partners: the intention. This served only to increase domestic conflict in the family. In some meetings, men were • The hospitals have put up rooms for abused caught eavesdropping outside. Lihok Pilipina women and children: the Pink Room in Vaccinate started to include men in their training sessions. Sotto Memorial and the Violet Ribbon in Cebu Sensitised men helped inform and often facilitated City Medical. Many Municipal health doctors in mediation - they could reach out to violent men are also active in the Bantay Banay council. to stop the battering. Some women provided space • The Department of Interior and Local to hide victims. Many groups learned to contribute Government offices have provided funds for money during their weekly meetings as a standby raising awareness among the barangays and fund, to cover some basic needs of victims. the police in many areas. They monitor the implementation of the Gender and Development Outcomes Budget policy in local government units. The In Cebu City, the effort involved 1,500 community Department of Interior and Local Government volunteers from fifty barangays, eighty barangay Secretary passed a Memo enjoining local captains, more than a hundred “Tanods” (peace government units and regional Departments keepers), ten police stations, more than fifty of Interior and Local Government to set up agencies from the government and non government committees on decorum and investigation with sectors. Cases handled averaged 2000 a year. The regard to sexual harassment inter-sector council meets every month. A Gender • The Women’s Desks are now familiar mechanisms and Development Code has been passed providing in many local government units for the protection of women as victims of violence. Women’s rights as human rights are now also being • Many Courts are increasingly familiar with considered. A number of community groups have gender issues and are more prepared during become familiar with the court process and the five trials regarding rape and abuses of women pillars of justice. • The Anti-Domestic Violence Bill, which was Five Pillars of Justice stalled during the Estrada impeachment trials, is now signified as an urgent bill. Many groups • Pillar #1 - Law Enforcement from all over the country have already sent • Pillar #2 - Prosecution petitions for the passage of this bill. • Pillar #3 - Courts Many of the barangay captains and their Councils have been responding to cases with more sensitivity. • Pillar #4 - Corrections A number of line agencies have provided their own • Pillar #5 - Community funds: In Cebu City, seventy nine out of eighty barangays allotted their budgets towards gender The inter-sector council meets regularly to give concerns. The police have provided their own feedback and thrash out referral problems, funding for training to their own personnel. The summarise the number of cases handled, agree on Department of Interior and Local Government common policy advocacy and joint information provides funds for training and monitoring. The city activities, share tools and modules and continue government has provided funds for mobilisation learning together. and for a Bantay Banay Centre.

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Domestic violence and violence against women is Lessons Learned no longer a private issue. It is a public governance • Respect for each other’s role, contribution and issue, thanks to Bantay Banay. Battering and child expertise, a basic requirement in any partnership abuse is openly referred to and discussed. and collaboration Policy Mandates • Sustainability of an initiative goes hand in hand Ordinance no 1938: Anti-Domestic Violence with ownership by all the stakeholders ordinance. It addresses violence between partners • Vigilance is important in any program in intimate relationships. Section 2 (a) states implementation. The presence of strong and that Domestic Violence – shall refer to any act active community-based groups to provide the which results in or is likely to result in physical, pressure and continue to act as watch dog is key psychological harm or suffering, economic or to any sustained action financial forms of suffering. • Good governance is the interplay of the many Ordinance no 1948: Committee on Decorum and actors. Government alone cannot do it Investigation of cases on Sexual Harassment in the • Capitalising on local resources that can be city government of Cebu (CODI). Section 2 states identified within localities: technical expertise, that its purpose is to address, investigate, determine people willing to share their homes, talent and decide sexual harassment complaints and make and time, and many more. Often projects only recommendations to the office of the mayor to consider funding as the resources. appropriate sanctions against the harasser. Sustainability The gender-responsive budgeting policy of the The Inter-agency council has become an institution by Philippines is commonly referred to as the “gender itself that makes the members accountable. There is and development” budgeting policy, or the five quarterly updating of the gender and development focal percent gender and development budget policy. points in what is happening in barangays. Gender and It is described in a section of annual General development focal points are also being organised in Appropriation Act. It requires government agencies, the state departments. The Women and Family Affairs including local government units, to use at least Commission is institutionalising a regular quarterly five percent of their total budgets for programmes, update and assessment with gender and development activities and projects that address the needs and focal points. Data Base is also being developed. uphold rights of women. Contact Information Challenges Bantay Banay C/o Lihok Pilipina Foundation “Political will” is not always what it appears to be: 102 P. del Rosario Extension Politicians and aspiring political candidates have Cebu City 6000 Philippines used the issue to canvass for votes and funding. Telephone Nos.: (63-32) 2548092 or 2561341 Greater women’s and community vigilance is needed Fax No.: (63-32) 2548072 to make sure that politicians do not manipulate the Email: [email protected] or [email protected] issue for their own selfish ends.

71 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

INTEGRATING A GENDER PERSPECTIVE IN PUBLIC TRANSIT - THE “BETWEEN TWO STOPS” SERVICE MONTRÉAL QUÉBEC CANADA

Introduction The partners mobilised their resources emphasising their complementary strengths, while respecting the Montreal is the second largest city in Canada, and the individual identities of the women’s groups and the largest in the province of Quebec. According to the 2006 local authorities. Reaching the objective after two years Canadian Census, 1 620 693 people resided in the city of effort reinforced the partners’ determination to work of Montreal and 3 635 571 in the wider metropolitan together to increase the safety of women on the island area. Montreal has continued to identify women’s safety of Montreal. as a priority issue and a major International Seminar on Women’s Safety was held in Montreal in May 2002, The principal partners ofLe Comité d’action femmes et culminating in the launch of the “Montréal Declaration sécurité urbaine in the implementation of the “Between on Women’s Safety”. Several initiatives have been on- Two Stops” service are: going aimed at creating safer communities. These include, building community-based partnerships for • La Table des Centres de femmes de Montréal local action on women’s safety, linking to international (Coalition of Women’s Centres) which reaches networks on women safety, and participating in thousands of women. This coalition called for international baseline surveys on women’s safety. the implementation of the service on behalf of The “Between Two Stops” service is one innovative women from various sectors of Montréal and undertaking, enabling women to get off the bus between mobilised these women into action two stops at night, on request, so that they descend • La Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine closer to their destination, as a safety measure. The de Montréal which runs the public transit system service takes into account women’s fears and perceptions on the island of Montréal (bus routes and metro of safety, especially at night. Its aim is to increase a lines), was responsible for the implementation of woman’s sense of security during night trips and reduce acts of aggression in public places. The project aimed the service. It assumed the expenses related to the to increase the mobility, autonomy, and empowerment pilot project, the evaluation of the project as well of women. The ultimate objective was to seek gender as promotion of the service (posters, flyers, and equality in economic and cultural activities offered by press releases) the city. • The Ville de Montréal’s Femmes et ville (Women Background in the city) programme which provided administrative support and increased awareness Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine (Women’s Urban Safety Action Committee) was founded in 1992. among municipal departments and city La Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine is a councillors sitting on the board of directors of permanent committee dealing with violence against Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine de women. The partners include women’s groups, Montréal. community organisations, universities, and Montréal’s local authorities, the police department, transport, health and social services. Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine operates on the territory of the island of Montréal, with a total population of 1.8 million inhabitants, of which fifty two percent are women.

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Objectives • The implementation of the strategies took into Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine’s objective is account the mandates and resources particular to increase the safety of women and to give them a sense to each of the partners. The initiative cost of security in the urban environment. Surveys indicated approximately USD15,000. The various partners that close to two thirds of Montréal women said they dedicated their respective organisations’ time for were afraid to walk alone in their neighbourhood at meetings, mobilisation of resources, negotiations night. This fear, and the restrictions that it places on and promotion between 1994 and 1996 to reach the mobility of women, represented a major obstacle the objective and subsequently to promote the in achieving gender equality in the urban environment. service. Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité Women’s mobility dropped dramatically in the evening, urbaine, as a collection of partners, dedicated a as women identify public transit (bus stops and the major part of its monthly meetings to advancing metro) as being among the locations where they felt La Société the least safe. As the principal users of public transit the project and mobilising resources. de transport de la Communauté urbaine de in Montreal (sixty percent), this decrease in women’s usage had a major impact on the overall use of the Montréal allocated approximately CAD10,000 service, which then increased the level of insecurity for to cover the pilot project, a survey of its users all transit users. and the necessary communications tools for the promotion of the service such as posters, flyers, Process and press releases. The idea of “Between Two Stops” developed as a result of exchanges between women’s groups dealing with • The women’s groups mobilised Montreal women the issue of women’s safety in other Canadian cities. to demonstrate that the request corresponded At a meeting of Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité to actual needs. The Centres de femmes involved urbaine partners, the coalition of the Centres de femmes their members and users in sending letters to the de Montréal, representing more than 40,000 Montréal La Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine women, formally requested that the committee de Montréal and to city councillors who sat on its incorporate into its annual action plan the objective board of directors. to implement a service enabling women to get off the bus between two stops at night. The members of Le During the six-month pilot project which preceded the Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine ratified this permanent implementation of the service, the Centres proposition and mandated a working sub-committee to de femmes mobilised their networks and had the women determine strategies and develop an action plan. complete and return the evaluation forms distributed throughout the transit network. TheLa Société de Several objectives and strategies were then pursued. transport de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal was The local authorities were made aware of the needs open to the project as it was designed to increase the expressed by women, including: recognition of the use of its services by its majority users. It dedicated specific realities of women’s fears, and the need for a the necessary resources first to carry out a pilot project service exclusively for women. It was also necessary to (production of a feasibility study, production and demonstrate the feasibility of the project and develop distribution of a flyer, a communications plan, and promotional material to use during the negotiation internal coordination of the departments’ concerned.) process with the parties involved. and subsequently to promote the permanent service.

73 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

The representative of the Ville de Montréal raised the During the evaluation of the service, La Société de awareness of the administrative and political authorities transport de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal at the municipal level, in particular the municipal conducted a survey among all its clientele. Eighty nine councillors on the board of directors of La Société de percent of those interviewed (ninety one percent women transport de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal, and and eighty six percent men) indicated that this service also promoted the service as part of its “Femmes et ville” should be offered on a permanent basis, particularly programme. noting the urgency of the issue of safety. In addition, the organizations forming the working Following the announcement of the installation of the sub-committee of Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité service on a permanent basis in December 1996, the main urbaine participated in numerous meetings between challenge became promotion of the service to women 1994 and 1996. At the time of the announcement of transit users. La Société de transport de la Communauté the implementation of the service in 1996, and the urbaine de Montréal developed a communications plan, expansion of the hours of service in 1999, the partners and all the other Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité also participated, in radio and in television interviews to urbaine partners participated in the distribution of the promote the service. information. The information had to be distributed on a continuous basis to reach as many women as possible. Challenges Posters were also displayed inside the buses. However, Several difficulties were encountered during the two- following the implementation of the service, a citizen and-a-half year process leading up to the implementation filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. of the “Between Two Stops” service. The first was to He claimed that this was a case of sexual discrimination make it clear that this service was to be exclusively for as the service was available only to women. The girls and women. Many interventions were necessary. Commission rejected his complaint, recognising that Decision makers had to be convinced that it was mainly this was a necessary action to reduce gender inequality women who limited their travel out of fear, and that the in terms of mobility, particularly in the evening. fear of sexual attacks had a particularly strong impact on Outcomes women’s travel choices, particularly at night. The principal result was the implementation of the After receiving confirmation of the feasibility of the “Between Two Stops” service on a permanent basis in service and learning from a similar undertaking in December 1996. After more than two years of service, Toronto, the management of La Société de transport de the demands of users subsequently led the transit la Communauté urbaine de Montréal gave its support to company to announce an expansion of the hours of the project. However, the main difficulties arose in the accessibility during the winter, as it became darker earlier agreements that had to be drawn up with the bus drivers’ at this time of year. These requests were sufficiently union. The union was in the midst of negotiating a numerous that La Société de transport de la Communauté collective agreement and was trying to obtain other urbaine de Montréal adjusted the hours in response. The concessions in return for agreeing to provide this fact that women’s experiences have been at the core of service. Meetings were held with the union leaders, the this whole undertaking and that their needs have been management of La Société de transport de la Communauté addressed by the local authorities, due to the support of urbaine de Montréal and the members of Le Comité community and public partners, is proof that women d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine sub-committee. when organised, can exert an influence on the design Reference was made to the traditional alliances between and allocation of resources for urban public services. women’s groups and union organisations, in the course of the meetings. Eventually the bus drivers agreed to participate in a six-month pilot project that would be evaluated to determine if the service should be offered on a permanent basis.

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The announcement of the service to the general public women live with, often in isolation and guilt, has now and to transit users also sensitised men to the reality become publicly recognised, and the service offered to of the insecurities of women. This was a fundamental women clearly sends the message that women can, as objective of the work undertaken by the partners a community, make concrete gestures to support other dealing with the issue of women’s safety. Reaching this women in their moves towards autonomy and equality. objective was seen as a great victory by the women’s It also shows that the problem of women’s insecurity is groups and proved that a partnership with the local a collective one. The provision of the service constitutes authorities can aid strategically in responding to the a de facto policy change. needs of women and ensuring their participation in the decisions regarding public services. The success of Lessons learned the project reinforced the determination of the various The overall process leading to the implementation of Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine partners the service demonstrated the effectiveness and relevance to continue their collaboration on the development of of an undertaking where the public partners chose to policies and measures to increase women’s safety and support a request from women’s groups who were in their sense of security. In addition to the bus service, contact with citizens in various sectors of Montreal. The the members of Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité experience showed that a joint effort could be successful urbaine continue their efforts with the local public while still respecting and utilising the mandates of each authorities in finding an integrated approach to gender partner. It was by using the complementary strengths equality in the development of their policies and the of each of the community and public organisations that provision of urban public services. Thus gender-aware the initiative reached its objective. and participatory planning in the transport sector has led to the institutionalisation of consultation with Another lesson learned was the need for patience and women’s organisations. tenacity. This type of project necessarily takes time, and one has to know how to keep the interest alive. Policy mandate Thanks to the constant pressure by women’s groups This undertaking now serves as an example of how local to achieve their objectives, as well as the partners who authorities can adapt their services to the specific needs did not lose interest during the two-and-a-half year of women without having a negative impact on overall mobilisation and trial period. The achievement of the services or causing additional expense. The service initiative’s goal reinforces the conviction that solutions demonstrates how resources can be allocated to increase to increase women’s safety and their sense of security, the control that women have over their environment, must be based on the experience of women themselves, increase their choices, facilitate their mobility and thus and must offer alternatives, which increase their choices increase their level of empowerment. rather than restricting them. The obstacles encountered with the bus drivers’ union taught the implementers that The implementation of the service constitutes a positive partnerships could help to break a stalemate through action, which recognises that men and women live recourse to strategic alliances. This success encouraged different realities, and that specific measures must the Le Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine partners take these differences into account, if the inequalities to continue this coordinated action to develop formal between the sexes are to be reduced. A major obstacle to policies that take into account the impact of women’s equality is the lack of mobility for women, particularly fear on access to a diverse set of opportunities – social, the poorest such as heads of single-parent families. Fear cultural, and economic. is also a major factor limiting the mobility of women, particularly those who depend on public transit for their travel. The implementation of a measure integral to the provision of public bus service formalises the need for local authorities to respond to the needs of female citizens and adapt their services accordingly. The fear

75 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Replication and Sustainability La Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal “Between Two Stops” service was adopted by the Société de transport de Laval (a suburb of Montréal) in October 1999, as a result of dialogue between the two transit companies. During these exchanges, La Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal strongly recommended to the Société de transport de Laval that it collaborate with the women’s groups operating on its territory to implement the service. The Centre des femmes de Laval subsequently collaborated on the project. This undertaking served to give a voice to the women’s groups in this area regarding the speciﬁc needs of women. The service is the subject of growing interest in other Québec municipalities. Networks of women’s groups involved in local and regional development help to publicise the service. At the international level, the service is being promoted through the “Women in City” programmes. It serves as an example of successful strategic partnerships between women’s groups and local authorities, particularly in the context of the (United Nations) Habitat Agenda implementation process. Contact information Contact person: Anne Michaud - representative of Ville de Montréal (Femmes et ville) to CAFSU Comité d’action femmes et sécurité urbaine (CAFSU) C.P 8 Succ.B, Montréal, (Québec) H3B 3J5 Canada Tel: 514-396-3521 Fax: 514-280-3230 Email: [email protected] Website: www.femmesetvilles.org

76 CONCLUSION: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CASE STUDIES

CONCLUSION: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CASE STUDIES

Political will and the policy environment: Some of the best practices illustrate that in some olitical will is critical. Policies alone do not areas, such as balancing work and domestic Pachieve desired outcomes. Real political will life, both men and women benefit from equal must be backed up by implementation strategies, provisions of child-care and flexible working hours. action plans, capacity building, dedicated This has resulted in greater participation by men in resources, as well as monitoring and accountability traditional women’s roles in family life. Ultimately, mechanisms. These elements help institutionalise this change in social relations has contributed to gender equality. greater gender equality. Women-specific interventions: Programmatic Approach: It is recognised that gender inequality persists in It is important to address gender mainstreaming many areas – social, economic, cultural spheres and - that is focusing on the needs of women, men, that women are the more disadvantaged gender. It boys and girls, in the design and implementation is still necessary to address women’s specific issues of development initiatives. It has to be backed by such as poverty, access to resources and services, monitoring and accountability systems. Involving and the need to balance domestic life and work. women and men in participatory planning, Quotas and other affirmative actions to increase implementation and evaluation is critical. Gender- women’s participation in governance structures disaggregated data and indicators are also necessary. are still necessary in many countries. Addressing Capacity building of all key personnel as well as each of these specific areas empowers women, sensitisation of politicians is also necessary. and contributes to the longer-term goal of gender Stakeholders Participation: equality. Women’s empowerment needs to go hand-in hand with gender mainstreaming. Some of the most interesting best practices in gender mainstreaming are from local governments Gender Mainstreaming: where structures include diverse interest groups in There is confusion around gender issues being local government. Civil society, key among them, about women. This is understandable given that women’s organisations, has been central to bringing attempts towards gender equality often entail gender equality onto the local and international addressing a woman’s status in society. It should be development agenda. Stakeholders’ participation is re-emphasised, however, that gender mainstreaming built on freedom of association and speech, as well involves recognizing the entire population in as the capacity to participate effectively. Initiatives development intervention. such as gender budgeting intrinsically recognise the equal right of women and men to incorporate their interests in resource allocation.

77 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

However, such initiatives also need adequate Post-conflict and post-disaster scenarios: capacity building for all stakeholders to participate During situations of extreme crisis – such as effectively. war/conflict or disaster - traditional gender roles Advocacy and awareness creation: and relations often undergo a change. Women often find themselves performing public roles These are on-going processes in settings where in management and governance. Men may find gender equality is accepted in principal. Gender themselves taking on new domestic roles due to mainstreaming initiatives have worked well where the death or displacement of women. Some best diverse stakeholders have advocated for various practices in gender mainstreaming have made related issues. Networking, campaigns as well creative use of reconstruction periods to help build as competitions and awards emerge as some of women’s capacities and bring them into non- the more common tools used for advocacy and traditional public roles, and to support men in knowledge sharing. International organisations new family roles. Crises tend to highlight (and also play a key role in supporting these activities. worsen) existing inequalities. Rwanda is a good Strong Local Authorities: example of post-crisis reconstruction in addressing structural gender inequalities. As the level of government closest to the people, local authorities need the requisite autonomy, resources and capacities. Effective decentralisation policies have helped local authorities to be innovative in promoting gender equality and social inclusiveness. Networking through national, regional and international, associations of local authorities has advanced gender mainstreaming through knowledge sharing and peer pressure. International support: Gender equality is as much a political concern as it is a development management issue. As such, it needs support from many quarters. International and regional organisations continue to play a key role in setting of norms, principles and standards. Many of the best practices described have been motivated and facilitated by international and regional conventions, declarations of action plans and road maps. In addition, international organisations are needed to support advocacy tools as campaigns, networking, awards and recognition systems. This type of support is needed by civil society organisations as well as local authorities.

78 REFERENCES

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www.women-and-transport.net Gender Audit Development website http://www.info.gov.za/otherdocs/2000/gender. http://www.gendercc.net/action/transport.html pdf South Africa’s National Policy framework for Gender, Climate Change and Transport Women’s Empowerment & Gender Equality http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/ssatp/Resources/ http://womensnet.org.za/links/genderpr.htm HTML/Gender-RG/index.html World Bank Country Gender Proﬁle: South Africa Gender and Transport Resource Guide www.southafrica.info/ www.GWIA.net The Grassroots Women’s International Academy (GWIA) www.gender.up.ac.za/OCC2.doc Gender Mainstreaming Practices 1: Examples from the EU www.unece.org United Nations Economic and South Africa Commission for Europe (UNECE) http://www.truthforce.info/?q=node/view/1332 Africa South Africa: Putting Gender Equality at the www.uneca.org The United Nations Economic Forefront of Local Government Commission for Africa (UNECA) www.cge.org.za/docs/gender Policy www.eac.int East African Community Transformation www.nepad.org New Partnership for Africa’s http://www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/en-gender- Development (NEPAD) dezentralisation.pdf Decentralization toward Gender Orientation www.sadc.int Southern African Development Community (SADC) http://www.crisisstates.com/download/wp/wp54. pdf Decentralization & Engendering Democracy: www.comesa.int Common Market for Eastern and Lessons from Local Government Reform in South Southern Africa (COMESA) Africa http://www.africa-union.org/Structure_of_the_ http://www.federalism.ch/ﬁles/categories/IRCC/ Commission/WOMEN,%20GENDER%20A winter2004review_rev_june05.pdf Gender & ND%20DEVELOPMENT.htm AU Women, Decentralized Governance Gender and Development Directorate http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/2962/1/Decentralizing_ http://www.gender-budgets.org Gender Budgets government_and_centralizing_gender_ (UNRISD).pdf Decentralizing Government & www.africagenderaward.org Africa Gender Award Centralizing Gender in Southern Africa: Lessons www.fasngo.org from the South African Experience www.rwandawomennetwork.org Rwandan Women http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/2905/1/Decentralizing_ Community Development Network govt_and_decentering_gender_LSERO_version. pdf Decentralizing Government and De-centering http://www.awid.org/eng/Issues-and-Analysis/ Gender: Lessons from Local Government Reform Library/Rwanda-sets-world-record-for-women- in South Africa in-parliament Association for Women’s Rights in http://www.cge.org.za/userfiles/documents/ 81 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

gendermachienary.pdf National Gender http://allafrica.com/stories/200803070642.html Machinery South Africa: Gauteng Embarks on Women Safety Campaign http://www.citymayors.com/government/sa_ locgov.html Local government in South Africa: http://www.joburg.org.za/content/ Building a new structure after apartheid view/1953/168/ Jo’burg declares war on abuse http://www.codesria.org/Links/conferences/ http://www.joburg.org.za/content/ general_assembly11/papers/samson.pdf Gender view/1942/114/ City’s participation in the 16 Days Transformative Developmental Local Government? of Activism Reinventing the Post-Apartheid Local State within the Context of Neo-liberalism www.raisingvoices.org Raising Voices http://magnet.undp.org/new/pdf/gender/wpp/ http://www.raisingvoices.org/women/kampala. women_book.pdf “The South African Women’s php Kampala Declaration: Prevent Gender-based Budget Initiative”, in UNDP, Women’s Political Violence in Africa Participation and Good Governance www.un-habitat.org/safercities UN-HABITAT’s http://www.raisingvoices.org/ﬁles/preventgbv.57- Safer Cities Programme 78.pdf Bridging the Gap with Local Authorities http://www.femmesetvilles.org/seminar/pdf_ http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/souwomen1.htm seminar/pres_en/shaw_en.pdf Women’s Safety: South Africa: Women and local government: By Is there Progress in Putting Gender into Crime the numbers Prevention? http://www.info.gov.za/whitepapers/1994/ http://www.crime-prevention-intl.org/ housing.htm#4.4 Housing Policy and Strategy for publications/pub_22_1.pdf Gender and Crime South Africa Prevention www.millenniumcampaign.org Millennium http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/5287_ Campaign 98323_EDwhdSpeechhaguerr07%5B1%5D.pdf UN-HABITAT Under-Secretary-General of the www.sudafrica.it/notizie/The%20Promotion% United Nations address on World Habitat Day, in 20of%20Women’s%20rights%20(f).doc TheThe Hague on Monday 1 October 2007 Promotion of Women’s rights in South Africa http://www.powa.co.za/Display.asp?ID=27 Local www.ethekwini.gov.za Durban City (eThekwini) women networks in South Africa http://ww2.unhabitat.org/programmes/safercities/ www.nicro.org.za National Institute for Crime documents/EN001.pdf Durban Safer City Project Prevention and Rehabilitation of Oﬀenders http://www.iss.co.za/Pubs/Monographs/No58/ Chap11.html Perceptions of Safety- Reducing Crime in Durban http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/1829_ 19042_durbanstrategy.doc Durban Safer City Strategy: 2000 82 REFERENCES

http://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles1/bja/184218.txt Role Asia of Local Government in Community Safety www.fukuoka.unhabitat.org/event/backnumber. http://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/government/ php?KYR=2004&la=1 UN-HABITAT Regional safety.html Government Policies - Safety and Office for Asia and the Pacific (Fukuoka) Security www.citynet-ap.org CITYNET – The Regional http://www.protectionline.org/Nizaam-Cookie- Network of Local Authorities for the Management Edwards-Dominga.html International Service of Human Settlements Human Rights Awards 2006 - Award for the Defence of the Human Rights of Women - Cookie www.naga.gov.ph/cityhall/awards.html Naga City Edwards Awards http://www.southafrica.info/women/ http://cebucity.gov.ph/news_information/news_ womenyear04.htm South Africa Women of the item/2004/un_habitat_award.html Cebu City Year 2004 Bags UN -Habitat Award for Gender Responsive Governance http://www.rapecrisis.org.za/ Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust North America www.powa.co.za People Opposing Women Abuse www.femmesetvilles.org Femmes et Ville (Women (POWA) in Cities) www.nisaa.org.za Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development (Nisaa) www.ppasa.org.za Men as Partners (MAP) Program www.bac.co.za Business Against Crime South Africa www.thekuyasafund.co.za The Kuyasa Fund www.arrivealive.co.za

83 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

ANNEXES

he three annexes are detailed case studies on: 1. WOMEN DEVELOPMENT CODE OF NAGA TThe Women Development Code of Naga city, CITY Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women Friendly In 2003, one of the initiatives to expand people’s City Project, Korea, and the European Charter for role in governance processes is the passage and Equality of Women and Men in Local Life. implementation of Ordinance No. 2003-045 Naga City is included as an illustration of the key known as Women Development Code of Naga elements of a successful gender mainstreaming City. This is a collaborative initiative between the programme. It demonstrates the structures and Local Government of Naga and various women’s actors, as well as the monitoring mechanisms. group to pursue and implement gender-responsive development policies and programmes to create The Seoul case study is a new initiative whose an environment where women enjoy equal impact is not yet measured. It is included for two opportunities to develop their fullest potential. main reasons: 1) It is very comprehensive in nature and 2) It documents the eﬀorts of a city to bridge From its inception, until the present, women the gap between national policy and practice, and groups have been united in seeing the realisation city realities. of the provisions of the said Code. With the help and determination of the Naga City Council for The European Charter for Equality of Women and Women and the support of Mayor Jesse Robredo, Men in Local Life demonstrates Europe’s local and the dreams of the women of Naga are now beginning regional governments’ commitment to use their to unfold and become reality. powers and partnerships to achieve greater equality for their people. The three case studies are reproduced as originally submitted with very few changes, mostly to shorten them.

84 ANNEXES

PROGRAM KEY RESULT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OUTPUT AREAS Gender Existence of a Institutionalized Barangay Council for 27 barangays have Sensitivity community based Women in the 27 barangays of Naga Barangay Council Watch body that will City through a passage of barangay for Women’s monitor status resolutions in all the barangays in support 27 barangays of women of the creation of Barangay Council for attended the Gender Women Institutionalise And Development participation of Conduct Gender and Development Write-shop women in policy Trainings and Planning Workshop for the 27 barangays and decision Sangguniang Barangay Chairmen of the submitted their making processes Committee on Women of all barangays. Gender And at all levels of Compilation of all Gender And Development PLANS governance. Development Plans of 27 Barangays Ensure development and implementation of Gender Development Projects in every barangay.

Legal Aid Effective response Creation and establishment of NAGA 1345 cases of Services Legal or intervention to CITY BANTAY FAMILIA. This serves as domestic related Aid Services abused women Community Watch Group receiving and family violence Protection and children. complaints and finding remedies and have been handled Against solutions to address and eradicate by Bantay Familia Establish a referral Violence, Violence Against Women (acts of rescue, system and Discrimination endorsements protocol for giving Maintenance of a Temporary Shelter for or Abuse to home care , assistance to Women and Children-in crisis situation mediation , marital victims known as HOMECARE CENTER (a center conference and Effective paralegal integrated under the management of consultation) formation City Social Welfare and Development Office) 140 clients have Establish a legal been housed in this assistance desk Existence of Paralegal in 27 Barangays center in every barangay to promote alternative dispute resolution hall manned encouraging mediation and conciliation 16 clients are now by the trained method of settling disputes staying in the center paralegals. while processing Lobbied before the Barangay Captains and their cases Creation councilors for the passage of barangay of a Special Resolutions for the establishment of 27 PSB Committee , a Women and Children’s Desk in every Out of 33 registered multi-disciplinary barangay. establishments,13 and multi-sectoral Regular round up in amusement or were inspected Task Force entertainment places to monitor Against Domestic compliance with Ordinance No. 2003-045 Violence and or Women Development Code Trafficking in Women named as TASK FORCE SAGIP

85 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Acted on the verbal complaint Interventions made made by 14 Guest Relations include: listening Officer employed at Shiawase Bar to their woes and & Restaurant (not fairly compensated laments, writing and their desire to go back home to a letter to the Bar their respective provinces of Cebu and owner informing Butuan) them of the glaring violations Resolved the complaint filed by Pastor of the provisions Salceda of Independent Baptist Church of the Code versus Barracks Grill on the issue of specifically on accepting minors and nuisance created the employment by their videoed operation of minors and advising them to observe compliance thereto, otherwise, the Task Force shall recommend its closure to the local government unit; furnished the Bar owner with a letter, copy of the code and other related laws Interventions made include sending of letter to the owner informing her of the complaint of the Pastor and the observations submitted by the Task Force and conducted a confrontation and mediation between complainant, respondent and the Task Force Posters banning minors were posted in the establishment

86 ANNEXES

Advocacy Intensify Popularization of Executive Order Refer to advocacy 2003-015 prohibiting printing, accompanying campaign publication, display of visual materials samples of advocacy on Women where women appear scantily clad, materials Development or otherwise, depicting women as sex See Manifesto Code objects, public staging of indecent See sticker poster shows and co-modiﬁcation of women. Intensify proactive policy Signature campaign embodied in a agenda Manifesto of Commitment indicating full support to the implementation of Women Development Code and symbol of their approval of the policy agenda for women Drafted the material on the protocol and referral system to be displayed in all barangay halls to streamline the process Printed campaign material of Task Force SAGIP

Continuing Continuing Co-sponsored a Forum on strengthening 100 Women from Education on Education on VAWC and RA 9262 and updates on law Barangays , NGO’s National Policies National Policies affecting women during the women’s support ofﬁces Affecting Affecting Women Week celebration attended Women Focus Group Discussion to assess and Of the 27 barangays, review pending bills at Congress speciﬁcally 4 attended Magna Carta for Women, Reproductive Health Bill participated in by Barangay Council for Women & Barangay Health Workers of Naga South District

Education and Increase level Conducted Basic Gender Sensitivity 45 participants Training and of awareness Training for Department Heads and Chief attended Benchmark of women on s of Ofﬁces 27 participants prevailing laws Conducted Gender Awareness Training attended addressing for 27 Barangay Committee on Women violence against 100 women leaders Chairpersons women and 20 members children Conducted CEDAW Feedback Forum in coordination with National Commission on Maogmang Integrate gender the Role of Filipino Women development in Nagueña Awardees decision making Sponsored Forum on Prevailing Laws namely : Rosario and policy Addressing Violence Against Women Estanislao, Ma. development participated by members of Task Force Corzon Penaﬂor, SAGIP Rosario Oas Continuing mechanism in Launched the Annual Search for Women- Refer to evaluation raising community Friendly Barangay in 2005 and every year tool judging sheet consciousness after on the need Launched also the Maogmang Nagueña to recognize Award which honors an individual who has women’s struggled against major life challenges and capabilities. emerged successful from it through sheer determination and good values. Provided criteria and parameter which will serve as tool in evaluating performance along the line of gender-friendly governance

87 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Right to Provided skills Sponsored the following trainings : 10 barangays are Economic trainings that are engaged in recycling 1. Trade-Fair Featuring Recycled and Empowerment needs based and initiatives Recovered Materials market driven 30 Ladies in green 2. Seminar workshop on Modiﬁed Sponsored regular trained women Hydrophonics bazaars and trade 30 trained women fairs that will 3. Basic and Advance Seminar on showcase products Flower Arrangement and Corsage 30 trained women of women Making 40 trained women 4. Pansit Making 30 trained women 5. Dishwashing and Fabric Conditioner 30 trained women Making 30 trained women 6. Basic Management Course Vegetable growers, 7. Sardines and Embutido Making native delicacies and 8. Meat Processing indigenous products vendors About 10 individual women entrepreneurs participated and more than 10 women groups displayed their products

Right to Health Effective and ALAY PARA SA MGA NANAY- an Annual 662 women responsive Free Pap Smear Services for 1,000 Indigent beneﬁciaries Reproductive Women Out of 5408, 4728 Health Care Pregnant women made three (3)or more women beneﬁciaries Delivery of proper prenatal visits were attended to maternal health Pregnant women were given Tetanus Toxoid Out of 5408 women, care plus 3386 were injected Attendance Pregnant women were given iron Out of 5408 women, to Sexually 4055 were given Transmissible Postpartum women with at least 1 visit Infection Of the 4,636 Postpartum women given iron mothers,4106 visited Cancer Control Postpartum women initiated breastfeeding Program Of the 4636 Total number of smear examination on mothers,3010 were Dental Care sexually transmitted infections given Number of sexually transmitted infection Of the 4636 mothers, treated 3953 were into breastfeeding Serological test for syphilis for Commercial Sex Workers Of the 1817 women, Breast Examination Pregnant women were provided preventive treatment Pregnant provided curative treatment

88 ANNEXES

1793 underwent smear examinations 210 cases Of the 249 sex workers,41 underwent test 204 women 684 women (target is only 475) 630 women (target is only 466)

Right to Enact Local The City Government of Naga approved Representation of Participation in Sectoral City Ordinance No. 2007-034 otherwise women sector to Governance Representation known as Local Sectoral Representation City Council was Ordinance to Ordinance of Naga City realized following represent women the mandates of the Regular consultation among member sector in the law Ordinance No. organizations and government support Sangguniang 2003--045 and Local ofﬁces Panlungsod Government Code The NCCW is now situated at 2nd Floor Existence of a well Refer to attached City Hall Main Building equipped with basic coordinated plan NCCW Annual Plan facilities and staff for its operation of the different Conducted regular interest groups There is now a brochure explaining/ Monthly and special describing NCCW and its mechanisms Institutionalization meetings of Naga City See brochure and Council for organizational chart Women (NCCW) Passage of a resolution providing a separate ofﬁce space for Naga City Council for Women in city hall

89 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Most of the significant programmes and projects Programmes and Services are yet to be actualised. Women leaders and entrepreneurs continuously strive to be in the Gender Sensitivity Watch: A system of services mainstream of society. Many women have and facilities to monitor status of women in Naga participated in government decision-making City. processes. • Legal Aid Services Check: Standard procedures observed in crisis intervention, trained II. NAGA CITY COUNCIL FOR WOMEN paralegals, existence of community watch group to combat violence against women (BANTAY Bringing the policy and programme to the FAMILIA). grassroots was an easy task for the Naga City Council for Women - the city government • Advocacy: A coordinated advocacy campaign machinery for advancing the cause of women. against all form of discrimination and violence This unique structure provided the best way forward against women. for implementing current programmes, without • Continuing Education on National Policies duplicating efforts of each member organisations Affecting Women: Assessment of existing and support offices. The Naga City Council and proposed national policies as they impact for Women harmonised programmes towards women. the achievement of the Women Development • Violence in Media Check: Continuing dialogue Agenda. In effect, it operated as a planning and with organised media groups and personalities. recommendatory body: it ensured the expeditious formulation and effective responses to women’s • Education and Training Benchmark. issues. The key strategies revolved around policy Continuing gender sensitivity education and development and advocacy, awareness building and training for all departments and agencies of capability building, membership strengthening, the Local Government of Naga City and the research and data banking, and coordination and 27 barangays. linkages. • Psychosocial Support Program. A holistic and indigenous approach to women in dysfunctional and/or crisis situation that includes attendance to their physical/biological, emotional, psychological and social needs shall be set up.

90 ANNEXES P.I.O RIA V. CRUZ RIA V. Business Managers Business GLENDA V. DASCO GLENDA V. ALFONSA I. VARGAS ALFONSA I. Liga ng mga Barangay NCPC Representative NCPC Representative EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS *Members of SP Committee on Women Women of SP Committee on *Members Secretary DAVID A.ABOGADO JR.. DAVID NCCW BOARD NCCW GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT Ms. Emily E. Saulon Ms. Emily SUPPORT OFFICES SUPPORT Hon. Jesse M. Robredo Jesse Hon. NCCW SECRETARIAT NCCW OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OFFICE OF Hon. Jesse M. Robredo- Mayor, Chairperson Mayor, M. Robredo- Jesse Hon. Vice President THE NAGA CITY COUNCIL FOR WOMEN MECHANISM Hon. Bernadette F. Roco- SP Committee on Women, Co- Chairperson Women, SP Committee on Roco- F. Bernadette Hon. ATTY. MARION E. LEGACION ATTY. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NAGA CITY COUNCIL FOR WOMEN President People Organizations Organizations People INTEREST GROUPS INTEREST GROUPS Non- Government Organizations Organizations Government Non- EXECUTIVE COMMITEE ATTY. LENI G. ROBREDO ATTY.

91 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

III. IMPACTS AND RESULTS 1. The enactment of Ordinance No. 2007- 034 or Local Sectoral Representation (LSR) Notable Achievements and Inspirations Ordinance will significantly increase women’s The enactment of Ordinance 2003-045, Women equal participation in political and public life Development Code of Naga City provided (Naga City was the first in the Philippines to an effective framework for achieving gender- enact an enabling law implementing Sec.457 responsive good governance in the city. Given (B) of the Local Government Code on the the accomplishments of the Naga City Council for Election of Sectoral Representatives) and thus, Women in the implementation of the Ordinance, women in Naga are assured that women issues the following may be considered as positive are advanced and protected results: 2. The search for women-friendly barangay 1. There was a visible and intensified coordination of and Maogmang Nagueña have figured a efforts among non-governmental organisations continuing mechanism in ensuring the city’s and government support offices in developing resolve to uphold the rights of women and has a unified advocacy agenda highlighted struggles, achievements and good deeds worth emulating 2. The institutionalisation of Barangay Council for Women in the 27 barangays of the city 3. Initiatives leading to the achievement of sped up the implementation of the programmes economic empowerment of women are seen reaching those women at the grassroots level in skills training made possible due to the existing Memorandum of Agreement among 3. Strong commitment by partner organisations partner agencies to pursuing policy changes at the city level is highly manifest 4. Concrete knowledge of the law advocating women from different fora and training skills 4. Women populace involved in community made the Barangay Council for Women effort to combat violence against women and vigilant of the 5% Gender And Development children Budget Allocation in the full implementation 5. The emergence of a systematic approach of their identified programmes and projects or use of protocol in handling women and children in crisis situations resulted in victim’s trust and confidence in the law and in the local Identified Bottlenecks in the Implementation of government’s resolve to help women Other Policies and Programmes 6. A strong advocacy programme to popularise 1. Limited resources of the city government have laws protecting women and children in a hampered the implementation of other gender way helped lessen the incidences of domestic related programmes such as: violence a) Establishment of a separate temporary shelter 7. The presence of Bantay Familia and strong or Women Crisis Center for women and advocacy campaigns for the protection of children under crisis situations to meet their women and children against violence led to a physical, emotional, psychological and social decreasing number of reported incidences of needs violence every year

92 ANNEXES

b) Bagsakan Center - where women products can be channeled through market linkage and product matching c) Naga City Council for Women personnel have enjoyed contractual and/ or job order status from the time of its inception d) Common service facilities (production area) remain a dream. If they have infrastructures, women can develop their own business ventures in their own homes e) Legal bureau which will attend to cases ﬁled for and on behalf of women and children victims is a great want. One non-governmental organisation partner had stopped receiving cases endorsed to them by Bantay Familia. It is clear that the city government has exerted great eﬀort to meet these challenges confronting women. However, local government’s resources are so limited that women have had to look for other sources of funding so that their dreams of empowerment will be realised.

93 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

6 4 18 per Total Total Category April 14) 13 13 1 5 1999 – April 14, 2008 1999 – April SEC. REG. No. 2000 – 00016 SEC. REG. No. City Hall Compound, Naga City Compound, Naga City Hall NAGA CITY BANTAY FAMILIA, INC. REPORTED CASES SERVED BY THE NCBFI 2 63 2121 1 1 17 533 4332 1421 15 8 13 12 7 12 5 91 2. Neglected 4 1 1 1. Abandoned 2 5 3 6 1 3 2 22 5. Child Abuse 3. Sexually Abused 11. Child’s Custody11. Child’s 4 10 9 12 6 14 4 14 10 1 84 4. Sexually Exploited 10. Legal Separation 3 5 10 20 9 4 5 2 1 59 Category of Cases 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 (As of Illegal Recruitment a. Physical Maltreatment 15 21 14 8 17 16 11 10 3 2 117 b. Emotional Maltreatment 2 1 1 6 3 13 6. Victims of Child Labour and 7. Child Trafﬁcking / Abduction7. Child Trafﬁcking 1 2 1 8. Financial / Economic Support 8 11 14 12 19 24 29 38 19 3 177 a. Rape / Attempted a.b.c. Victims of Pedophilia Victims of Prostitution Victims of Pornography c.d. Act of Lasciviousness Seduction b. Incest

94 ANNEXES

9 4 1 per Total Total Category April 14) 119 136 142 156 200 183 155 144 93 17 1,345 TOTAL 19. Missing 4 6 2 2 23. Adultery 1 2 Related Cases 20. Concubines 1 2 2 17. Consultation 13 18 18 27 17 20 25 6 25 5 174 12. Physical Injury 5 5 2 10 6 8 6 2 1 45 21. Illegal Detention 2 1 1 18. Frustrated Parricide 1 Category of Clients 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 (As of 15. Drug Related Cases 3 2 4 14. Family Conﬂict/Problem 2 5 5 16 48 26 27 19 12 160 22. Real Property Case/Insurance22. Real Property 1 4 2 16. Street Children Related Cases Children 16. Street 1 1 2 13. Grave Threats / Unjust Vexation13. Grave Threats 1 3 3 5 10 1 1 24 24. Youth in Difﬁcult Circumstances24. Youth 1 4 1 1 Prepared by Prepared SAULON EMILYE. Coordinator NCCW

95 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

I. Pursue an intensiﬁed and integrated advocacy program that addresses the needs of women in Naga City and effects policy changes at the city level towards building a peaceful, healthy, just, women- friendly and environmentally sustainable society.

KEY RESULT INDICATORS PLANNED TIME FRAME IN-CHARGE AREAS ACTIVITIES A. Develop A.1. All advocacy points Conduct a series of Jan 2008 a uniﬁed and positions are clear consultation sessions for the advocacy and have been agreed different interest groups agenda upon by the council members

A.2. Advocacy positions Present minutes of interest Jan 2008 do not conﬂict groups consultations to the Board and harmonize all advocacy points agreed upon

A.3. Existence of a Conduct a general planning Jan 2008 coordinated plan of the session for all interest groups different interest groups

A.4. Involvement of Train and assist Barangay Feb 2008 barangay women leaders Women leaders in formulating in formulating policy an Annual GAD Plan for their agenda for women respective barangays that will deﬁne their policy agenda for women and their GAD plans for the year

B. Institutionalize B.1.Institutionalize the Draft, Advocate and lobby Jan 2008 participation of Barangay Council for for the passage of the women in Women Implementing

policy and Regulations of Ordinance 2002- Feb 2008 decision-making 053 Feb-March processes at all levels of 2008 governance Draft and lobby for the passage of barangay resolutions in all the barangays of Naga City in support of the creation of Barangay Council for Women

Draft and reorganize all existing Barangay Council for Women

B.2.Assist the Barangay Conduct GAD trainings and Feb 2008 Council for Women GAD PLAN Workshops for the in the development SB Chairmen of the Committee of Gender and of Women of all barangays Development Plans in every barangay

B.3.Membership of Lobby for the implementation council members in the of certain provisions of different committees of Ordinance No 2002-053 the SP providing for membership in the different SP Committees

C. Intensify the advocacy program with the following components:

96 ANNEXES

1.1. Clearly articulated Present the consolidated policy Jan 2008 NCCW Board policy agenda for agenda for women which was women approved by a result of the interest groups Jan 2008 members of the council consultation sessions to the council members for their approval Committee by all council members as a symbol of their approval of the policy agenda for women

1.2. Passage of local Drafting, lobbying and passage Year-round NCCW Barangay Reps ordinances and of ordinances and resolutions in resolutions addressing the city and barangay level that concerns of the women will address the concerns and sector issues of the women sector

1.3. Issuance of Drafting and lobbying for the Year-round NCCW Board progressive orders by passage of Executive orders by the Executive addressing the City Mayor addressing the women concerns concerns of the Women sector

1.4. Discussion sessions, Conduct at least one forum, 4XDUWHUO\ NCCW Board fora or conferences on focused group discussion or LGHQWL¿HGSROLF\LVVXHV conference every quarter on an identiﬁed women policy issue identiﬁed women policy issue

2. Effective paralegal formation and legal literacy program

2.1.Train a pool of active - Master listing of all Paralegals January 2008 Crisis Intervention paralegals from each in 27 barangays interest groups March 11, of the 27 barangays of 2008 Legal interest groups Naga City - General Meeting of all Feb-Dec 2008 SALIGAN/PSB Paralegals 2nd -4th Crisis Intervention/Legal Quarter 2008 interest groups - Conduct monthly legal clinics for all trained paralegals every 2nd -4th SALIGAN Quarter 2008 2nd Tuesday of the month Crisis Intervention/Legal interest groups

- Conduct Refresher Course for Barangay paralegals

- Conduct Basic and Advance Paralegal Trainings

3.3. Sponsor regular Coordinate with Women Feb to Dec Business/Agricultural bazaars and trade fairs Empowerment through 2008 Interest groups that will showcase Enterprise Development products of women (WEED) entrepreneurs Provide assistance to members

97 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

2.2.Establish a legal - Pass Barangay Resolutions for February Barangay Council for assistance desk in every the establishment of Women’s 2008 Wome barangay hall to be and Desk in every barangay March -June Crisis Intervention manned by the trained - Set up Women’s and interest groups paralegals 2008 Children’s Desk in every barangay Legal interest groups

2.3.Sponsor fora, Conduct at least one forum or 1st, 2nd, Legal interest groups discussions, etc. to discussion session on prevailing 3rd and 4th increase the level of laws addressing violence Quarters of awareness of women against women and children 2008 on prevailing laws once every quarter addressing violence against women and children

2.4.Provide counseling Members of Crisis Intervention Year Round Legal interest groups and legal assistance to and Legal Interest groups will 2nd Quarter Crisis Intervention victims of abuse coordinate with barangays and establish a referral system and 2008 Barangays protocol for giving assistance to victims streamline the system

3. Strategic livelihood programmes for women entrepreneurs in Naga

Conduct skills trainings -Schedule Skills Trainings: February Business/Livelihood that are needs-based interest groups 1.Corsage Making March and market-driven 2.Flower Arrangement March Agriculture 3.Cacao Production March Interest groups 4.Pancit Making March 5.Milk Processing (Quesong March Puti) July 6.Rice cake and lumpia wrapper August 7.Bag and Picture Frame September making September 8.Bonsai and Origami Making October 9.Sardines-making using Lalaw and Embutido-making using Tonto ﬁsh 10.Pili-Nuts Making 11.Charcoal Briquetting

3.2. Provide effective Conduct Seminars on April Business/Agricultural product development Bookkeeping & Auditing Interest groups 3rd Quarter and marketing assistance Conduct trainings on packaging 2008 to women entrepreneurs and marketing

1. Pro-active policy agenda

98 ANNEXES

3.4. Linkages with Memorandum of Agreement February Business/Livelihood Inter- government agencies with private sector 2008 est groups and private ﬁnancing institutions that can provide ﬁnancial and Enter into partnerships with Agriculture other forms of assistance WEED and others to women entrepreneurs Interest groups

Coordinate efforts with special Committee for Livelihood Activities

4. Effective programmes to support women in agriculture

4.1 Organize Prepare a directory of 1st Quarter Agriculture Interest community-based community-based agricultural 2008 groups support groups for cooperatives women in agriculture Invite organized agricultural groups with women programmes to join NCCW

4.2. Sponsor trainings Establish a vegetable demo- Jan-Dec 2008 Business/Livelihood designed to give women farm at Mabolo & Panicuason Interest groups May 2008 access to science Sponsor a Contest on Meat and women-friendly Processing using Indigenous farming and technology Materials education

4.3. Conduct needs- Seminar on Natural/Organic April 2008 Business/Agricultural based skills trainings Farming - Gardening with interest groups June 2008 and provide assistance actual demo that will ensure women’s Seminar on marketing of equal access to economic agricultural products resources

5. Responsive adult literacy and continuing education programmes

5.1. Proﬁle literacy needs Conduct research/survey to 2nd-3rd NCCW Barangay Reps of women in every proﬁle literacy status of women Quarter 2008 barangay in every barangay

5.2. Prepare a directory Conduct study/research of 1st Quarter Education Interest of available services available educational and 2008 groups offered by the different vocational programmes being academic and vocational offered by schools and other institutions in Naga City institutions

5.3. Enter into Meet with schools to explore 1st & 2nd partnerships with possible partnerships Quarter academic and vocational 2008 institutions that may cater to the literacy Prepare checklist of available and education needs of services and academic and 2nd-3rd women vocational programmes Quarter 2008

99 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

5.4. Formulate special Survey to proﬁle differently- 1st-2nd education programmes abled women in every barangay Quarter 2008 for differently-abled women

5.5.Formulate Launch Literacy and Livelihood 3rd-4th Alternative Learning programmes in pilot barangays Quarter 2008 Systems in identiﬁed in Naga City pilot barangays in Naga City

6. Effective and responsive delivery of health care to women

6.1. Adopt a Formulate an integrated 1st-2nd Health Interest groups reproductive health care reproductive health care Quarter 2008 approach at all levels program for women of health care delivery

6.2. Delivery of proper Provide free PAP SMEAR tests March 2008 FPOP maternal health care for indigent women in Naga services to all women City

6.3. Sustained Formulate and sponsor Year-Round Health Interest groups education campaign on an intensiﬁed information women’s health campaign on women’s health care

6.4. Provision of Enter into partnerships with 2nd-3rd Elderly Interest groups regular health care to the schools with Medical Science Quarter 2008 Elderly Interest groups elderly Courses to include pilot 3rd-4th barangays in Naga City in their Quarter 2008 Community Extension services and provide regular health care to the elderly in these barangays Look for private donors in sponsoring the establishment of a Soup Kitchen for indigent the elderly

6.5. Integration of the Integrate the Healthy Lifestyle 1st-2nd Barangay Reps Healthy Lifestyle Program Program in the women health Quarter 2008 in the health program program in all barangays for women Health Interest groups

7. Healthy and Gender- Fair Environment for the working woman

7.1 Organize working Coordinate with existing 1st Quarter Labour Interest groups women Labour Unions and Labour 2008 Organizations and prepare a database for Naga City

100 ANNEXES

7.2 Establish child- Organize an observation trip 2nd Quarter NCCW Board minding centers in to observe their child-minding 2008 workplaces center and interview persons 2nd-3rd assigned thereto Quarter

Conduct study on the viability of establishing one in the City Hall, Naga City

7.3 Advocate and lobby for the passage of ordinances that will require the establishment of gender-responsive facilities in the workplaces

7.4 Sponsor fora, Conduct at least one Sexual 3rd & 4th NCCW Board seminars, discussions in Harassment Training and one Quarter 2008 workplaces on gender- Gender Sensitivity training related issues

8. Integration of Environment Programmes in the comprehensive development program for women

8.2. Conduct trainings to Training/Workshop on March 2008 Environment Interest promote environmental Hydroponics and backyard groups awareness in the gardening community

D. Building D.1.Encourage the Assist in organizing barangay Feb 2008 Media Interest groups/ strong formation of more chapters of the Bangkat NCCW Execom constituency community based Women for Peace among women organizations and men in advancing the Assist in strengthening the Interest groups/NCCW complementary Persons with Disabilities Interest Execom roles of women groups and men

Make a survey of unafﬁliated NCCW Barangay Reps women in every barangay

D.2. Encourage men to Sponsor at least one forum for Youth Interest participate fully in all men on gender issues groups actions towards equality

E. Utilize media E.1. Radio/TV guests and other and interviews to effective tools popularize advocacy to popularize agenda the advocacy agenda

E.2. Submission of news articles and/or features to various local newspapers on identiﬁed women’s issues

101 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

E.3. Operational NCCW website which posts the council’s proﬁle, programmes, activities and other materials and allow the council to receive questions and feedback

F. Strengthen F.1. Enter into strategic Memoranda of partnerships Agreement with with other other organizations organizations and/or institutions to and institutions complement advocacy programmes of the council

F.2. Conduct joint stakeholders activities with identiﬁed strategic partners

II. Ensure the council’s sustainability by strengthening its membership and human resource and enhancing its ﬁnancial base MEMBERSHIP AND HUMAN RESOURCE A. Maintain A.1. Conduct regular Year-Round existing meetings and dialogues membership with member- of active and organizations at least committed once every quarter women organizations.

A.2. Conduct regular Year Round stakeholders activities and jointly sponsor projects for women

A.3. Involve member- Year-Round organizations in all advocacy campaigns

A.4. Assist member- Year-Round organizations in resolving their issues and concerns concerning the implementation of their women programmes

A.5 Membership policies Formulate Membership policies Feb 2008 that are clear, written approved by the existing and agreed upon by the council members council

B. Expansion of B.1. Invite all existing Send out invitations to existing Year-Round membership women groups to be women groups that are not yet members of the council. members of NCCW

B.2. Organize barangay- Make a directory of all existing 1st-2nd based women’s groups barangay-based women’s Quarter groups and assist them in their organizing and strengthening efforts

102 ANNEXES

FINANCE A. Establish A.1 Solicit partnerships Submit project proposals for partnerships with other institutions submission to prospective with donors that can provide ﬁnancial donors for supporting support to the council’s the council’s programmes programmes

B. Complement B.1. Explore possible Meet with other government existing special projects with agencies to explore possible ﬁnances with other local government partnerships opportunities units (LGUs), for partnerships Government agencies, in particular and other institutions Send out letters inviting other projects ofﬁces to possible partnerships or joint undertakings

C. Secure civil C.1. All partners are Ensure counterpart system in all society partners’ contributing to council’s joint activities commitment operations in ensuring the council’s ﬁnancial sustainability

103 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

2. SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT’S WOMEN FRIENDLY CITY PROJECT

Women and Family Policy Bureau, Seoul Budget system. Since 2003, the ministry has made Metropolitan Government it mandatory for 46 government offices and 16 municipal governments to annually select one to Policy Background two Gender Impact Evaluation assignments for Historically, “women in need” have been seen as Gender-Based Analysis. The Seoul metropolitan the primary targets of women’s policies in Korea. government undertook several gender-based After the 1980s, Korea joined the United Nations analyses on policies: welfare in 2004, culture in Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 2005, disabled employment in 2006, Seoul and an Discrimination against Women, and progressive environment education policy in 2007. However, women’s movements centering on labour movements there are still many policy gaps at national level. began to emerge in Korea. This led to the enactment In this context, women-related policies in the Seoul of laws and implementation of policies eliminating metropolitan government seek to advance beyond gender inequality and discrimination in all sectors national provisions. There are three fundamental of society such as employment, family, education considerations of the city’s new women-friendly and welfare. policies. (i) the policies should deal with the reality Since the 1995 Fourth UN World Conference of a diverse range of urban women, (ii) the policies on Women in Beijing, the Korean government should fully address women’s daily needs, (iii) they has made efforts towards building institutional have an impact throughout the city and influence infrastructure to increase the social involvement of gender mainstreaming in other policies. women and to achieve gender equality. It has focused a. Women in Seoul on developing women’s capacities, increasing women’s political representation and improving Women in Seoul live in a knowledge-based the welfare and civil rights of women. Such efforts information society, undergoing various changes have contributed to a measure of gender equality in such as higher education, increasing aging legal and institutional spheres. However, there were population, greater economic disparity, diversity of few policies that directly affected the lives of the household types, and migrant women population average woman, and few opportunities for women (through marriage). It is therefore necessary to have to participate in decision-making processes. a city-specific gender plan. Women in Seoul have begun to demand more qualitative participation in Gender policies have largely been promoted in a top- all aspects of city life. down structure. The central government establishes basic guidelines and then local governments carry The Women Friendly City Project aims to tackle out detailed plans based on those guidelines. Many the changing needs of women in the city. The policy makers assume that the power to make project aims to make the city women-friendly, gender policy is limited to women’s departments. to encourage equal participation and rights for Local governments hardly deal with gender issues in women in all aspects of life such as the economy, areas such as education, labour, trade, environment, employment, education, health, safety, child-care, health, culture, transportation and housing. culture, leisure and life-style. In response, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family adopted a gender mainstreaming strategy in 2000. Two significant examples are the Gender Impact Evaluation and the Gender-Sensitive

104 ANNEXES

b. Women and Rights to the City b. Implementation Strategies Expansion of Gender Mainstreaming Women account for more than half of the population of Seoul but are not guaranteed rights The Women Friendly City Project is in charge of to the City: the right to appropriate and the right the Women and Family Policy Bureau in the Seoul to participate. The right to appropriate is a right metropolitan government. The bureau steers the through which city dwellers can freely use public project managing promotion plans and outcomes places and community areas. The right to participate of the project. The project is executed by sixteen is a right through which citizens can take part in offices, investment institutions and government- the decision-making process. Unfortunately, for a funded institutions of the Seoul metropolitan long time city policies hardly recognised women government. In the past, women’s policies were only as important members of society. Urban policy- implemented by the women’s policy department, makers considered a typical citizen as physically and it was hard to consolidate a gender perspective sound, working-man without children. With this in the work of other departments. However, under perspective, city places are constructed around the the Women Friendly City Project, each office needs and lives of men. chooses projects that need the integration of a gender perspective and establishes action plans Women Friendly City Project with the women’s policy department. In addition, a. Concept of the Project each autonomous district sets up its own Women Friendly City Project suitable for the characteristics With the launch of the new mayor’s tenure from of the region. In this regard, the Women Friendly 2006 to 2010, the Seoul metropolitan government City Project contributes to both the horizontal established a city women’s policy, the Women expansion of gender mainstreaming within Seoul Friendly City Project. The project deals with some and the vertical expansion throughout autonomous characteristic problems of women that occur in districts. places like on public transport, on streets, in parks, at cultural facilities and in shopping centres. The project addresses areas not covered by national level policy provisions. The object of the project is to provide more jobs for women and enable women to manage work and family matters, expanding women’s involvement in the city and creating a women-friendly city environment. The project consists of five parts, ‘caring Seoul,’ ‘work-conducive Seoul,’ prosperous Seoul,’ ‘safe Seoul,’ and ‘convenient Seoul.’ The main strategies of the project is to expand the boundary of women’s policy into urban life in general,

105 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Policy Implementation Strategies of the Women Friendly City Project

Each bureau and office establishes four-year gender equality and establish society as a care giver promotion and budget plans for the Women by supporting social minorities such as the elderly, Friendly City Project, and the project is single parents, and the disabled. implemented according to the mid- and long-term master plans. Additionally, the mayor encourages Child-care projects include increasing the non-women related departments to annually number of public child-care centres, providing develop new projects. Each bureau and office is total child-care services to women, aiding health required to report actual results of the project to the insurance fees for children in child-care centres mayor every quarter, and they also have to report and installing child-care facilities in public places. proceedings, problems, improvement measures and The metropolitan government is planning to utilise future plans for the project. newly-built or closed government office buildings as child-care centres and increase the number of To encourage the expansion, the government makes dual-use facilities to include public child-care an annual evaluation of results of the projects and centres and resident administration centres. In grants prizes to exemplary cases in each of the 2007, the metropolitan government founded 21 five categories. In the past, non-women related public child-care facilities in Seoul. Also planned departments did not actively take part in Gender are breast-feeding rooms, day-care centers, and Impact Evaluation, and some were unwilling to rest rooms in public places, like cultural facilities, address gender-related issues. However, the Women subway stations and government offices. Friendly City Project shows a high participation rate among departments thanks to the encouragement The policy also supports the elderly, the homeless, the by the mayor, and project incentives. disabled, migrant women (through marriage) and single-parent households by implementing projects c. Women Friendly City Project Initiatives like ‘voucher plan for care givers for the elderly’, ‘installation and operation of rehabilitation centres ‘Caring Seoul’ for the female homeless’, ‘support for children with The Caring Seoul policy aims to strengthen the disabled family members’, and ‘support for school child-care responsibilities of society and to support meal helpers.’ With the increasing number of social minorities. In the past, women usually took migrant women due to marriage, the metropolitan full charge of child-care and domestic chores, but government also plans to establish centres that the project helps women share these burdens with aid families with migrant women and provide other members of society. According to the project, cultural experience opportunities for single-parent various services are provided for women to enable families. them to carry out work and family affairs at the same time. In addition, the project will realise 106 ANNEXES

Work-conducive Seoul projects in Seoul also includes establishing women- friendly culture and arts complex in Seoul. The Work-conducive Seoul policy goal is to encourage the economic activities of women. For With more cyber information education for female this, it is necessary to provide job training, create citizens, 30% of the classes are assigned to women decent jobs for women, support their working and children. Web guides centered on women in and outside the home, and create work places are provided for women and contents of women- where gender equality is guaranteed. Through related portals are assessed according to the policy. this project, women in Seoul will be able to work The government also plans to set up an individual- without gender discrimination and improve their based information homepage for women that will social and economic status. provide comprehensive information about welfare, education, employment, cultural events and child- To create more jobs for women and invigorate care information for women. female employment, the project provides on-line education programmes for female business starters Safe Seoul like the “mom-preneur” business school and support programmes for women business starters. The Safe Seoul policy reviews the level of safety for Child-care services for women in the job training women travelling at night and emphasises that sexual program are provided. and domestic violence is prohibited. In addition, it conducts research on the impact of urban pollution To improve the working conditions for women, on women and provides solutions. the project offers more child-care leave in the public sector and implements a flexible working- The Safe Seoul policy boasts of the women-friendly hour system for government officials. As more New Town Construction Project (reconstruction women enter into the public sector, the percentage and redevelopment). In the process of constructing of women among newly employed government residential complexes, safety is ensured through officials increased to 61.3%. the design, creating a women-friendly apartment complex. Prosperous Seoul The government set standards for landscape The Prosperous Seoul policy focuses on improving architecture that ensured the safety of women women’s quality of life by expanding cultural and in parks, squares and roads. One of the projects leisure opportunities for them. is to install lights at underground sidewalks and driveways. The main projects in the Prosperous Seoul include making women-friendly cultural facilities, Women-only and women-driven taxis are available establishing small gyms for women and providing with an option to send information about the cultural programmes for women. Also, the taxi they are in to their family members via metropolitan government will increase the number cellular phone through related services. Moreover, of women’s rest rooms and establish day-care centres the government is planning a ‘daily-life safety and breast-feeding rooms in cultural facilities like experience programme’ that enables women to Sejong Cultural Center, Seoul Museum of Art, prepare for emergency situations. Seoul Museum of History, Cultural and Arts Center and Seoul Metropolitan Public Library. The Han River Renaissance Project, one of the biggest

107 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Convenient Seoul Partners in Gender-Sensitive Urban Governance The Convenient Seoul policy helps women live Women participate in city policy-making in various conveniently in the city. Women often face ways: as experts, political representatives, employers, inconveniences in the use of public facilities and community activists as well as members of support transportation due to the burdens of domestic groups or self-help organisations. Women reflect chores and child care. According to an online survey, their experiences and lives in city policy-making by women experience the biggest inconvenience in cooperating with city policy makers, city planning public restrooms, followed by public transportation, experts and policy beneficiaries in all these areas. driving and parking, sidewalks, parks and public buildings. The Women Friendly City Project partner group consists of experts in various fields like women’s The Convenient Seoul policy is for improving issues, welfare, road, transportation, housing, women’s accessibility to public places and mobility architecture, city competitiveness and environment. on public transportation. The Seoul metropolitan It includes members of women’s civic groups government increased the number of toilets in and relevant officials of municipal government female restrooms in subway stations, newly-build organisations. In total, there are 187 members. performance centres, stadiums and parks. It also Each department holds regular meetings, and works installed diaper-changing tables for mothers and with officials in relevant departments. The group improved lighting in public restrooms. provides professional advice to policy makers from the planning stage to implementation. They also The government designated parking lots for suggest new projects. women in public parking zones and installed more CCTV cameras. It lowered the height of the The government established an online network to sidewalk ledge and installed hump-type crosswalks. promote the participation of the Women Friendly For more convenient use of public transportation, City Project partners12 . It provides an introduction the government lowered the knobs in buses and to the Women Friendly City Project, outlines its subways and installed transportation facilities that key tasks, offers suggestion to the partners and can help women or the disabled. It promoted more reviews suggested opinions. Each bureau posts convenient installation of ticket gates for baby their operations and tasks to get feedback. carriages in subway stations. A ‘gender consulting system’ is under development, The city planning committee added more women where Women Friendly City Project partners can committee members to encourage women’s fully support the planning and implementation participation in policy-making. The government process of the project. Under the system, each executed a pilot project of in the Magok district, to department will select its main projects, and the improve the facilities in buildings. Women Friendly City Project experts will provide an intensive gender consultation for people in charge of each bureau. This system hopes to increase understanding of gender-sensitive city policies, and promote active participation.

12 http://cafe.daum.net/womenhappyseoul 108 ANNEXES

During the implementation stage and after the Third, it upgraded the city policy by establishing completion of the Women Friendly City Project, policies where women actively participated. officials in charge of the project and municipal institutions will analyse the extent to which the Noteworthy was the strong drive and interest of the project has been successful and how many of mayor, the chief officer of city affairs. He emphasised women’s demands were met. Results will be used the introduction of gender-sensitive perspectives in to develop new projects and improve existing every city affair and consistently encouraged the ones. Evaluation will be done by the metropolitan participation of women in all divisions. At a time government and the women themselves . when the foundation for gender mainstreaming was weak, such strong will and interest from the Education and Training for Government mayor contributed to enhancing gender-sensitive Officials perspectives. The Seoul Foundation of Women and Family The Seoul Foundation of Women and Family developed the Women Friendly City Project manual, played a critical role in the success of the Women ‘City Designed by Women: Transforming the City Friendly City Project. Through policy studies, the through Women’s Eyes,’ to help relevant officials foundation laid out a theoretical foundation for recognise gender issues in their work. The manual the promotion of the project. The Foundation also provides officials with simulation practice sessions. participated in operating a project partner group, It also introduces cases from other countries. building women’s participation. In 2008, the foundation will enhance the training and education The Seoul Foundation of Women and Family programmes of government officials to improve established an education programme for the Women Friendly City Project. In addition, government officials. It trained the instructors for it is planning a cultural event that will advertise the programme. The programme consists of two the project to women in Seoul. Such efforts of parts. The first part is about gender mainstreaming the foundation show the importance of close ties in general. The second part consists of the action between municipal governments and women’s plan of the Women Friendly City Project which policy institutions in developing and promoting introduces the basic concept of the project, and women’s policies. its practical application. Instructors in Gender- Based Analysis, Gender-Sensitive Budget and Challenges to Overcome Gender-disaggregated statistics will work for the education programme. Experts in housing, roads, Ongoing challenges and constraints include: transportation, culture, environment and welfare • Lack of interest by some city departments will also participate in the education programme. • A need for accountability mechanisms Conclusion that encourage a high level of voluntary participation The Women Friendly City Project is significant for three reasons. First, it provides policies that reflect • Limited gender-planning competence of city women’s daily lives, and it helps promote gender- official and professionals sensitivity when it comes to utilising city space and city planning. Second, it is an independent women’s policy of the metropolitan government, which reflects the characteristics of women citizens.

109 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

3. THE EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR EQUALITY OF Equality of women and men constitutes a WOMEN AND MEN IN LOCAL LIFE 13 fundamental right for all, and an essential value A Charter for Europe’s local and regional for every democracy. In order to be achieved, this governments to commit themselves to use their right needs not only to be legally recognized, but to powers and partnerships to achieve greater equality be eﬀectively applied to all aspects of life: political, for their people. economic, social and cultural. Drawn up and promoted by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and its Despite numerous instances of formal recognition partners. and progress made, equality of women and men in daily life is still not a reality. Women and men INTRODUCTION do not enjoy the same rights in practice. Social, The European Charter for Equality of Women and political, economic and cultural inequalities persist Men in Local Life is addressed to the local and - for example, salary disparities and political under- regional governments of Europe, who are invited representation. to sign it, to make a formal public commitment to the principle of equality of women and men, These inequalities are the results of social constructs and to implement, within their territory, the built upon numerous stereotypes present in the commitments set out within the Charter. family, education, culture, the media, the world of work, the organization of society. So many To assist in the implementation of these domains in which it is possible to act, adopting a commitments, each signatory authority undertakes new approach and making structural changes. to draw up an Equality Action Plan, which sets out its priorities, actions and resources to this end. As the spheres of governance closest to the people, local and regional authorities represent the levels In addition, each signatory authority undertakes to best placed to combat the persistence and the engage with all of the institutions and organisations reproduction of inequalities, and to promote a in its territory, in order to promote the achievement truly egalitarian society. They can, through their of real equality in practice. competences, and through co-operation with the The Charter was drawn up within the framework of whole range of local actors, undertake concrete a project (2005-2006) undertaken by the Council actions in favour of equality of women and men. of European Municipalities and Regions together Moreover, the principle of subsidiarity is of with many partners, listed below. The project was particular importance in relation to the practical supported by the European Commission, through implementation of the right to equality of women its 5th Community Action Programme for equality and men. This principle applies to all levels of between men and women. governance - European, national, regional and local. Whilst Europe’s local and regional governments have a diverse range of responsibilities, all of them can and must play a positive role in promoting equality in practical ways that impact on the daily lives of their population.

13 Adapted from: http://www.ccre.org/docs/charte_egalite_en.pdf 110 ANNEXES

Closely linked to the principle of subsidiarity are The role of local and regional governments in the principles of local and regional self government. promoting gender equality was affirmed in the The Council of Europe’s Charter of Local Self- Worldwide Declaration of IULA (the International Government of 1985, signed and ratified by the Union of Local Authorities) on “women in local large majority of European states, emphasizes “the government” adopted in 1998. The new world right and the ability of local authorities, within organisation, United Cities and Local Governments, the limits of the law, to regulate and manage a maintains the equality of women and men as one substantial share of public affairs under their own of its principal objectives. responsibility and in the interests of the local population”. Implementing and promoting the PREAMBLE right to equality must be at the heart of this concept of local self-government. The Council of European Municipalities and Regions, representing European local and Local or regional democracy must allow the most regional governments, in co-operation with the appropriate choices to be made concerning the following partners: most concrete aspects of daily life, such as housing, security, public transport, the world of work, or National Association of Municipalities in the health. Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB) Moreover, the full involvement of women in the Union of Cyprus Municipalities (UCM) development and implementation of local and regional policies allows their life experiences, know- Union of Towns and Communities of the Czech how and creativity to be taken into account. Republic (SMO CR) If we are to achieve a society based on equality, it is Association of Finnish Local and Regional essential that local and regional governments take Authorities (AFLRA) the gender dimension fully into account, in their policies, their organisation and their practices. And French Section of CEMR (AFCCRE) in today’s and tomorrow’s world, the real equality German Section of CEMR (RGRE) of women and men is also key to our economic and social success - not just at European or national Central Union of Municipalities and Communities levels, but also in our regions, towns and local of Greece (KEDKE) communities. Hungarian National Association of Local The Council of European Municipalities and Authorities (TÖOSZ) Regions, and its committee of women elected representatives of local and regional authorities, Italian Section of CEMR (AICCRE) has for many years been active in promoting equality of women and men at local and regional Tuscan Federation of AICCRE levels. In 2005, CEMR launched a concrete tool Association of Luxembourg Towns and for European local and regional authorities: the Municipalities (SYVICOL) town for equality. By identifying good practices of certain European cities and municipalities, “the Association of Polish Cities (ZMP) town for equality” provides a methodology for the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces implementation of policies for equality of women (FEMP) and men at the local and regional level. The present Charter builds on this work. 111 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Basque Association of Municipalities (EUDEL) Deploring the continuing discrepancy between the de jure recognition of the right to equality and its City of Vienna (Austria) real and eﬀective application; City of Saint Jean de la Ruelle (France) Considering that in Europe local and regional City of Frankfurt am Main (Germany) governments play, and must play, a crucial role for their citizens and inhabitants in the implementation City of Cartagena (Spain) of the right to equality, in particular of women and City of Valencia (Spain) men, in all areas of their responsibilities; House of Time and Mobility Belfort-Montbéliard Considering that a balanced participation and (France) representation of women and men in decision- making and in leadership positions is essential for Standing Committee Euro-Mediterranean democracy; Partnership of the Local and Regional Taking inspiration for our action in particular from Authorities (COPPEM) the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 1979, the Beijing Recalling that the European Community and Declaration and Platform for Action of the United Union are founded on fundamental rights and Nations, of 1995, and the Resolutions of the 23rd liberties including the promotion of the equality of Special Session of the General Assembly of 2000 women and men and that European legislation has ( Beijing +5), the European Union’s Charter of been the basis for progress achieved in this domain Fundamental Rights, the Council Recommendation in Europe; of December 1996 on the balanced participation of Recalling the international legal framework of women and men in the decision-making process, human rights of the United Nations, and in and the Worldwide Declaration of the International particular the Universal Declaration of Human Union of Local Authorities of 1998 on women in Rights and the Convention on the Elimination local government; of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, Wishing to mark the twenty-ﬁfth anniversary of adopted in 1979; the entry into force in September 1981, of the izing the essential contribution of the Council of Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Europe in the promotion of equality of women and Discrimination against Women of the United men and of local self-government; Nations; Considering that equality of women and men implies has drafted this European Charter for Equality of the will to take action on the three complementary Women and Men in Local Life, and invites the aspects of its achievement, namely the elimination local and regional governments of Europe to sign of direct inequalities, the eradication of indirect and implement this Charter. inequalities, and the construction of a political, legal and social environment supportive to the proactive development of an egalitarian democracy;

112 ANNEXES

PART I PRINCIPLES The Signatories of this Charter for equality of 5. Integrating the gender perspective into all women and men in local life recognise the following activities of local and regional government is as fundamental principles of our actions: necessary to advance equality of women and men 1. Equality of women and men constitutes a fundamental right The gender perspective must be taken into This right must be implemented by local and regional account in the drafting of policies, methods governments in all areas of their responsibilities, and instruments which aﬀect the daily life of including their obligation to eliminate all forms the local population – for example, through the of discrimination, whether these be direct or use of “gender mainstreaming”14 and “gender indirect. budgeting”15 techniques. To this end, women’s 2. To ensure the equality of women and men, experiences in local life, including their living and multiple discrimination and disadvantage must working conditions, must be analysed and taken be addressed into account. Multiple discrimination and disadvantage based, 6. Properly resourced action plans and programmes in addition to gender, on race, colour, ethnic and are necessary tools to advance equality of women social origin, genetic features, language, religion or and men belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, Local and regional governments must draw up age, sexual orientation or socio-economic status equality action plans and programmes, with the must be taken into account in addressing equality ﬁnancial and human means and resources necessary between women and men. for their implementation. 3. The balanced participation of women and These principles constitute the foundation of the men in decision making is a prerequisite of a Articles set out in Part III below. democratic society

The right to equality of women and men requires that local and regional authorities take all the appropriate measures and adopt all appropriate strategies to promote a balanced representation and participation of women and men in all spheres of decision-making. 14 Gender Mainstreaming: In July 1997, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) deﬁned the concept 4. The elimination of gender stereotypes is of gender mainstreaming as follows: “Mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process of assessing the implications for fundamental to achieving equality of women women and men of any planned action, including legislation, and men policies or programmes, in any area and at all levels. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as of men an integral part of the design, implementation, Local and regional authorities must promote the monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all elimination of the stereotypes and obstacles upon political, economic and societal spheres, so that women and men beneﬁt equally, and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate which the inequalities in status and condition goal of mainstreaming is to achieve gender equality.” of women are based, and which give rise to the 15 Gender Budgeting: “Gender budgeting is an application of gender mainstreaming in the budgetary process. It means unequal evaluation of the roles of women and men a gender-based assessment of budgets, incorporating a in political, economic, social and cultural terms. gender perspective at all levels of the budgetary process and restructuring revenues and expenditures in order to promote gender equality.” 113 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

PART II IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHARTER AND ITS COMMITMENTS The Signatory undertakes to carry out the following 5) Each Signatory undertakes in principle to specific steps in order to implement the provisions co-operate with an appropriate system of of this Charter: evaluation to be established to enable progress 1) Each Signatory to this Charter will, within a in implementing this Charter to be assessed, and reasonable timescale (not to exceed two years) to assist local and regional governments across following the date of its signature, develop and Europe to learn from each other on effective adopt its Equality Action Plan, and thereafter means of realising greater equality of women implement it. and men. It will make its Equality Action Plans and other relevant public materials available for 2) The Equality Action Plan will set out the these purposes. Signatory’s objectives and priorities, the measures it plans to take, and the resources to be 6) Each Signatory will inform the Council of allocated, in order to give effect to the Charter European Municipalities and Regions in writing and its commitments. The Plan will also set out of the fact that it has signed the Charter, with the the proposed timescales for implementation. date thereof, together with a contact point for Where a Signatory already has an Equality future co-operation in relation to the Charter. Action Plan, it will review the Plan to ensure that it addresses all of the relevant issues under this Charter. 3) Each Signatory will consult widely before adopting its Equality Action Plan, and will also disseminate the Plan widely once adopted. It will also, on a regular basis, report publicly on progress made in implementing the Plan. 4) Each Signatory will revise its Equality Action Plan as circumstances require, and will draw up a further Plan for each following period.

114 ANNEXES

PART III DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY

Article 1 • To encourage political parties and groups to 1) The Signatory recognizes that the right to adopt and implement the principle of balanced equality of women and men is a fundamental representation of women and men; prerequisite of democracy, and that a democratic • To this end, to encourage the political parties society cannot afford to ignore the skills, and groups to take all lawful steps, including knowledge, experience and creativity of women. by adopting quotas where deemed appropriate, To this end, it must ensure, on a basis of equality, to increase the number of women selected as the inclusion, representation and involvement candidates and thereafter elected; of women from different backgrounds and of different age groups in all spheres of political • To regulate its own procedures and standards and public decision-making. of conduct, so that potential candidates and elected representatives are not discouraged by 2) The Signatory, as the democratically elected body stereotypical forms of behaviour and language, responsible for promoting the wellbeing of its or by harassment; population and area, therefore commits itself to promote and advance the practical application • To adopt measures to enable elected of this right in all of its spheres of activity – as representatives to reconcile their private, work democratic leader of the local community, and public life, for example by ensuring that provider and commissioner of services, planner timetables, working methods and availability of and regulator, and as employer. dependent care allow all elected representatives to participate fully. THE POLITICAL ROLE 5) The Signatory commits itself to promote and apply the principle of balanced representation Article 2 – Political Representation to its own decision-making and consultative 1) The Signatory recognizes the equal rights of bodies, and in its appointments to external women and men to vote, to be a candidate for bodies. and to hold elected office. However, where the authority does not currently 2) The Signatory recognises the equal rights of enjoy a balanced representation of women and women and men to participate in the formulation men, it will implement the above on a basis no less and implementation of policy, to hold public favourable to the minority gender than its current office and to perform all public functions at all gender balance. levels of government. 6) It furthermore commits itself to ensure that 3) The Signatory recognizes the principle of no public or political post to which it appoints balanced representation on all elected and public or elects a representative is, in principle or in decision-making bodies. practice, restricted to or seen as the normal role 4) The Signatory commits itself to take all of one gender, due to stereotypical attitudes. reasonable measures in support of the above rights and principle, including: • To encourage women to register to vote, to exercise their individual voting rights and to be a candidate for public office;

115 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Article 3 – Participation in Political and Civic 2) The Signatory will use its democratic mandate Life to encourage other political and public 1) The Signatory recognizes that the right of citizens institutions and private bodies, and civil society to participate in the conduct of public affairs is organisations, to take actions to ensure, in a fundamental democratic principle, and that practice, the right to equality of women and women and men have the right to participate men. equally in the governance and public life of their region, municipality, and local community. Article 5 – Working with partners to promote equality 2) In relation to the different forms of public participation in its own affairs, for example via 1) The Signatory undertakes to co-operate advisory committees, neighbourhood councils, with all of its partners, from the public and private e-participation or participatory planning sectors as well as the organisations of civil society, exercises, the Signatory commits itself to ensure in order to promote greater equality of women and that women and men are able to participate men in all aspects of life within its area. It will in equally in practice. Where existing means of particular seek to co-operate with its social partners participation do not lead to such equality, it to this end. undertakes to develop and test new methods. 2) The Signatory will consult with its partner bodies 3) The Signatory undertakes to promote the and organisations, including its social partners, active participation in its political and civic in developing and reviewing its Equality Action life of women and men from all sections of the Plans, and on other major issues related to community, in particular of women and men equality. from minority groups who may otherwise be Article 6 - Countering Stereotypes excluded. 1) The Signatory commits itself to counter and, so Article 4 - The Public Commitment for far as possible, prevent prejudices, practices and Equality use of language and images which are based on 1) The Signatory shall, as the democratic leader the idea of the superiority or inferiority of either and representative for its community and of the sexes, or on stereotyped roles for women territory, make a formal public commitment to and men. the principle of equality of women and men in 2) To this end, the Signatory will ensure that its local life, including: own public and internal communications are • The announcement of the signing of this Charter fully in accordance with this commitment, and by the Signatory, following debate in and that they promote positive gender images and adoption by its highest representative body; examples. • An undertaking to fulfil its commitments under 3) The Signatory will also help its staff, by training this Charter, and to report publicly, on a regular and other means, to identify and eliminate basis, on progress in implementing its Equality stereotypical attitudes and behaviour, and will Action Plan; also regulate standards of behaviour in this • An undertaking that the Signatory, and its regard. elected members, will adhere to and uphold good standards of behaviour, in relation to 116 gender equality. ANNEXES

4) The Signatory will conduct activities and • Conducting, where appropriate, separate campaigns to raise awareness of the detrimental consultation activities for women. role played by gender stereotypes to the achievement of equality of women and men. GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR EQUALITY Article 8 – General Commitment Article 7 – Good Administration and Consultation 1) The Signatory will, in relation to all its 1) The Signatory recognizes the right of women competences, recognize, respect and promote and men to have their affairs handled equally, the relevant rights and principles of equality of impartially, fairly and within a reasonable time, women and men, and combat disadvantage and including: discrimination related to gender. • The right to be heard before any individual 2) The commitments set out in this Charter apply decision which might affect them adversely is to a Signatory only where they, or relevant taken aspects of them, fall within its legal powers. • The duty of the authority to give reasons for its Article 9 – Gender Assessment decisions 1) The Signatory undertakes, in relation to each • The right to relevant information on matters of its areas of competence, to undertake gender affecting them. assessments, as set out in this Article. 2) The Signatory recognizes that, across the 2) To this end, the Signatory undertakes to draw range of its competences, the quality of its policies up a programme for implementation of its and decision-making are likely to be enhanced if gender assessments, in accordance with its all those who may be affected have an opportunity, own priorities, resources and timescales, to be at a formative stage, to be consulted, and that it is included or taken into account in its Equality essential that women and men are given in practice Action Plan. equal access to relevant information, and equal opportunity to respond. 3) Gender assessments shall include, as relevant, the following steps: 3) The Signatory therefore commits itself to take the following steps as appropriate: • Reviewing existing policies, procedures, practices and patterns and volumes of usage, in • Ensuring that arrangements for providing order to assess whether they disclose any unfair information take into account the needs of discrimination, whether they are based on women and men, including their respective gender stereotypes, and whether they adequately access to information and communication take into account any specific needs of women technologies. and men; • Ensuring that where consultation takes place, • Reviewing the allocation of resources, financial those whose views are otherwise least likely to and other, for the above purposes; be heard are able to participate equally in the consultation process, and that lawful positive • Identifying the priorities and, as appropriate, actions are taken to ensure that this happens. targets in order to tackle the relevant issues arising from these reviews, and to bring about identifiable improvements in service delivery; 117 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

• Undertaking, at an early stage, an assessment suffer multiple discrimination or disadvantage; of all significant proposals for new or amended • Taking specific measures to address the particular policies, procedures and changes in resource needs of migrant women and men. allocation, to identify their potential impact on women and men, and to make final decisions in THE EMPLOYER ROLE the light of this assessment; Article 11 • Taking account of the needs or interests of 1) The Signatory in its role as employer recognises those experiencing multiple discrimination or the right to equality of women and men in disadvantage. regard to all aspects of employment, including Article 10 - Multiple Discrimination or work organisation and working conditions. Disadvantage 2) The Signatory recognises the right to the 1) The Signatory recognizes that discrimination on reconciliation of professional, social and private any grounds such as sex, race, ethnic or social life and the right to dignity and security in the origin, genetic features, language, religion or workplace. belief, political or other opinion, membership 3) The Signatory commits itself to take all of a national minority, property, birth, disability, reasonable measures, including positive action age or sexual orientation is prohibited. within its legal powers, in support of the above 2) The Signatory further recognizes that despite rights. this prohibition, many women and men suffer 4) The measures referred to in (3) include the from multiple discrimination or disadvantage, following: including socio-economic disadvantage, which a) A review of relevant policies and procedures has a direct impact on their ability to exercise relating to employment within its organisation, the other rights set out and referred to in this and the development and implementation of Charter. the employment part of its Equality Action Plan to address inequalities over a reasonable period 3) The Signatory commits itself, across the of time, and inter alia covering: range of its competences, to take all reasonable • Equal pay, including equal pay for work of equal actions to combat the effects of multiple value discrimination or disadvantage including: • Arrangements for reviewing pay, remuneration, • Ensuring that the issues of multiple discrimination pay systems and pensions or disadvantage are addressed in its Equality • Measures to ensure fair and transparent promotion Action Plan and gender assessments; and career development opportunities • Ensuring that issues arising from multiple • Measures to ensure a balanced representation discrimination or disadvantage are taken into of women and men at all levels, in particular account when undertaking actions or measures to address any imbalance at senior management under the other articles in this Charter; levels • Undertaking public information campaigns • Measures to tackle any sex-based job segregation, to combat stereotypes and to promote equal and to encourage employees to take on non- treatment for those women and men who may traditional employment 118 ANNEXES

• Measures to ensure fair recruitment In such cases, the Signatory will ensure that the • Measures to ensure appropriate, healthy and legal entity that wins the contract (whatever its safe working conditions type of ownership) has the same responsibilities to ensure or promote equality of women and • Procedures for consultation with employees men as the Signatory would have had if it had and their trade unions ensuring a balanced provided the service directly. participation of women and men on any consultation or negotiating body 3) The Signatory further undertakes to implement, wherever it considers appropriate, the following b) Opposing sexual harassment in the workplace steps: by making a clear statement that such behaviour is unacceptable, by supporting victims, by a) for each significant contract it proposes to enter introducing and implementing transparent into, to consider the relevant gender implications policies to deal with perpetrators, and by raising and the opportunities for lawfully promoting awareness of the issue; equality; c) Moving towards a workforce at all levels of the b) to ensure that contractual specifications take organisation which reflects the social, economic into account the gender equality objectives for and cultural diversity of their local population; the contract; d) Supporting the reconciliation of professional, c) to ensure that the other contractual terms and social and private life by: conditions for the relevant contract take into account and reflect those objectives; • Introducing policies which allow, where appropriate, adjustments of working time d) to use the power under European Union public and arrangements for care for dependants for procurement legislation to lay down performance employees conditions concerning social considerations; • Encouraging men to take up their entitlement e) to make its staff or advisers responsible for public to leave to care for dependants. procurement tasks and the letting of contracts aware of the gender equality dimension of their PUBLIC PROCUREMENT work, including via training for this purpose; AND CONTRACTS f) to ensure that the terms of a main contract Article 12 include the requirement that subcontractors 1) The Signatory recognizes that, in carrying out should also comply with the relevant obligations its tasks and obligations in relation to public to promote gender equality. procurement, including contracts for the supply of products, the provision of services, or the execution of works, it has a responsibility to promote equality of women and men. 2) The Signatory recognizes that this responsibility is of particular significance where it proposes to contract out to another legal entity the provision of an important service to the public, for which the Signatory is by law responsible. 119 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

THE SERVICE DELIVERY ROLE Article 14 – Health Article 13 – Education and Lifelong Learning 1) The Signatory recognizes the right of everyone to the enjoyment of a high standard of physical 1) The Signatory recognises the right to education and mental health, and affirms that access to for everyone, and further recognizes the right good quality health care and medical treatment of access for all to vocational and continuing and preventative health care for women and training. The Signatory recognises the vital role men is essential for the realization of this right. of education, at all stages of life, in delivering true equality of opportunity, in providing essential 2) The Signatory recognizes that in securing equal life and employment skills, and in opening up opportunities for women and men to enjoy good new possibilities for professional and vocational health, medical and health services must take development. account of their different needs. They further recognise that these needs arise not only from 2) The Signatory undertakes, within the range of its biological differences, but also from differences competences, to secure or promote equal access in living and working conditions and from to education and vocational and continuing stereotypical attitudes and assumptions. training for women and men, girls and boys. 3) The Signatory commits itself to take all reasonable 3) The Signatory recognises the need to eliminate actions, within the range of its responsibilities, any stereotyped concept of the roles of women to promote and secure the highest levels of and men in all forms of education. In order to good health of its citizens. To this end, the do this it undertakes to carry out or promote, as Signatory undertakes to carry out or promote, appropriate, the following measures: as appropriate, the following measures: • The revision of educational materials, of • Incorporating a gender based approach to the school and other educational programmes and planning, resourcing and delivery of health and teaching methods, to ensure that they combat medical services; stereotypical attitudes and practices; • Ensuring that health promotion activities, • The undertaking of specific actions to encourage including those aimed at encouraging a healthy non-traditional career choices; diet and the importance of exercise, include a • The specific inclusion, within courses of civic recognition of the different needs and attitudes education and education for citizenship, of of women and men; elements that emphasize the importance of the • Ensuring that health workers, including those equal participation of women and men in the involved in health promotion, recognise the democratic processes. ways in which gender affects medical and health 4) The Signatory recognises that the ways in which care, and take into account women’s and men’s schools and other educational establishments different experience of that care; are governed represents important models • Ensuring that women and men have access to for children and young people. It therefore appropriate health information. undertakes to promote the balanced representation of women and men at all levels of school management and governance.

120 ANNEXES

Article 15 - Social Care and Services 3) The Signatory further recognizes that the upbringing of children requires a sharing of 1) The Signatory recognises that everyone has the responsibility between men and women and right to necessary social services and to benefit society as a whole, and undertakes to counter the from social assistance in the event of need. gender stereotype according to which child care 2) The Signatory recognises that women and is seen as being mainly the task or responsibility men have different needs which may arise of women. from differences in their social and economic Article 17 – Care of other Dependants conditions and other factors. Therefore in order to ensure that women and men have equal access 1) The Signatory recognises that women and men to social care and social services the Signatory have responsibilities to care for dependants other will take all reasonable measures to: than children and that this responsibility may affect their ability to play a full role in economic • Incorporate a gender based approach to the and social life. planning, resourcing and delivery of social care and social services; 2) The Signatory further recognises that such caring responsibilities fall disproportionately on • Ensure that those involved in the delivery of women and are therefore a barrier to equality of social care and social services recognise the women and men. ways in which gender affects those services, and 3) The Signatory commits itself to counter this take into account women’s and men’s different inequality by, as appropriate: experience of that care. • Making the provision and promotion of high Article 16 – Childcare quality, affordable care for dependants, directly 1) The Signatory recognizes the essential role that or through other providers, one of its priorities; good quality, affordable childcare, available to • Providing support and promoting opportunities all parents and carers, whatever their financial for those suffering social isolation as a result of situation, plays in promoting true equality their caring responsibilities; between women and men, and in enabling • Campaigning against the stereotype which them to reconcile their work, public and private assumes that caring for dependants is primarily lives. The Signatory further recognizes the the responsibility of women. contribution that such childcare makes to the economic and social life and fabric of the local Article 18 – Social Inclusion community and of society at large. 1) The Signatory recognises that everyone has the right to protection against poverty and social exclusion and furthermore that women, in 2) The Signatory commits itself to make the general, are more likely to suffer from social provision and promotion of such childcare, exclusion because they have less access to directly or through other providers, one of its resources, goods, services and opportunities priorities. It further undertakes to encourage the than men. provision of such child care by others, including the provision of, or support for, child care by local employers.

121 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

2) The Signatory therefore undertakes, across b) To take steps to prevent homelessness, and in the full range of its services and activities, and particular to provide assistance to the homeless, working with social partners, to take measures based on criteria of need, vulnerability and non- within the framework of an overall co-ordinated discrimination; approach to: c) To assist, according to their powers, in making • Promote the effective access of all of those the price of housing accessible to those without who live or risk living in a situation of social adequate resources. exclusion or poverty, to employment, housing, 4) The Signatory also undertakes to ensure or to training, education, culture, information and promote the equal right of women and men to communication technologies, social and medical be the tenant, owner, or other form of property- assistance; holder, of their home, and also, to that end, to • Recognise the particular needs and situation of use its powers or influence to ensure that women women experiencing social exclusion; have equal access to mortgages and other forms • Promote the integration of migrant women and of financial assistance and credit for housing men, taking into account their specific needs. purposes. Article 19 – Housing Article 20 – Culture, Sport and Recreation 1) The Signatory recognizes the right to housing, 1) The Signatory recognizes the right of everyone and affirms that access to good quality housing to take part in cultural life and to enjoy the represents one of the most essential human arts. needs, vital to the well-being of the individual 2) The Signatory furthermore recognizes the role and his or her family. that sport plays in contributing to the life of the 2) The Signatory recognizes further that women community and to securing the rights to health and men often have specific and distinct needs as outlined in Article 14. It also recognises that in relation to housing which must be taken fully women and men have the right to equal access into account, including the fact that: to cultural, recreational and sporting activities and facilities. a) On average, women have less income and resources than men, and therefore require 3) The Signatory recognizes that women and men housing that is affordable for them; may have different experiences and interests in relation to culture, sport and recreation b) Women are the head of household in most and that these may be the result of gender- single parent families, with consequent needs stereotyped attitudes and actions, and therefore for access to social housing; commits itself to carry out or promote measures c) Vulnerable men are often over-represented including, as appropriate: amongst the homeless. • Ensuring as far as is reasonable that women 3) The Signatory therefore commits itself, as and men, boys and girls have equal provision appropriate: and access to sporting, recreation and cultural facilities and activities; a) To provide or promote access to housing of an adequate size and standard and with a decent living environment for all, and accessible to essential services; 122 ANNEXES

• Encouraging women and men, boys and girls their respective perceptions of lack of safety and to take part equally in sports and cultural security. activities, including those traditionally seen as Article 22 – Gender-Based Violence predominantly “female” or “male”; • Encouraging artists and cultural and sporting 1) The Signatory recognizes that gender-based associations to promote cultural and sporting violence, which disproportionately affects activities which challenge stereotypical views of women, constitutes a violation of fundamental women and men; human rights and is an offence to the dignity and to the physical and emotional integrity of • Encouraging public library services to challenge human beings. gender stereotypes in their stock of books and other materials and in their promotional 2) The Signatory recognises that gender-based activities. violence arises from the idea, on the part of the perpetrator, of the superiority of one sex over the Article 21 - Safety and Security other in the context of an unequal relationship 1) The Signatory recognizes the right of each of power. woman and man to security of the person, and 3) The Signatory therefore commits itself to to liberty of movement, and that these rights establish and strengthen policies and actions cannot be freely or equally exercised if women against gender-based violence, including: or men are unsafe or insecure, whether in the • Providing or assisting specific support structures private or public domain, or if they feel unsafe for victims; or insecure. • Providing public information, in each of the 2) The Signatory further recognizes that women mainly-used local languages, on the assistance and men, in part due to different obligations or available in the area; lifestyles, often face differing problems of safety and security, which need to be addressed. • Ensuring that professional staff have training in identifying and supporting victims; 3) The Signatory therefore commits itself: • Ensuring that there is effective co-ordination a) to analyse from a gender perspective the statistics between the relevant services such as the police, concerning the volume and patterns of incidents health and housing authorities; (including serious crime against the individual) that affect the security or safety of women and • Promoting awareness-raising campaigns and men, and if appropriate to measure the level educational programmes aimed at potential and and nature of fear of crime or other sources of actual victims and perpetrators. insecurity; b) to develop and implement strategies, policies and actions, including specific improvements to the state or design of the local environment (for example, transport interchanges, car parks, street lighting), or to policing and related services, to enhance the practical security and safety of women and men, and to seek to reduce

123 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Article 23 - Human Trafficking Article 25 - Urban and Local Planning 1) The Signatory recognizes that the crime of 1) The Signatory recognizes the importance of human trafficking, which disproportionately its spatial, transport, economic development affects women and girls, constitutes a violation and land use policies and plans in creating the of fundamental human rights and an offence to conditions within which the right to equality of the dignity and to the physical and emotional women and men in local life may be more fully integrity of human beings. achieved. 2) The Signatory undertakes to establish and 2) The Signatory commits itself to ensure that, in strengthen policies and actions to prevent drawing up, adopting and implementing such human trafficking including as appropriate: policies and plans. • Information and awareness-raising campaigns • the need to promote effective equality in all • Training programmes for professional staff aspects of local life is fully taken into account; responsible for identifying and supporting • the specific needs of women and men, in victims relation for example to employment, access to • Measures to discourage demand services and cultural life, education and family responsibilities, based on relevant local and • Appropriate measures to assist victims including other data, including the signatory’s own gender access to medical treatment, adequate and secure assessments, are properly taken into account; housing and language translation. • high quality design solutions are adopted which PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE take into account the specific needs of women DEVELOPMENT and men. Article 24 - Sustainable Development Article 26 - Mobility and Transport 1) The Signatory recognizes that, in planning 1) The Signatory recognizes that mobility and access and developing strategies for the future of its to means of transport are essential conditions area, the principles of sustainable development for women and men to be able to exercise many must be fully respected, involving the of their rights, tasks and activities, including balanced integration of the economic, social, access to work, education, culture and essential environmental and cultural dimensions, and services. It also recognizes that the sustainability also, in particular, including the need to promote and success of a municipality or region depends and achieve equality of women and men. to a significant degree on the development of an 2) The Signatory therefore commits itself to take effective, high quality transport infrastructure into account the principle of equality of women and public transport service. and men as a fundamental dimension of all its 2) The Signatory further recognizes that women planning, or development of strategies, for the and men often have, in practice, different sustainable development of its area. needs, as well as patterns of usage, in relation to mobility and transport, based on factors such as income, caring responsibilities or hours of work, and that consequently, women frequently form a greater proportion of users of public transport than men. 124 ANNEXES

3) The Signatory therefore commits itself: • Assistance to women entrepreneurs; a) to take into account the relevant mobility needs, • Ensuring that financial and other support to and the patterns of transport usage, of women enterprises promote gender equality; and men respectively, including those from • Encouragement to women trainees to learn skills urban and rural communities; and achieve qualifications for jobs traditionally b) to ensure that the transport services available seen as “male” and vice versa; to citizens in the area of the authority assist in • Encouragement to employers to recruit women meeting the specific as well as common needs apprentices and trainees in relation to skills, of women and men, and in realising the real qualifications and positions traditionally seen as equality of women and men in local life. “male”, and vice versa. 4) The Signatory further commits itself to promote Article 28 – Environment the progressive improvement of the public transport services in and for its area, including 1) The Signatory recognizes its responsibility to intermodal connections, in order to address work towards a high level of protection and the specific and common needs of women and improvement of the quality of the environment men for regular, affordable, safe and accessible in its area, including local policies in relation transport, and to contribute to its sustainable to waste, noise, air quality, biodiversity and development. the impact of climate change. It recognizes Article 27 - Economic Development the equal right of women and men to benefit from its services and policies in relation to the 1) The Signatory recognizes that the achievement environment. of a balanced and sustainable economic 2) The Signatory recognizes that in many places development is a vital component of a successful the lifestyles of women and men differ, and that municipality or region, and that its activities and women and men may tend to differ in their use services in this field can contribute significantly of local services and public or open spaces, or to the advancement of equality of women and confront different environmental problems. men. 3) The Signatory accordingly commits itself, in 2) The Signatory recognises the need to increase developing its environmental policies and the rate and quality of employment of women, services, to have full and equal regard to the and further recognises that the risk of poverty specific needs and lifestyles of women and men linked to long term unemployment and unpaid respectively, and to the principle of solidarity work is particularly high for women. between the generations.

3) The Signatory commits itself, in relation to its activities and services in the ﬁeld of economic development, to take fully into account the needs and interests of women and men, and the opportunities to advance equality between them, and to take the appropriate actions to this end. Such actions may include:

125 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

THE REGULATOR ROLE Article 29 - Local Government as Regulator 1) The Signatory, in carrying out its tasks and competences as regulator of relevant activities within its area, recognizes the important role that effective regulation and consumer protection plays in ensuring the safety and well-being of its local population, and that women and men may be differentially affected by the relevant regulated activities. 2) The Signatory commits itself, in carrying out its regulatory tasks, to take into account the specific needs, interests and circumstances of women and men. TWINNING AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION Article 30 1) The Signatory recognizes the value of twinning and of European and international cooperation by local and regional governments, in bringing citizens closer together, and in promoting mutual learning and understanding across national frontiers. 2) The Signatory commits itself, in its activities in the fields of twinning and European and international co-operation: • To involve women and men, from different backgrounds, on an equal basis in these activities; • To use its twinning relationships and European and international partnerships as a platform for exchange of experience and mutual learning on issues relating to equality of women and men; • To integrate a gender equality dimension into its decentralised co-operation actions.

126 ANNEXES

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is the broadest association of local and regional in Europe. Its members are national associations of local and regional governments from over thirty European countries. The main aim of CEMR is to promote a strong, united Europe based on local and regional self- government and democracy; a Europe in which decisions are taken as closely as possible to its citizens, in line with the principle of subsidiarity. CEMR’s work covers a wide range of themes, including public services, transport, regional policy, the environment, equal opportunities... CEMR is also active on the international stage. It is the European section of the world organisation of cities and municipalities, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

127 BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

128 ANNEXES List of signatory countries and local governments as of 03/10/200816 Italy 321 Portugal 117 Spain 90 Switzerland 79 France 43 Norway 28 Sweden 27 Cyprus 21 Austria 17 Germany 13 Finland 8 Greece 5 Hungary 4 Belgium 3 Romania 3 Iceland 2 United Kingdom 2 Latvia 1 Malta 1 Moldova 1 Poland 1 Serbia 1 Slovakia 1 TOTAL 789

16 Source: http://www.ccre.org/docs/list_local_and_regional_ governments_cemr_charter.pdf 129 Since the 1980s, there has been growing recognition of the need to ensure women’s equal access to urban public spaces. Many initiatives to mainstream gender by local governments have been documented. Some are comprehensive and are based on supportive policies. Others are ad hoc and address speciﬁc issues, sometimes due to crises.Whatever the context, the initiatives provide lessons that others can learn from. This book documents such initiatives.

HS/1016/08 ISBN: 978-92-1-131995-8

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