Principles for the Successful Implementation of Equality Measures (Gender Mainstreaming and, Diversity Management) into Enterprises/Organisations

Abstract

This is report commissioned by EQUAL programme.

The promotion of equality between women and men is not only a task of each European Member State but also a mission of the European Union1 specifi- cally the domain of work and employment.
 Despite the legal framework, both at national and European level, and years of effort to make gender equality a reality, the fact that men and women do not participate in either work and family life or deci- sion-making processes in a balanced way means that gender equality is still far from being a reality in the daily lives of European citizens.
 Even though equality between women and men has been benefiting from some new positive impulses, namely at European Union level, it is still necessary to act not only on the effect but mainly on the caus- es, in order to allow for a translation of the equality foreseen in the law into de facto equality.
 Thus there is a need to integrate the gender dimen- sion into policies and everyday practices of social and economic life in order to improve women’s position in the labour market and men’s position in family life and overcome gender discrimination. The implementation of gender mainstreaming and promotion of gender issues still remain a problem requiring direct and appropriate responses.
 The achievement of these tasks requires the in- volvement of all agents and an action in numerous and various areas.