1. The idea and content of indicators in respect of institutional mechanisms, adopted in 2006
Leila Mélart, Former Counsellor on Gender Equality
(Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour) Finland
Lithuanian Presidency High Level Conference
Gender Equality de facto as a Contribution to Reaching Europe 2020 Targets:
the Effectiveness of Institutional Mechanisms
Europe House, The EIGE’s conference room, Gedimino av. 16, Vilnius
September 13th,2013

2. Choice of the critical area: Why institutional mechanisms?
Common interest: effective institutional mechanisms
How to describe the essential features?
What are their prerequisites?
Follow up of the objectives of the Beijing Platform of Action
The aim to develop
A set of simple, useful and coherent indicators
Suitable for future monitoring

3. BPfA: three sets of strategic objectives
Create or strengthen national machineries –> first indicator
Integrate gender perspectives in legislation, public policies, programmes and projects –> second indicator
Generate gender disaggregated data–> third indicator
Protection against discrimination
Create or strengthen independent institutions
for the protection of women’s human rights
BPfA directive 2002/73/EC CEDAW convention
–> fourth indicator
HLGM in 2005: maximum three indicators
–> Removal of the indicator on statistics

4. Status of governmental responsibility
Indicator 1
Status of governmental responsibility
Level of location of the highest responsibility
Highest level: cabinet
Power and responsibility
Legitimacy
Visibility
Accountability
Lower levels (assistant minister)
Less power, less vital information
2. Gender Equality Body
Highest level: entire ministry, department
Access to the minister
Wide perspectives
Facilitates negotiations on cross-sector strategies
Intermediate and lower levels
Competition over resources, preferences, visibility

5. 3. Common statutory capacities of governmental authorities
4. Existence of cross-sectoral national action plans
One of the most important tools of the GE minister
Allows entrance in policy fields of other ministries
Long term strategies
Cooperation with institutional and civil society actors
Monitoring, evaluation, implementation (not asked)
5. Existence of Reporting system to legislative bodies
Accountability
Awareness
Political reforms

6. Status of governmental responsibility in promoting gender equality
Governmental body for
promoting gender equality
Highest responsibility at
the governmental level
Level of location of the
governmental body
Functions of the
governmental body
Accountability and
cross-sectionality
Total (of 10)
Range of points
O ... 2
O ... 2
O ... 2
O ... 2
O ... 2 O

7. Personnel resources of the government body
Indicator 2a
Personnel resources of the government body
Size of personnel
• full-time and all-year, excluding project personnel
• ratio of employees per population
• median: 2,6 persons per million inhabitants
• the score: deviation from the median, per a million of inhabitants.
Indicator 2b
Personnel resources of the independent body
Existence
8 member states: solely equal treatment of women and men
17 member states: equal treatment on several grounds, or other functions, too, or under preparation
Size of personnel
• median 1,0, i.e. one employee per million inhabitants.

8. Gender mainstreaming Indicator 3
1. Degree of commitment : legal obligation / binding decision / recommendation / other
2. Structures: interministerial coordination structure / contact persons guidelines, reporting system
3. Gender impact assessment in law drafting
4. Gender impact assessment in drafting of programmes and projects
5. Gender budgeting
Scale of declining commitment in 3, 4 and 5: Widely used in most ministries / some ministries / still at initial stage / practically unknown
points each, total score

9. Personal remarks Participation of civil society movements
–> a new domain into the first indicator?
An indicator on statistics indispensable
An indicator on independent bodies belongs to another context

10. Labai ačiū – Kiitos! Leila Mélart Limingantie 41–43 00560 Helsinki