Anne-Marie McGauranEx Head of NDP Gender Equality Unit, Ireland

OverviewWhat is GMS, how is it beneficial, what do we

need to do it?GMS in Ireland – what was required, what

supports were provided, what were the results?

Conclusion – things ‘to do’ and ‘not to do’, to support GMS

What is GMS?GMS – putting gender equality in mainstream

policiesWhy? To support new ways of life for women

and men, e.g. women having less time to care; boys leaving school early

For regional policy – can mean supporting women entrepreneurs; unemployed men being re-trained; more childcare

What do we need in policy for GMS?Gender disaggregated dataGender impact assessment of policies

Data, analysis, commitments to changeSpecific commitments on gender equalityMonitoring of these commitmentsChanges in decision-making

More women (usually); changes in criteria for allocating funding

GMS in IrelandIncluded in National Development Plan

(NDP)Key requirements:

Gender disaggregated indicatorsEquality in project selection criteriaGender equality in evaluationsMore women in decision-makingGender impact assessment forms

Key supports in policy processUnits to advise on and monitor GMSRepresentatives for equal opportunities on

monitoring committeesA committee to co-ordinate equal

opportunities in the NDP

Supports provided by GMS UnitGender disaggregated dataResearch on gender equality in policy areasTraining for policy makers/implementersAdvice on:

Increasing women in decision-makingIncorporating gender equality into evaluationsIncluding gender equality in project selection

criteriaMonitoring how commitments were met

ResultsGender disaggregated indicators – collected

of 44% of NDP measuresGender in project selection – in 37% of

measuresGIA – done for most measures, but

commitments to action in only 23%Women in decision-making – 40% target

reached in one of six monitoring committeesSo – a mixed picture. More progress on the

‘easier’ commitments

What problems did we face?No targetsNo accountability for delivering on

commitmentsNo sanctions/incentives. Possibilities for the

future with the SF performance reserveNeed to tie GMS to budget allocationsNeed an evaluation cultureNeed a focus on people rather than things, in

evaluations and policy development