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SWOT-analysis of the French Community of Belgium

Gender Equality Institutions, Legislation and Steering Instruments: 1994-2005

Nadine Plateau (Sophia)

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

1994

1998

1999

Resolution of the Council of

the French Community

which establishes priorities

for gender equality

Directorate for Equality of

Opportunity between

Women and Men: anadministrative unit with a

new mandate

EO Advisory Committee

within the French

Community Parliament

budget of the Directorateconsistently increased and

better staffing of the unit

no actions or

measures are

planned

understaffed and

underfinanced

low status of the

Committee and

little participation

to its meetings

mandatesbroadened so as to

include new target

groups

need to tackle the

issue of gender

equality in the context

of preparation of the

UN Conference in

Beijing

Minister charged with

EO is President of

French Community:

possibility of a

transversal policy

the issue is seen as a purely specific

problem concerning womens

policies agencies; ministers others

than in charge with EO dont feel

concerned

EO is not a priority of the Minister

President

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2002 Decree on the balanced

participation of women andmen in advisory bodies

(quota of one third)

Decree on follow-up to UN

Beijing Conference:

obligation to report each

year to Parliament on

policies carried out in the

areas of concern defined in

the Platform. A few positiveresults:

-amendments to

legislation on sexual

harassment

-amendments to

legislation on parental

leave

-creation of new

childcare places

compliance is not

ensured (nosanctions and so far

no evaluation)

poor results shown

by the report: most

initiatives restricted

to collecting data or

raise awareness; no

antisexist

discrimination law

in media and

advertising

influence of the

federal EO policythrough the good

relations between the

ministers responsible

for it at Federal and

Community level

(both French-speaking

and socialists

EU recommends acoverage of 33% of

the potential demand

for childcare facilites

the Stork Plan adopted by the

French Community to increase

childcare places is designed to bring

down unemployment; no concern

for quality of the service

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2005 Govenrment Action

Programme for Equality

between women and men,Interculturality and Social

Inclusion: double track

strategy (gender

mainstreaming & positive

action)

Office of Coordination forEqual Opportunity:

advisory body charged with

setting up a plan to promote

EO within all departments

of the Ministry of the

French Community; it is

chaired by the EO

Directorate (run by acommitted feminist).

no definition of

gender

mainstreaming; noquantified

objectives; aimed

at mentality

changing

composed ofpeople appointed

by the ministers

with a low level of

responsibility

no official structure for consulting

the womens organizations

lack of gender expertise in

universities (womens studies not

institutionalized)

lack of political will and supportfrom high status civil servants