Secretariat - Gender Section

Mainstreaming gender into OSCE activities, policies, programmes and projects

The 2004 Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality calls on the OSCE to analyze the different impact its policies, programmes and projects have on women and men. To prevent gender-based discrimination, the needs, knowledge and experience of both women and men should be included in all stages of OSCE activities, from planning to evaluation.

This incorporation of a gender perspective is called gender mainstreaming - a strategy to achieve gender equality in any area of work and at all levels in the Organization.

Activities in all areas

The OSCE participating States, the Secretariat, institutions and field operations are responsible for ensuring that a gender perspective is integrated into OSCE activities in all three of its areas of work: the politico-military, the economic and environmental, and the human dimensions.

For example, the obligations embodied in the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 14/05 on Women in Conflict Prevention, Crisis Management and Post-Conflict Rehabilitation should be taken into consideration in politico-military activities.

Assistance with gender mainstreaming

The Gender Section works to increase the gender awareness and build the capacity of OSCE staff members to mainstream a gender perspective into their work. It also develops tools such as guidelines and checklists to assist in the mainstreaming process.

With support from the Gender Section, the Training Section provides staff members with training on gender mainstreaming in programming and project development.

Gender focal points

Gender focal points have been appointed in all field operations, institutions and departments of the Secretariat. They assist their immediate colleagues with gender mainstreaming in their day-to-day work and liaise with the gender sections in both the Secretariat and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Additionally, the gender focal points form a network for sharing information and experiences, and they meet annually to discuss, update and exchange ideas.