Implementing a Gender Perspective in Public Policies
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 27-28 June 1999
Resolution
In the Bureau Meeting the integration of equal opportunities between women and men and the implementation of a gender perspective (mainstreaming) adopted by the Platform for Action in Beijing in 1995 were considered.
Therefore, this Bureau Meeting:
- concludes that the incorporation of a gender perspective into public policy promotes equality, thus reduces the causes and effects of discrimination;
- urges to this end that a gender perspective be incorporated into the design and the implementation of public policies, which, beginning with equality of opportunities, moves towards fairer outcomes between women and men;
- considers that public action is an inescapable tool to achieve the goal of human development which includes an ever-increasing equality between the sexes with the aim of modifying the hierarchical nature of their relationship;
- believes that it is necessary to acknowledge and respect gender issues, and that these should be included in all plans, programmes and projects, while acknowledging economic, cultural and territorial diversity;
- considers that in order to achieve these objectives it is a necessary precondition to enhance the contribution made by women, increasing their number and guaranteeing their effective presence in decision-making positions, implementing specific measures of affirmative action;
- welcomes the plans for equality and the steps towards positive action which have been taken in many countries in the course of the last decade;
- considers that these plans for equality and the measures for positive action and statistics broken down according to gender constitute an essential instrument for the achievement of greater equality between the sexes and, as such, should be implemented in those places where they have yet to be established;
- considers that 'mainstreaming' is another step forward and an additional approach to policies of positive action and is currently an instrument not only towards promoting equality but also towards making the female vision of life a fundamental part of governance. In order to achieve this, a closer cooperation and coordination between different sectors and new political players, including NGOs, is necessary;
- underlines that governments must create an internal structure responsible for the follow-up and appraisal of the gender dimension in public policies at national and local levels. This structure must be implemented in each government service or cross-ministerial level.
- points out that if specific policies in favour of women are important for strengthening gender equality, it is also necessary to take into account the fact that women's approaches and experiences are vehicles favourable to the transformation of the whole society, therefore providing possibilities for the development of both genders;
- urges all member parties of the Socialist International to adopt these proposals, strengthening their commitment to a future of solidarity incorporating greater equality and fairness between the sexes.