Since 2004, EuroMed Rights has worked proactively on promoting gender equality in the Euro-Med region. The commitment of EuroMed Rights to the promotion of gender equality, the principles of gender parity and equal opportunities in its decision-making structures is inscribed in the network’s statutes and bylaws. In 2011, EuroMed Rights further adopted a Gender Equality Policy Paper (GEPP) outlining its commitments and objectives with regard to gender equality. This policy was subsequently adopted by the Executive Committee as well the EuroMed Rights General Assembly in 2012. After a fourth Gender Audit in 2018, EuroMed Rights decided to separate Women’s Rights from Gender Mainstreaming, and place the responsibility for the latter with the Executive Committee, the highest political level. This aims at ensuring continued political support, organisational culture, technical capacity and accountability for gender mainstreaming within the organisation. Gender mainstreaming is a process through which a concern for gender equality is brought into the ‘mainstream’ of activities rather than dealt with as an add-on. It should also not be left to specialist women’s organisations. It must be recognized as a cross-cutting issue.
As a human rights organisation, EuroMed Rights is committed to working towards achieving gender equality on the ground and to lead by example with member organisations and human rights practitioners. EuroMed Rights is also committed to ensuring that its own activities are not gender blind, which could eventually reinforce a status-quo situation for women and men in EuroMediterranean countries, if not worsen the situation.
EuroMed Rights has carried out four previous Gender audits in 2008, 2012, 2015 and 2018 to evaluate the level of gender mainstreaming of EuroMed Rights structures and activities as well as the level of gender equality awareness and gender mainstreaming efforts of the EuroMed Rights membership.
The 2021 Gender Mainstreaming audit was presented at the General Assembly in October 2021. The audit aim was to evaluate and take stock of the progress made towards implementing the Gender Mainstreaming strategy 19-21 as well as the challenges met during the strategy period. More specifically the audit:
- Analyses the context in which EuroMed Rights operates, characterised by pronounced gender inequalities.
- Identifies the achievements and best practices in the implementation of the Gender mainstreaming objectives, like the dual approach adopted by the organisation (targeted actions and mainstreaming of gender in other programmes) or the gender focal point system.
- Outlines the remaining challenges in the day-to-day work.
- Comes up with recommendations for the future mandate of the Network, clustered in three groups: EuroMed Rights’ Secretariat and structures; within the working groups; and in the network as a whole.