Institutional mechanisms for gender equality in the EU
The report Institutional Mechanisms for Gender Equality in the EU: Present realities, future priorities, published by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), focuses on institutional mechanisms for gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the 27 EU Member States. Based on the 2024 data collection, the publication assesses changes since 2021, monitors the progress of these mechanisms, and presents actionable, evidence-based recommendations to enhance them.
Institutional mechanisms for gender equality and gender mainstreaming are bodies and processes that promote, advocate and support gender equality and the mainstreaming of gender issues across all policy areas.
EIGE regularly carries out data collection to monitor progress, identify gaps and provide recommendations to strengthen these mechanisms, through a monitoring framework that consists of four key indicators: commitment to gender equality; human resources for gender equality bodies; gender mainstreaming; production and dissemination of gender statistics.
The report provides evidence that countries with stronger institutional mechanisms achieve better results on gender equality. This is demonstrated by the fact that they perform better in EIGE’s Gender Equality Index, across real-world outcomes like financial resources, political representation and work-life balance.
EIGE’s data shows that the strength of institutional mechanisms varies considerably across the EU. While Spain, for example, scores 86% on EIGE’s composite measure of institutional strength, more than half of Member States score below 50% on institutional strength.
The report highlights the patchy nature of national strategies and accountability: only a handful of Member States have robust action plans with clear, costed targets and regular reporting. This leaves a dangerous gap between aspirations for gender equality and on-the-ground delivery.
In the report, EIGE provides recommendations for both EU-level institutions and bodies, and Member States. These include: embedding strong institutional mechanisms and effective use of gender mainstreaming as core priorities in the new Gender Equality Strategy; allocating dedicated percentages of the next EU’s long-term budget to gender equality and gender mainstreaming interventions and activities; increasing resources for gender equality bodies; considering initiating a legislative process for an EU directive on substantive gender equality; guaranteeing sustainable, multi-year funding for civil society organisations; promoting genuine inclusion, ensuring the voices of grassroots organisations, rural communities and other underrepresented groups are heard when shaping policy.