Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Equality in Europe : Policies, Culture and Public Opinion

The book provides a systematic scientific overview of gender mainstreaming in Europe. It recalls the main steps of the origins and the development of the European gender mainstreaming (GM) strategy. The book also connects this framework with the current situation of gender equality and explores the strength and weak points of the strategy. To do so, it provides a critical evaluation of the instruments used to measure gender equality and explores how societal aspects, such as the opportunity structure defined by work-family balance policies and practices, affect the individual values of gender equality supporting the development of gender egalitarian cultures. Further, it develops an outline of the current and future challenges of the gender mainstreaming strategy, that run in parallel with the general European Union’s challenges, such as the integration process, economic crisis, migration and refugees crisis, and the rise of right-wing Euroscepticism. In addition, the old but always current problem of conceptualizing gender equality in different ways leading to jeopardized results. The book offers a critical review of the GM strategy in Europe and analyses whether and how gender equality in Europe is improving, with a specific interest in the cultural differences between the European countries where this common strategy is implemented. Front Cover Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Equality in Europe Copyright page Table of contents List of figures and tables Notes on the authors Acknowledgments Introduction One Gender equality and gender mainstreaming: the issue of equal opportunities in the European context The evolution of gender equality in Europe Equal treatment: a first step towards gender equality Positive and affirmative action: (re)inforcing gender equality Gender mainstreaming: a multifaceted strategy for gender equality Changes in gender equality perspectives in Europe Highlights from this chapter Two Gender mainstreaming in Europe: legislation and cultural changes EU legislation changes towards gender mainstreaming The Roadmap for Equality: a shift in gender oriented legislation Highlights from this chapter Three Gender mainstreaming and social policies in Europe Implementing gender mainstreaming in social policies Work–family balance: social policies and gender mainstreaming in practice Work–family balance and welfare state regimes Gender budgeting and gender auditing: evaluating gender policies Gender budgeting Gender auditing Highlights from this chapter Four Gender equality in Europe: measures and indicators Transnational agencies’ gender equality indices Gender equality in population surveys Highlights from this chapter Five European gender cultures Structural context of opportunities and supported models of gender relations Gender regimes in European societies Cultural contexts: shared societal value orientations and individual gender-role attitudes Gender cultures Societal context and individual attitudes: empirical evidence Highlights from this chapter Six Current challenges to gender mainstreaming in Europe Euroscepticism and gender equality policies Dealing with multiple inequities Highlights from this chapter Conclusions Notes References Index Back Cover

With gender equality so prominent in public debate, this timely book reviews the impacts of gender mainstreaming on political, social and cultural issues around Europe. It explores the origins and evolution of mainstreaming, the theory's contribution to gender equality legislation so far and its potential to drive change in the future. Drawing on extensive data, the book compares and contrasts progress in various European countries, taking into account the multidimensionality of gender equality. Finally, the book considers the limits of gender mainstreaming amid economic, migration and political challenges. This important book is a welcome contribution to discussions about gender equality in European societies looking at the interplay of policies, culture and public opinion.

"With gender equality so prominent in contemporary public debate, this timely book reviews the impacts of gender mainstreaming on political, social, and cultural issues around Europe. It explores the origins and evolution of mainstreaming, the theory's contribution to gender legislation so far and its potential to drive change in the future. Drawing on extensive data, the book compares and contrasts progress in various European countries and considers the limits of gender mainstreaming amid economic and migration challenges. This important book is a welcome contribution to discussions about gender equality in European societies looking at the interplay of policies, culture and public opinion." -- prové de l'editor With gender equality so prominent in contemporary public debate, this timely book reviews the impacts of gender mainstreaming on political, social, and cultural issues around Europe. It explores the origins and evolution of mainstreaming, the theory's contribution to gender legislation so far and its potential to drive change in the future. Drawing on extensive data, the book compares and contrasts progress in various European countries and considers the limits of gender mainstreaming amid economic and migration challenges. This important book is a welcome contribution to discussions about society's attitudes to men and women. -- Provided by publisher As the concept of gender mainstreaming grows more prominent in the debate about gender equality, this book explores its origins, evolution and varying impacts on political, social and cultural issues around Europe. It also considers mainstreaming’s potential and limits, providing a timely contribution to the ongoing debate about gender attitudes.