Progress in gender mainstreaming the the Ministries of Labor

1. Progress in gender mainstreaming the the Ministries of Labor Evelyn Jacir de Lovo, Director of the Department of Social Development and Labor, OAS Working Groups Meeting of the IACML – Bahamas, April 16-19, 2013

2. Gender Mainstreaming in the IACML • 2006: CIM, OAS (Dept. of Social Development) and ILO partnership to mainstream gender in the policies, programs and operation of the Ministries of Labor • 2007: XV IACML adopts the “IACML Strategic Guidelines for advancing gender equality and gender non-discrimination in the context of decent work” • 2007-2009: Studies and Hemispheric RIAL Workshop on Gender Mainstreaming in the Ministries of Labor of the Americas

3. Gender Mainstreaming in the IACML • During 2010, subregional Workshops on strategic planning of gender mainstreaming were carried out and led by the Secretariat of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) • In XVII IACML in 2011 – San Salvador:HIGH LEVEL DIALOGUE AMONG LABOR AND WOMEN MINISTERS ON GENDER EQUITY IN THE WORKPLACE

4. Gender Mainstreaming in the IACML GOALS ACTIVITIES IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES • Decent work with genderequality • Increase women’s participation and employment • Reduce gender gaps with regard to informality and wages • Improve the quality of employment for women • Achieve the full entry of women into the world of work, free from discrimination and under conditions of equal opportunities • Ensure equal access to the benefits of social protection • Impact on the work and family balance • Increase participation of women in social dialogue schemes and unions Study - Analysis of the Institutional arrangements Institutional strengthening of Ministries of Labor, aimed at effectively mainstreaming gender in their operations, policies and programs RIAL Hemispheric Workshop RIAL Portfolio of Programs and bilateral cooperation Subregional workshops on Strategic planning / Gender – CIM High – Level Dialogues Gender Audits

5. Participatory Gender Audits A pioneering regional initiative– Ministries of Labor of Barbados, El Salvador and Peru. A component of the joint commitment by the ILO and OAS to support the labor administrations of the region. Financed by the Canadian Labour Program and ILO resources. The initiative was spearheaded in response to a demand in the Hemispheric Decent Work Agendas of the ILO and the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML), which coincide in their prioritization of gender equality as one of the most pressing challenges of the region.

6. Participatory Gender Audits Goal: Promote institutional learning on how to effectively incorporate gender mainstreaming in policies, programs and structures.

7. In the institutional context, gender mainstreaming entails incorporating a focus on gender equality in all policies, strategies, programs, administrative and economic activities, as well as in the institutional culture of the organization, to contribute to a change in the situation of gender inequality. UNDP Strategic Regional Framework on Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean 2005-2009

8. Participatory Gender Audits Objectives Evaluate the state of implementation of gender mainstreaming in the Ministry (policies, programs) Select and share information on mechanisms, practices and attitudes that signify a positive contributions towards an incorporation of the gender perspective in the Ministry. Evaluate the level of allocated and incurred resources on activities related to gender themes. Analyze the extent to which human resource policies are sensitive to gender issues.

9. Participatory Gender Audits Objetivos Identify the gender distribution at different levels of the Ministry’s personnel. Establish an initial gender mainstreaming baseline, with the intention of jumpstarting a gradual process for its implementation. Determine the spaces to introduce possible improvements and propose feasible strategies to put the plan of action into practice.

10. Participatory Gender Audits Description A tool and process based on a participatory methodology developed by the ILO that was enriched during this experience. Applying a methodology designed for this kind of exercise, the Facilitating Team carried out interviews and workshops, activities complemented with a documented analysis prior to and during the development of the Audit.

11. Participatory Gender Audits Results: The following were identified as results of the systematization and analysis of the information: • Main findings • Best Practices • Recommendations to achieve gender mainstreaming in the Ministry both at an institutional level and by each specific area.

12. Participatory Gender Audits Final Product: • Report that includes recommendation to improve performance and concrete measures so that the unit/institution can conduct the follow-up. • Plan of Action for the implementation of the recommendations. MAJOR ADDITION OF THIS EXPERIENCE

13. Participatory Gender Audits Best Practices in the 3 Audits carried out: • Ciudad Mujer in El Salvador • The Measurement of Time Use in Peru • The Disaggregation of Data by Sex in Barbados

14. These Audits are part of a process that originated within the IACML, in partnership with the ILO and the CIM, to support labor administrations and to make tools available to them in order to move towards full equality between men and women in the world of work.