Implementing the Equality Acquis

Objectives: While the employment chapter is closed in all candidate countries but Bulgaria and Romania, the extent to which each has implemented and enforced equality measures differs. This work package aims to assess the extent to which the equality acquis has been transposed, implemented, and enforced.

Methodology: Partners will identify the relevant national equality laws, the scope of this legislation, the organisation/s created to implement and monitor these laws, the mandate given to such organisations, their capacity to effect policy and attitudinal change, their linkages with the women's movement and other equality-seeking bodies, and the strategies they employ to effect gender equality and the effectiveness of their work to date. Then they will conduct interviews with agencies responsible for implementation of the equality acquis and other equality laws, with government ministers and senior bureaucrats responsible for equality legislation, and with women's NGOs active in this field.

Deliverables: Each partner will produce a country report, which will be published as journal articles and disseminated to relevant governmental and non-governmental actors. The co-ordinator will draft a comparative report, which will be published as a journal article and/or book chapter.

Expected Results: This workpackage will reveal the importance accorded to gender equality as a practice as well as a principle in the candidate countries. While formal equality may exist, this does not necessarily ensure that gender equality and indeed other economic and social equalities are seen as central to good governance.

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