As some Implementation Managers or Implementation Team members may not be directly involved in gender equality issues, or may be new to the organisation, learning about GEP related organisation structures and national context is paramount for successful gender equality efforts.

Before you can start with the GEP implementation process, inform yourself about the national laws and policies regarding gender equality. This knowledge will strengthen the strategic function of a GEP. Further on, you have to know how your organisation works: the hierarchical structures, personal relations and communication, as well as the local context aligned with the organisation's objectives and principles (cf. GENERA Report on how to improve the research cultural environment).

The aim of the first step is to identify the national, local and cultural characteristics of your organisation, and the specific context due to the connection to the field of physics, to understand them and to consider them in the GEP design and implementation process.

• Check relevant national laws and policies promoting gender equality in your country¹⁾:
  Are you aware of key gender equality policies at EU, national and the local level and how they can be used to push for gender equality in your organisation?
  Is there a specific national legislation to address gender inequality?
  Are there legal requirements for developing a GEP?

• Understand the formal (and informal) hierarchical decision-making structures in your organisation, how decisions are made and communicated, relevant governance documents and organisational procedures where gender (in)equality concerns can be addressed
  How are the organisation's functions structured?
  What are the formal/informal rules governing the interaction between different functional units?
  Who are the key persons that should be involved in gender equality- related decision-making?

• Identify the practices and approaches towards gender equality already present in the organisation
  How do these practices reflect and respond to the structural and cultural context in your organisation?
  How the GEP does fit into the current gender equality strategy and to overall strategic mission of your organisation?
  Are there any documents about gender equality or diversity in your organisation? (What kind of documents are available?)

• Get to know which units/departments are responsible for the implementation of a GEP and the agreed on gender equality measures
  Which units/departments or persons should be engaged in the push for structural change?
  Which units/departments or persons have the capacity to push for gender equality and the implementation of your GEP?
  Is there acceptance within the organisation that change will produce important benefits?

• Get to know the attitude towards gender equality at all levels within your organisation, talk to various units/departments and target groups and explain the role of the GENERA Project
  What do the management and leadership think about the implementation of a GEP?
  What are the attitudes of the employees towards gender equality?
  Have you seen the GENERA Interview Study Methodological Guideline? There you can find exemplary questions.

• If there are legal requirements or policies, they may provide you with arguments to engage and convince the management and leadership level
• Regular communication with key actors, stakeholders, gender equality officers/bodies will produce mutual benefit and strengthen regular exchange of experience and support for future actions
• Look at the organisational chart of your organisation to see which actors are relevant and should be engaged in promoting efforts to improve gender equality through GENERA (if there isn't one: try to create it)
• Further resources:
  • European Institute for Gender Equality - Legislative and policy backgrounds
  • European Institute for Gender Equality - Gender Statistics Data Base & Gender Equality Index
  • National and organisational legislation
  • Gender related statistics in your organisation

• What is specific for your organisation regarding Step 1: Learn?

Please record here (documentation of important steps, experiences, successes, challenges, solution approaches, etc.)

return to GENERA Roadmap overview