The National Programme for Substantive Gender Equality 2010-2013 has been drafted with four strategic goals in mind:

1.           Protection of all women’s rights through the promotion of gender equality and the orientation of interventions towards groups of women facing multiple discrimination.

2.           Prevention and combating of all forms and types of violence against women.

3.           Support of women’s employment and their financial independence.

4.           Utilisation of cultural creation in order to highlight the goal of gender equality.

In the preparation process of this Programme, methods and good practices of international and European organisations were used, according to which the following shall be developed in parallel:

·           specialised equality policies addressing women or men in sectors in which they are underrepresented,

·           cross-cutting interventions throughout the range of public policy, so as to tackle gender-based discrimination in each and every field of policy implementation.

Such a two-pronged approach to the promotion of gender equality has been utilised since 1995 (UN Beijing Platform for Action, and European Committee Announcement on gender mainstreaming).

The Programme includes measures, such as: improvement, enhancement and implementation of legislation; development of affirmative actions for certain groups of women; gender mainstreaming public policies, including economic ones; enhancement of administration mechanisms; empowerment of civil society and women’s organisations as well as the organisation of campaigns to sensitise public opinion in order to prevent and change gender-based stereotypic roles.

The National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007-2013, Operational Programme (OP) “Public Administration Reform”, is the central funding framework of these policies and activities.

In order to make use of the scientific knowledge on gender issues and active citizens’ experiences, this Programme is informed by and interacts with the scientific community, research and gender studies, as well as with civil society, women and feminist organisations.

Constant consultation and accountability, particularly important for the improvement of policy quality and effectiveness, require the enhancement of gender equality institutions, as well as the implementation and monitoring of gender equality policies. In order to ensure transparency and credibility in the implementation of this Programme, an in-depth analysis of goals achievement and effectiveness of actions shall be conducted. This assessment shall be reflected in Annual Activity Reports. Ongoing and systematic consultation with civil society on Programme implementation shall be supported by bodies and structures that coordinate the activities of all jointly competent government agencies.

The Programme is structured on three pillars. They entail, respectively:

a.      proposed legislative regulations to improve family law, reform and enhance legislation addressing violence and introduce new provisions aimed at substantive gender equality;

b.      GSGE specialised gender equality policies (interventions in selected areas of public policy and creation of policy making institutions, structures and bodies); and

c.       interventions by other Ministries and public agencies which foster gender equity via public policies (mainstreaming policies).