EQUALITY PLAN
- INTRODUCTION
The gender concept describes the roles and responsibilities of women and men in society’s cultural, political, and economic life. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, thereby recognising the diversity of different groups of women and men.[1]
Gender equality is amongst the core values of the European Union, and the promotion of equality between men and women is one of its main tasks. The EU Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 is based on the following principles:
- being free from violence and stereotypes;
- thriving in a gender-equal economy which includes fighting gender gaps in the labour market, achieving equal participation across different sectors of the economy, addressing the gender pay and pension gap and closing the gender care gap;
- leading equally throughout society which includes achieving gender balance in decision-making and politics;
- gender mainstreaming and an intersectional perspective in EU policies;
- funding actions to make progress in gender equality in the EU;
- addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment across the world.
The final aim of the Awareness Raising Campaign for SMEs II Project (from now on referred to as ARC II project) is to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (from now on referred to as SMEs) to acquire an in-depth understanding of the GDPR, consequently gaining better skills for effective application of the regulation and to make considerable progress in reaching a higher level of protection for the data subject. One of the risks recognised by the ARCII Consortium is gender inequalities and multiple discriminatory effects occurring during the project implementation. Gender inequalities are seen as one of the main risks by the ARC II Consortium.
ARC II considers the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025. Therefore, the ARC II Consortium[2] adopts the Equality Plan for the period 2022-2023 during the implementation of the activities of the project to continuously promote gender equality among the Consortium members, organisations, and SMEs.
Based on the fundamental principles of equality and non-discrimination, the project will assure equal access to all participants irrespective of their nationality, race, caste, creed, gender, etc. The participation of boys and girls, men, and women, as well as vulnerable groups and socially excluded members of society will be ensured.
The ARC II project aims to regulate the application and monitoring of the Equality Plan implementation, including raising awareness among the employees and management concerning gender equality and combating gender stereotypes and discrimination. The goal of the Equality Plan is to fight any gender inequalities and discrimination within the project implementation.
During the project implementation of ARC II, beneficiaries should consider gender perspectives and promote gender mainstreaming project activities.
The Equality Plan will highlight three main priorities:
- Promoting equal opportunities to men and women and including vulnerable groups (e.g., people with disabilities).
- Women’s participation and leadership within project activities.
- Supporting gender equality through women’s equal participation and balanced representation.
- Promoting women’s economic empowerment.
- To promote and encourage participation of vulnerable groups within project activities.
The Equality Plan is open to all Consortium members and SME employees, and to the SMEs to whom the project activities are intended. Its objective is to enable the amendment of measures and activities and adhere to new findings during its implementation.
- NEEDS ANALYSIS
The Needs analysis can be either referred to new research at the beginning or to ongoing research that applies to previous projects that have already indicated the need to undertake certain activities. We will carry out a needs analysis during the project.
Equality Plan will be developed in cooperation with the Ombudsman for Gender Equality and the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities.
Consortium members will carry out a needs analysis within a certain number of SMEs and will concretely address the issues of a gender perspective and the non-discrimination of vulnerable groups. The Consortium will conduct a Needs analysis on gender-sensitive aspects, together with target identification. For this purpose, a survey among SMEs will be conducted at the beginning of the implementation of the project.
A Needs analysis will focus on assessing the issues, such as individual resistance or organisational weaknesses. A Needs analysis will provide the necessary data and information to combine a gender perspective into the project activities.
Needs analysis in terms of gender equality will be conducted to identify and address gender inequalities and to make sure that project deliverables are meaningful in terms of gender and that they respond to the different needs of women and men. Needs analysis in terms of the inclusion of vulnerable groups will be conducted to make sure project deliverables are meaningful in terms of the non-discrimination of vulnerable groups.
- PLANNING PHASE – EQUALITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
After the analysis, activities and measures to remedy the identified problems will be decided, resources and responsibilities will be attributed, and timelines will be agreed upon.
The Consortium will adopt specific measures and carry out initiatives addressing women’s needs as emerging from the needs analysis to enable them to participate in and benefit equally from project deliverables.
Below is the list of objectives and activities for the implementation of the Equality Plan that is planned to be undertaken in order to fulfil the set objectives. The list is based on previous projects that have already indicated the need to follow particular activities. If necessary, the list will be redefined after a new Needs analysis to adhere to new findings during its implementation.
| OBJECTIVE | ACTIVITY – MEASURES | INDICATOR | IMPLEMENTATION | TIMELINE |
| To raise awareness about gender equality and gender-related challenges and about the inclusion of vulnerable and socially excluded groups | ● Cooperation with the Office of Gender Equality Ombudsman and with the Office of Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities
● Organizing initial training session ● Involving relevant stakeholders ● Visibility of the Equality Plan
|
● Emphasizing in project materials the importance of equality between men and women and inclusion of vulnerable groups and socially excluded groups
● The Equality Plan signed by top management of the Consortium members ● The Equality Plan published on the ARC II website and Consortium members website
|
**who will be responsible for implementation within the project | |
| To promote women’s participation and leadership within project activities | ● Cooperation with the Office of Gender Equality Ombudsman
● Involving relevant stakeholders |
● Balanced representation of female/male in images/visuals used in dissemination.
|
**who will be responsible for implementation within the project | |
| To increase gender equality through women’s equal participation and balanced representation | ● Ensuring equal participation of women in workshops through cooperation with women entrepreneurship organisations | ● The number of women who will participate in workshops.
● Balanced representation of female/male in images/male in images/visuals used in dissemination.
|
**who will be responsible for implementation within the project | |
| To promote women’s economic empowerment | ● Cooperation with women entrepreneurship organisations.
|
● Visibility of successful women entrepreneurs – SMEs | **who will be responsible for implementation within the project | |
| To promote and encourage participation of vulnerable groups within project activities | ● Cooperation with government bodies and other relevant associations that work with people with disabilities and minorities.
● Ensuring accessibility of project activities and project deliverables for people with disabilities
|
● The number of relevant stakeholders (e.g. government bodies and associations that work with people with disabilities and minorities) involved in promotion of project activities among its beneficiaries).
● The number of vulnerable groups who will participate in educations (e.g. people with disabilities, minorities etc.) ● Accessible digital tool Olivia adapted to the people with the disabilities |
**who will be responsible for implementation within the project | |
- OBJECTIVE – To raise awareness about gender equality, gender-related challenges and the inclusion of vulnerable and socially excluded groups.
COOPERATION WITH THE OFFICE OF GENDER EQUALITY OMBUDSMAN AND WITH THE OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
During the initial stages of the project implementation, the Consortium members will contact the Office of Gender Equality Ombudsman and the Office of Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities in their countries to get feedback on proposed activities for ensuring the adequate promotion of the importance of the equality of men and women and inclusion of vulnerable groups and socially excluded groups. This action will ensure that possible issues regarding the implementation of project activities are recognised at an early stage.
INITIAL TRAINING SESSION
The Consortium will organise an initial training session for the team responsible for implementing the Equality Plan at the beginning of the work and for other targeted audiences directly involved. Continuous awareness-raising and capacity-building activities will maximise chances for the successful implementation of the Equality Plan.
INVOLVING RELEVANT AND INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS
The Consortium will contact relevant stakeholders who are not part of the implementation team to motivate the staff involved, strengthen the potential of the Equality Plan and maximise the impact of the Equality Plan’s measures.
The Consortium will continuously keep in touch with the stakeholders to gain insights about the measures implemented and to get feedback on the improvement measures to be carried out. The Consortium will make sure that subcontractors are aware of the principles of gender mainstreaming and non-discrimination mainstreaming.
The Consortium members will also involve their communications department in this activity to ensure the use of gender-neutral and generally inclusive language in internal and external communications and to ensure the use of non-stereotypical and non-sexist images in internal and external communications during the project activities. Inclusive images will show the diversity within the Consortium members who are actively involved in project activities and the diversity within the SMEs.
The Equality Plan will be signed by the top management of the Consortium members since the visibility and support of the top management are crucial in highlighting the importance and significance of gender equality and equality and non-discrimination of vulnerable groups.
VISIBILITY OF THE EQUALITY PLAN
A formal document – the Equality Plan – will be published on the ARC II project website and on the Consortium members’ website, which the members of the top management will sign.
The Consortium will inform the organisations and SMEs about the existence of the Equality Plan. The Equality Plan will be available and easily accessible to the whole community on the ARC II project website, Consortium members’ website, and social networks (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.). The Equality Plan will also be presented during the project activities, including the conferences that will be held in Zagreb and in Rome.
The Consortium will make sure that subcontractors are aware of the principles of gender mainstreaming and non-discrimination mainstreaming.
- OBJECTIVE – To promote women’s participation and leadership within project activities.
COOPERATION WITH THE OFFICE OF GENDER EQUALITY OMBUDSMAN
At the beginning of the project implementation, the Consortium members will contact the Office of Gender Equality Ombudsman in their countries to get feedback on proposed activities for ensuring gender equality. This action will ensure that possible issues regarding the implementation of project activities are recognised at an early stage.
INVOLVING RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS
The Consortium members will also, if necessary, involve their communications department in this activity to ensure the use of inclusive images with a balanced representation of females/males in images/visuals used in dissemination.
Also, invitations to participate in educations will be sent through women’s associations to promote women’s participation and leadership within project activities.
- OBJECTIVE – Increasing gender equality through women’s equal participation and balanced representation.
ENSURING EQUAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN WORKSHOPS
When organizing workshops as part of project activities, special attention will be given to ensure the equal representation and participation of women, especially the participation of SMEs headed by successful female entrepreneurs.
Ensuring equal participation of women in workshops will be ensured through cooperation with women entrepreneurship organisations.
- OBJECTIVE – To promote women’s economic empowerment.
COOPERATION WITH WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP ORGANISATIONS
Specific measures to ensure gender mainstreaming will be undertaken, such as engaging with the Croatian, Italian and international women entrepreneurship organisations. In the world of entrepreneurship, women represent a minority. It needs huge support for their potential to be expressed, proved, and unleashed. Therefore, engagement with the women entrepreneurship organisation will ensure the participation of SMEs run by successful women business leaders.
- OBJECTIVE – To promote and encourage participation of vulnerable groups within project activities.
COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT BODIES AND OTHER RELEVANT ASSOCIATIONS
In order to promote project activities and ensure the participation of persons with disabilities and minorities in project activities, cooperation will be achieved with government bodies and other relevant associations that work with people with disabilities and minorities.
ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND PROJECT DELIVERABLES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Specific measures to ensure accessibility of project activities and project deliverables for people with disabilities will be undertaken. For that purpose, whenever possible, educations will be held in spaces adapted for people with disabilities. Also, the digital tool Olivia will be developed in such a way to be suitable for people with disabilities.
- MONITORING PROGRESS AND EVALUATION
Gender balance and the promotion of equality and inclusion of vulnerable groups will be monitored during the stages of project implementation, and suitable actions will be taken to address any imbalance that may appear. Findings from the monitoring exercises will allow for planning and to improve interventions during the Equality Plan implementation so that the results can be optimised.
[1] https://eige.europa.eu/thesaurus/terms/1168 (accessed: 27 December 2022)
[2] The ARC II Consortium consists of project partners: Croatian Data Protection Agency, Italian Data Protection Authority – Garante Privacy, University of Florence, Faculty of Organization and Informatics of the University of Zagreb, Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
