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Reform Support
Supporting reforms to reinforce efficient and high quality public administrations

Supporting reforms to reinforce efficient and high quality public administrations

Funding Programme
Year
  • 2021

Strengthening the government capacity for gender-sensitive and inclusive recovery

The European Commission is supporting in the area of gender mainstreaming, with the purpose of improving the integration of gender equality considerations in the design and implementation of public policies and budget cycles in the Czech Republic, in line with the objectives set in the Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2030. 

Context 

The shortcomings in achieving gender equality objectives and the impact on women have been pointed out in the Czech Republic’s Country Specific Recommendations for European Semesters 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Czech Republic is still lagging in terms of gender equality (SDG 5) and the gender gap in employment and pay is among the highest in the EU; this was also stated in the 2020 Country Report. 

Previously, the Government adopted the Government Strategy for Equality of Women and Men in the Czech Republic for 2014-2020; in March 2021, the new Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2030 was adopted. However, there are identified barriers which are impeding progress on the Government’s horizontal gender equality objectives, such as limited capacities, competencies and allocation of resources; the marginalisation of the gender equality agenda by line ministries; the discontinuity of gender-related initiatives; and inconsistency in policy implementation due to transfers of the responsibility over the agenda between different cabinet members. The use of gender impact assessments has not yet fully taken root in the policy and budget cycles and in addition, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of having effective institutional structures, capacities and processes to mobilise the state apparatus for gender-sensitive emergency management and recovery because, without them, there is risk of gender inequalities deepening and widening. 

Support delivered

The OECD is the partner organisation for the implementation of this project, aiming to support the Czech Republic in improving the integration of gender equality in the design and implementation of public policies and budget cycles. The outcome will be improved institutional design, greater capacity for gender analysis and enhanced awareness, in central government and line ministries, as well as strengthening the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2030.  

More specifically, the project will start by carrying out an assessment of the current situation and practices (including the legal and institutional framework and existing tools), followed by recommendations and action plans for selected pilot ministries or central co-ordination bodies. Capacity-building workshops will be organised to underpin the governance, co-ordination and implementation of the stated gender equality goals of the Government, targeting policy makers. Moreover, a roundtable will be organised with policy makers from the broader Government to present the process and findings from the project, with a view to encourage and empower other institutions to adopt similar initiatives themselves. 

Expected results 

The project was presented and discussed at the November 2021 meeting of the Government Council for Gender Equality.

The results of the project will also support the Czech Republic in achieving other goals, considering that for the 2021-2027 European Structural and Investment Funds Programming Period, a ‘national strategic framework for gender equality’ was named among the enabling conditions which are applicable to ERDF, ESF+ and the Cohesion Fund

Overall, considering the multitude of recovery actions to be set in motion in response to the impact of COVID-19, including the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the implementation of this project will support a gender-responsive allocation of financial support for recovery. 

More about the project

You can read the final report here: