TAKING GENDER EQUALITY TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES

1. TAKING GENDER EQUALITY TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES Ms. Therese Spiteri B.Com. Hons Public and Private Sector Management Projects Officer National Commission for the Promotion of Equality Gattard Hse, National Road, Blata l-Bajda Tel: +356 2590 3850 Fax: +356 2590 3851 Email: gender.equality@gov.mt Website: www.equality.gov.mt

2. Overview • Scope of project • Objectives • Publicity • Training • Research • Activities • Transnationality • Expected Results • Project Implementation

3. Scope of the Project • To disseminate the promotion of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in local development through educational and publicity campaigns that will be carried out at Local Council (Community) level. • To make ordinary citizens aware of the difficulties and limitations that gender roles and stereotypes create in everyday activities, and install the aspiration for the achievement of gender equality in society.

4. Scope of the Project • Local Councils (Community), organisations that operate on a local and/or regional level, religious institutions and ultimately the citizens themselves need to be sensitised to the principle of gender equality and made to work together to create added value to their community. • To help develop a culture that allows both men and women full and free aspiration to a better participation in the activities and policies of the community.

5. Objectives • To educate local authorities and citizens about the negative impact of gender roles and stereotypes • To show the benefits of gender mainstreaming, so that society will come closer to balanced social participation by the different genders and also increase economic productivity • To target specific groups (educators, youth, people who are socially and actively involved in the community) that can convey the information through their everyday practices and local activities.

6. Objectives • To strengthen the impact of gender mainstreaming at community level • To create a model that could be used to widen the sphere of influence of gender equality commissions. • To spread expertise on gender equality to the community and thus widen the knowledge base on the various aspects of this principle using the training provided

7. How to do this? • It is necessary to take the initiative to develop tools in order to entice the citizens to discuss the roles of women and men in public and private life: • training presentations • promotional materials

8. How to do this? • Publicity campaign model • small group discussions with members of local/community organisations on gender equality; • gender equality publicity through locally popular singers and performing artists, intended to reach the citizens at Local Council level. • The project will look for good practices in Southern European States and disseminate the results at national, regional, municipal and local levels. • The results of research project will be widely disseminated.

9. Target Groups: • Gender Equality Commissions of Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Greece and Malta • Citizens of the 68 Local Councils of Malta • Local Councils • Municipalities (where applicable) • Regional Governments

10. Publicity/ Visibility • information technology: the development of an interactive website highlighting good practices • educational materials: brochure and a roving exhibition promoting gender equal situations • dissemination of information: community training sessions, full-page newspaper adverts • reports: research report, and final report • conferences and meetings: 2 transnational meetings, press conferences (1 in each partner country), 2 meetings with Local Council delegates, final conference

11. Trainers • Training on the principle of gender equality will be provided to 20 trainers (referred to as Gender Equality Trainers) in a ‘train the trainers’ programme; • 10 musicians/singers and performing artists who will be contracted to promote the project.

12. Training Sessions • To disseminate information to citizens of different sexes, age and educational background. • Examples used to discuss gender issues that merit attention • The need for the attentiveness to allow both men and women to have equal access to community activities and projects. • Trainers will be sensitised to use gender neutral language in their presentations regarding community responsibilities.

13. Research Study • The services of a researcher will be sought for a limited period of eight months (March to September 2007) • To seek good practices in the partner countries to this project in collaboration with the partner organisations • To promote them widely as success stories in the fight for equality and against discrimination.

14. Research Study • To assess the current situation in regards to the practice of gender mainstreaming at community level. • To assess the levels of commitment of different countries and their different governmental levels ranging from the national to the local • This research should shed light on the areas which need attention and propose solutions to current difficulties.

15. Transnational Level • Research to identify good practices and the changes that need to be affected in the five partner countries of this project. • The transnational partners will be actively involved in the discussion over the establishment of the methodology that will be used for the conduction of the research

16. Transnational Level • The transnational partners will also assist the researcher while in their respective countries, to ensure that this is run smoothly • The information collected will then be processed and developed into two publications: • a research report • a brochure promoting 10 good practices

17. Transnational Activities • 1st Transnational meeting will be held in Malta prior to the start of the research to launch the project with the project partners and to collectively discuss and approve the methodology that will be adopted. • National press conferences in each partner country to inform the general public about the project aims and launch the dissemination of the materials.

18. Transnational Activities • Development of materials (reports and brochures) to be disseminated at national and regional level by the five partner countries to this project. • Translation of the materials • Printing of the materials. • Launch of the website of the project.

19. Transnational Activities • 2nd Transnational Meeting: to coincide with the Final Conference • The partners will speak about their experience of gender mainstreaming in their respective countries during the Final Conference. • On the following day, the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) will present the results of the Maltese gender equality campaign test case, highlighting the process involved, and the impact of the activities.

20. National Activities • Two meetings will be held to address delegates from all of the 68 Maltese Local Councils. • Publicity to take place through different means – training in small groups, through Public Service Announcements on TV, newspaper adverts, during community gatherings, through a roving exhibition etc • Two steering committee meetings will be organised by NCPE and the DLG to assess the progress of the project.

21. Expected Results • Produce a report on the current good practices on gender equality on a community level in the countries partners to the project. • Train 20 equality trainers to work on a community level. • Further the process of gender mainstreaming in Malta and the partner countries. • Sensitisation of the citizens as a direct result of the project.

22. Expected Results • Training programme will be provided to 10 singers/musicians and performance artists who will be giving a face to the project in the various publicity initiatives, such as Local Council events. • Provision of training/information on local level to Local Councillors, members of organisations and other persons organised in groups/institutions within the community on the principle of gender equality

23. Expected Results • TV adverts/PSAs portraying the Musicians/Singers and Performing Artists and having them make a statement for gender equality. • Production and airing of 10 different PSAs of 30 seconds to be aired 20 times each on the National TV station • The development of a website in relation to the project, providing detail about the aims, the deliverables, and the results of the project – in English, Portuguese, Italian, Greek and Maltese. • The design and printing of the research report in English and the four languages of the countries partners to this project – Portuguese, Italian, Greek and Maltese. (vol. 5 x 1000)

24. Expected Results • The design and printing of a brochure promoting 10 good practices for the promotion of gender equality in English and the four languages of the countries partners to this project – Portuguese, Italian, Greek and Maltese. (vol. 5 x 5000) • The design and print of 4 different adverts to appear in English and Maltese Sunday newspapers in Malta. (vol. 4 x 6 newspapers) • The development of a roving exhibition to be set up in the offices of Local Councils’ buildings during the period of the project.

25. Meetings/Conferences • First Conference for the Transnational partnership • Two meetings with delegates of Local Councils • Two National Steering Committee Meetings (NCPE and DLG) • Two Transnational Meetings

26. Meetings/Conferences • A Press Conference to be held in each partner country to launch the research results and the distribution of the reports and brochures. • Final Transnational partnership Meeting • Final Conference intended to disseminate the results with the Maltese public

27. Effects and Benefits • Immediate effects: • to sensitize local governments on the need to further gender mainstreaming within their communities • to sensitize citizens on current EU policy and gender equality legislation • to identify good practices and disseminate them widely • Expected benefits: • a reduction in gender roles and stereotypes • increased sensitivity to gender issues and the need to mainstream gender at all levels of society

28. Project Implementation • 2007 January • Project Starts • Employment of Project Coordinator F/T • Employment of Local Council Project Coordinator P/T • Drafting of Tenders

29. Project Implementation • 2007 January – February • 1st Transnational meeting to establish a work programme and an agreement on the focus of the research study for good practices on gender mainstreaming

30. Project Implementation • 2007 March • -Adjudication of tenders for venues, researchers, gender equality experts and gender equality trainers, artists • Employment of Researcher F/T

31. Project Implementation • 2007 April • Preparation of the training tools by the Gender Equality Trainers in collaboration with the NCPE expertise • The development a work plan for the work to be carried out by the Trainers • Training of Gender Equality Trainers and Singers/Musicians/Performing artists • Start of the provision of training by the Gender Equality Trainers at local level in Malta and Gozo • Start of a National campaign to promote gender equality. • The Musicians/Singers and Performing Artists are to feature on TV and radio. They will also feature in live performances at local level and will be accompanied by a roving exhibition putting on display 10 gender equal situations. • Meeting 1 with delegates from all of the local councils to discuss the necessity of a gender mainstreaming policy at local level

32. Project Implementation • 2007 May • All information gathered by the Research Assistants is to be formulated and sent to the Researcher • Issue of tenders for Publicity and Printing Materials • Airing of PSAs starts • 2007 June • Preparation of the Intermediate Report

33. Project Implementation • 2007 July • Launch of project website • Airing of PSAs stops • Musicians/Singers/Performing artists will feature in live performances at local level; • 2007 August • Steering meeting 1 to assess the progress of the National project and evaluate the development and assess the results • Meeting 2 with delegates from all of the Local Councils to assess the progress and discuss any difficulties that could have arisen in implementing a gender mainstreaming policy

34. Project Implementation • 2007 September • Researcher presents final report. • Research employment to end. • 2007 October • A document highlighting the salient points of the research to be developed, and translated in five different language versions which will be printed and distributed. • A brochure highlighting 10 good practices to increase gender equality in society will also be printed in the five languages and distributed widely. • 2007 November • Steering meeting 2 to assess the progress of the National project and assess the results

35. Project Implementation • 2007 December • Start of the preparations for the final conference • 2008 January • End of the provision of training by the Gender Equality Trainers • Close of the national campaign to promote gender equality. • 2008 February • Final Local Conference and Transnational Conference • promote the main highlights of the campaign • propose measures that could be taken up to further the gender mainstreaming process • presentation of the final report • Presentation of the transnational experience of the project