Panel discusses gender mainstreaming in good governance reform

Taking into account the principles of gender equality in the process of good governance reform is of crucial importance, especially for Georgia, which strives for integration into the European Union. UN Women, in accordance with its mandate, supports gender mainstreaming in the successful implementation of this reform in the country.

Within the framework of this initiative, on 9 February, UN Women, in cooperation with the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), hosted the thematic panel ‘Gender Mainstreaming in Good Governance Reform’ during the Good Governance Forum 2024. The panel aimed to focus on the relationship between the implementation of good governance reform and gender mainstreaming, with a special focus on Georgia’s EU integration process.

Representatives of government structures, civil society and international organizations participated in the panel discussion, which was facilitated by Tamar Sabedashvili, UN Women Deputy Country Representative in Georgia. The keynote speaker of the panel, UN Women Senior Gender Mainstreaming and EU Integration Adviser, Dolly Wittberger, spoke about the EU’s gender equality legislation, as well as its impact on the integration process. She discussed the specific prerequisites, procedures and institutional mechanisms necessary for the effective implementation of the gender equality criteria, noting: “The EU explicitly expects candidate countries and potential candidates to progressively align with the EU gender equality [legislation] and have the institutional framework to enforce [its implementation].”

On the same day, UN Women hosted the forum’s thematic event ‘Gender Mainstreaming in Good Governance Reform in the Context of European Integration’. Representatives from government agencies as well as international and local non-governmental organizations working on human rights, women’s rights and gender equality were present at the event. The event discussed EU gender equality legislation, gender mainstreaming in the process of European integration, and the approaches, tools and successful practices of candidate countries for EU membership.

The panel discussion and thematic event held within the framework of the forum were part of the UN Women project ‘Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia’, which is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway.