Gender mainstreaming and legislation 30 years later: the impact of international action on gender mainstreaming on legislation and gender outcomes at national level

Maria Mousmouti

Chapter 13 in Research Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming, 2026, pp 158-170 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: In 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action introduced gender mainstreaming as a catalyst for gender equality and women's empowerment. Thirty years later, how much has been achieved? This chapter claims that gender mainstreaming remains predominantly a tool for de jure rather than de facto equality. The chapter uses the EU-27 member states as a test case and proves its hypothesis by comparing national (legal) responses and advancements in gender mainstreaming in terms of constitutional commitments to gender equality, legislative obligations for gender mainstreaming, operationalization of gender mainstreaming into state action, monitoring of implementation and reporting, data, and evaluation of results and outcomes. The key finding is that international action on gender mainstreaming has led to important legal developments and to more and improved gender legislation. However, there is less evidence of improved gender outcomes, so it still falls short of a proven claim to de facto equality.

Keywords: Constitutions; Legislation; International Action; Gender Mainstreaming; Legal Development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035353415
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