Description
The EQUALITY BALANCE project aims to create a horizontal instrument to all sectors of economic activity, enabling the assessment of legislative measures to promote gender equality and contribute to the commitment to reduce and eliminate social inequalities between men and women in Portugal. The instrument created will be tested on a sample of Non-governmental organizations (NGO), representing different sectors of activity, in the district of Braga. It also could be used in another type of organization or entity, from different economic activity sectors or location. The project has two components: (1) definition and development of an instrument and (2) application of it (for testing purpose and subsequent validation) and further dissemination (public presentation in a final seminar). The project has the support of the Municipality of Braga. The International Development of Norway (ID- NORWAY) will collaborate in the development of the instrument, particularly in the determination of the indicators to be included in the practical guide.
Summary of project results
The project Equality Balance was financed through the Small Grants Scheme “Development of tools to assess legislative measures promoting gender equality in Portugal” of the PT07, programme implemented by the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG). This project resulted from an effort conjugation between Associação Famílias and the International Development Norway (ID-Norway). It has contributed effectively to the commitment to reduce and eliminate social inequalities between men and women by creating a tool to assess the contribution of legislative measures to promote gender equality. For the instrument validation purpose, was used a sample of 30 participants belonging to 10 Non- Governmental Organisations- NGO- of Braga district and a legislative test measure “usufruct conditions and access to rights relating to lactating and breastfeeding”. In addition to the evaluation instrument of legislative measures, this project allowed access for another result of added value - a practical guide, which compiled the information gathered throughout the project, facilitating their spread to other contexts (national and international). The partnership with ID-Norway was very important to the completion of this project: the exchange of knowledge and ideas and the contribution provided by ID-Norway for creating the instrument and to carry out the conceptual model used. The actions defined for the implementation of the project were thought as a perspective of commitment and joint responsibility between both entities. The use of media (newspapers, magazines, digital publications) allowed bringing out more efficiently the project Equality Balance, allowing greater dissemination of results. These activities had to raise awareness role, propelling the society to a greater consciousness of gender inequalities that continue to be observed in the daily routine. At the end of the project was held a final seminar with the presence of an ID- Norway representative, which highlighted the importance that the Equality Balance in Braga, emphasizing the bilateral cooperation. The major impact of this project was the access to important indicators that demonstrate how the laws are articulated with the principle of gender equality, allow glimpsing a set of important future actions. This project can serve as a basis for other important work in the area of gender equality, and it is expected that the instrument will be applied in other regions of Portugal and in Norway.
Summary of bilateral results
The Equality Balance project resulted from the concerted action of Associação Famílias and International Development Norway- ID- Norway. This partnership was critical to achieving the results for which this project is proposed. Throughout all project execution phases, contacts were established in the sense of all the options be taken jointly by the two entities involved. In the final seminar of the project, ID- Norway was represented by Mrs Rune Stolan. In the presentation, he highlighted the contributions that Norway-ID has provided over the implementation of the project, indicating the healthy partnership that has been built between the two entities. The actions undertaken have always the purpose to mitigate the effects of the geographical distance. The partner organization helped in defining the methodological model to be used and the definition of the indicators used in instrument creation, following closely together all made advances. The extensive experience of Norway ID- in projects of this nature favoured the contribution of it. In fact, this entity is integrated into various social projects, struggling with various problems related to gender equality and citizenship, with the major focus on the issues of research since it has several consortia with educational institutions. This relationship allowed an important exchange of knowledge and ideas, taking into account all the experience and know-how. This cooperative relationship will continue to be critical to the sustainability of the results achieved, fostering the emergence of new synergies and challenges. One of the key objectives of the project involves being able to apply the instrument established in the Norwegian reality, enabling to see how the instrument works in international contexts.