Gender Equality included in Law Assessments, Emilia-Romagna

After a long participatory process and the approval of conformity by the Legislative Assembly, the Council of Emilia-Romagna has approved the regulation (D.G.R. n. 140 of 01/29/2024) that introduces the gender impact assessment on regional legislative bills, to be completed before their approval.

The Emilia-Romagna Region therefore decides to take a step forward to promote attention to gender in every action and phase of regional policies, contributing to improving the quality of legislation and increasing effectiveness in combating gender inequalities.

The gender impact assessment, applied to regulatory initiatives with a significant effect on citizens, businesses and public administration, will be a tool to evaluate the positive, negative or gender-neutral impacts of regional legislative bills.

Work, health, welfare, education, culture, sport, training, international cooperation and the digital agenda are the priority areas to which the ex ante gender impact assessment should be applied.

“With this act we aim to improve the quality and effectiveness of regional laws to achieve adequate gender equality. We believe that evaluation is a tool to strengthen the application of the principle of equal opportunities and gender data and indicators are key elements for strategic planning" comments Barbara Lori, the Regional Minister for Equal Opportunities, Emilia-Romagna.

Parameters in Gender Equality Evaluation

14 parameters are identified, including work-life balance; fair distribution of governance and decision-making roles; access to female entrepreneurship and freelance professions; access of women to male-dominated work sectors in the scientific and technological area and of men to female-dominated work sectors related to care; equal pay between men and women; presence of gender stereotypes and discrimination, also linked to male and female roles.

Each of these parameters is represented by one or more gender indicators for a total of 33 which will be periodically updated and which are the minimum database for evaluating the reference context of gender equality in Emilia-Romagna.

The Impact Operational Unit (NOI) will carry out the evaluation. The permanent members will be chosen by the Council. NOI may invite experts both internal and external to the regional Administration, identified according to the matters covered by the bill examined.