Achievements and challenges in implementing gender action plans

First annual meeting of the Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards

24 May 2023 11:00 - 17:00

Background

The Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards (GRS) has proactively worked towards better representation of women in standards development and standards developed with a gender lens. The Declaration on the topic has 81 signatories to date, demonstrating the engagement of these standards development organizations on inclusion. One of the key elements of the Declaration is the commitment to create a gender action plan.

Gender action plans for standards development have been one of the more difficult points to implement. Such plans require the involvement of many layers with a standards development organization and eventually larger gender plans from governments or parent bodies. The GRS has established a certain amount of guidance, including the proposal of a repository of gender action plan implementations, which it continues to pursue.

This meeting is taking place as part of the 2nd WP.6 Forum; please check out the other meetings happening during the week on this webpage.

Objective

After the administrative aspects of the meeting (11:00 -12:30, Geneva-time), the GRS will host a webinar discussion on implementation of standards-related gender action plans, outlining some of the positive achievements and challenges. Experts will present some of the positive implementation stories, with a view to how these might be replicated by others.

We will then have a round-table discussion of some of the challenges. These may include challenges related to change of mind-set, socio-cultural aspects, gendered-standards as a solution and others.

You are invited to bring some of your best practices and challenges to share during this meeting.

We will end with a presentation of the tools that have already been developed within the GRS and look into what further guidance or tools we could consider in the GRS.

Target Audience

Experts involved in standards development; experts in gender-related issues;

Draft Agenda

11:00 - 12:30	GRS administrative agenda (examining PoW 2023, achievements, what needs further work, elements for the PoW 2024, update on projects, potential future projects, preparing report for the WP.6 Annual Session)
12:30 - 13:00	Break
13:00 - 13:15	Launch of the GRS webinar “Achievements and challenges in implementing gender action plans”
13:00	Opening and welcome – Lance Thompson, Secretary WP.6 and GRS [Bio]
13:07	Opening and welcome – Michelle Parkouda, GRS Chair [Bio]
13:15 - 14:45	Sharing experiences on implementation of gender action plans for standards development Moderator – Lucy He, GRS Vice Chair [Bio]
13:15	Experience of European Committee for Standardization CEN/CENELEC – Deborah Wautier, CEN/CENELEC [Bio][PPT]
13:30	Experience of Austrian Standards International (ASI) – Joanna Gajdek, ASI [Bio][PPT]
13:45	Experience of Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) – Florence Uwatwembi, RSB [Bio][PPT]
14:00	Experience of Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT) – Kory Eguino, COPANT [Bio][PPT]
14:15	Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) – Sevde Özbey, SMIIC [Bio][PPT]
14:30	ASTM International – Dan Smith, ASTM International [Bio][PPT]
14:45 - 15:30	Challenges of implementation Moderator – Gabrielle White, WP.6 Vice Chair [Bio]
15:30 - 16:30	Future needs Moderator – Michelle Parkouda, GRS Chair
15:30	Toolkit of current GRS guidance – Lance Thompson, Secretary WP.6 [Bio][PPT]
15:40	Putting GRS in the context of governmental gender policies – Anoush der Boghossian, Head, Trade and Gender Office, WTO [Bio][PPT]
16:00	Brainstorming on potential future work of WP.6 GRS

Achievements and challenges in implementing gender action plans

Achievements and challenges in implementing gender action plans

Objective

Target Audience

Draft Agenda

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