The Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards (GRS) of WP.6 holds bi-monthly meetings to progress its work agenda and encourage building a network of gender focal points working on gender-responsive standards. The GRS encourages the uptake of guidance such as the Recommendation U on Gender-Responsive Standards and the Guidelines on Developing Gender-Responsive Standards and Standards Development. It develops further guidance to help standards development organizations to effectively roll out gender-responsive standards.

All experts are welcome to join these meetings.

The Team of Specialists was established in 2022 through the 124th meeting of the UNECE Executive Committee in decisions L.13. It is the continuance of the Gender-Responsive Standards Initiative which was established in 2016. More information on this group is available on the group’s web page.

During this meeting we are happy to welcome a guest speaker from the United Nations Development Program, Human Development Report Office who will present the latest UNDP 2030 Gender Social Norms Index Report: “Breaking Down Gender Biases: Shifting social norms towards gender equality.” After the presentation, there will be time for a brief discussion on how this relates back to gender-responsive standards and how this can help inform the work of the GRS. The meeting will continue with a review of the report of GRS to be presented to the WP.6 33rd Annual Session [first draft version available here] as well as the input of GRS to the WP.6 Programme of Work 2024 [first draft version available here]. The updated agenda for this meeting is available here.

The report of this meeting is available here.