Gender equality in the civil society sector is not merely a matter of values ​​and public statements. It must be reflected in daily management decisions, team practices, project planning, communications, and the allocation of financial resources. The “Roadmap: Transforming a Civil Society Organization Towards Gender Sensitivity” is designed to help civil society organizations integrate gender equality principles into all aspects of their operations.

The practical guide was developed as part of the Impulse Project by expert Yuliia Trunova, who specializes in integrating gender equality and inclusion into recovery processes, as well as in preventing and combating gender-based violence and human trafficking.

The 13 steps outlined across five stages guide civil society organizations through a process of assessing their current practices and building a sustainable system in which gender equality is an integral part of effective management.

The first stage of the roadmap focuses on gender auditing and team mobilization. This is where organizations need to answer key questions: What are the levels of trust and safety? Is there a gender balance between women and men across different roles? Is gender-inclusive language used in communications?

In the second stage, gender sensitivity becomes a professional competency. Every employee should understand their role in ensuring gender equality: accountants through gender-responsive budgeting, communications officers through gender-inclusive language, and managers through event planning.

The third stage involves aligning the organization’s strategy with gender equality principles and analyzing data to better understand the needs of diverse groups and identify those who may be excluded from projects and services.

A dedicated section focuses on gender-responsive budgeting. The roadmap helps organizations analyze their budgets based on the needs of different groups, identify barriers, and allocate resources to solutions that ensure effective access to services. For example, this could include setting up childcare rooms, providing sign language interpretation, or arranging special transportation for employees.

The final stage focuses on monitoring and sustaining gender-related changes. That means regular progress tracking, annual self-assessments, and gender reporting. It is also important to create a system for training new team members to ensure that established practices remain consistent, regardless of changes in leadership or staff.

The roadmap also includes 18 annexes featuring questionnaires, checklists, policy templates, matrices, a gender-sensitive expenditure classification system, and monitoring and annual assessment forms. This enables organizations not only to identify areas for improvement but also to move directly to planning specific changes.

Download the guide via the link and take 13 steps towards meaningful gender equality in your organization with your team.

The Impulse project is implemented by East Europe Foundation and the International Renaissance Foundation, with the support of Norway and Sweden.