Making Laws Work for Women and Men: A Practical Guide to Gender-Sensitive Legislation

ODIHR’s Making Laws Work for Women and Men: A Practical Guide to Gender-Sensitive Legislation looks at the legislative process as a vital entry point for gender mainstreaming, while taking into account the direct and tangible impact of legislation on people’s lives. The Guide is primarily intended for members of parliament and parliamentary staff, and aims to offer practical guidance on what gender-sensitive legislation is, why it is important, what it consists of and how it can be integrated it into routine parliamentary work.

The publication provides a step-by-step guide on how to implement gender-sensitive legislation. It includes recommendations on how to conduct a gender needs analysis in a given sector, how to assess the gender implications of specific laws, how to integrate gender-focused activities in new legislative acts, and how to develop gender-sensitive indicators that can facilitate the monitoring of a law’s implementation.

The publication also discusses some of the main principles of gender-responsive budget analysis, a central component of any successful gender-sensitive legislation. Finally, the Guide provides its readers with a self-assessment tool to guide them through different stages of law-making from a gender perspective.