What it does

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is an EU agency working to make gender equality a reality in the EU and beyond. For this, it provides research, data and good practices by:

• Producing studies and collects statistics about gender equality in the EU.

• Monitoring how the EU meets its international commitment for gender equality, referred to as the Beijing Platform for Action, and produces an annual progress report on this.

• Working to stop violence against women and coordinates the European White Ribbon Campaign to engage men in the cause.

• Sharing its knowledge and online resources and supports the EU institutions, EU Member States and stakeholders from many different fields in their efforts to address gender inequalities in Europe and beyond.

EIGE’s products include the following:

• Gender Equality Index: shows gender equality trends every two years

• Gender mainstreaming platform: links gender equality to various areas in society

• Gender Statistics Database: gives gender-based facts and figures

• Glossary and Thesaurus: explains gender equality concepts

• Resource and Documentation Centre: provides an online library with 500 000 documents including publications not available in other public libraries.

Structure

EIGE has 1 directorate and 3 units:

• Operations unit for high-quality research and data collection.

• Knowledge management and communications unit for proactive stakeholder relations and awareness-raising.

• Administration unit for the efficient functioning of the Institute.

Its work is steered by a management board, which adopts the work programmes and budget. The management board has 18 rotating members and 1 representative from the European Commission.

EIGE also receives advice and support from its Experts’Forum, with members from all EU Member States, civil society, social partners, the European Commission and the European Parliament.

How it works

EIGE’s work is guided by a 3 year strategic plan called the Single Programming Document. This includes an annual work programme and a budget.

EIGE works in close cooperation with its stakeholders at various levels. It is in regular dialogue with the European Commission, the European Parliament and Council of the European Union to ensure its research contributes to EU policies. It also works closely with the EU Member States and provides targeted input tailored to their needs.

The country holding the rotating EU Presidency gets special attention and support from EIGE when gender equality is on the EU Presidency's agenda. EU Presidencies can also ask EIGE to carry out a study on one of the areas covered in the Beijing Platform for Action.

Civil society organisations, academia, social partners and other gender equality experts are regular visitors to EIGE. They all have an important role in ensuring that EIGE’s work meets public needs and is well known to the public.

Who benefits

As the European knowledge centre of gender equality, EIGE:

• Helps the EU institutions and the EU Member States to take informed and evidence-based decisions that consider the gender perspective.

• Centralises information on gender equality for the benefit of civil society organisations, academia, international organisations and social partners.

• Provides inspiration to anyone interested in gender equality.