Advancing Gender Equality in Quality Infrastructure: The UNECE Gender Action Plan Model Blueprint
Thirty years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, progress on gender equality remains frustratingly slow. At current rates, achieving full gender equality could take over a century. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for transformative action at every level of governance—including within the specialized institutions that shape our technical standards and regulatory frameworks.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has responded to this challenge with the publication of the Gender Action Plan (GAP) Model Blueprint, a groundbreaking toolkit designed specifically for quality infrastructure institutions seeking to embed gender equality into their operations.
The GAP Model Blueprint represents a significant advancement in operationalizing gender equality within technical institutions. Unlike general diversity initiatives, this framework specifically addresses the unique challenges faced by standards bodies, accreditation organizations, metrology institutes, and conformity assessment bodies.
The Blueprint emerged from the pioneering work of UNECE’s Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies (WP.6) and its Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards—a collaborative effort that has been at the forefront of integrating gender perspectives into technical standardization work, of which Women at the Table has been a founding member.
The Blueprint provides a comprehensive roadmap through nine interconnected steps:
- Appointing Gender Focal Points – Establishing clear accountability and coordination
- Baseline Context Analysis – Understanding legal, organizational, and cultural contexts
- Learning from Best Practices – Building on proven international approaches
- Defining Activities – Selecting from foundational, enabling, and advanced actions
- Setting Timeframes – Creating realistic implementation schedules
- Developing Vision Statements – Crafting inspiring, measurable goals
- Implementation Planning – Assigning roles, resources, and responsibilities
- Monitoring and Evaluation – Tracking progress through meaningful indicators
- Continuous Improvement – Ensuring long-term sustainability and adaptation
Three Pillars of Transformation
The Blueprint focuses on three critical dimensions:
- Gender Balance in Participation and Leadership: Moving beyond representation to meaningful participation in technical committees, working groups, and leadership positions.
- Gender-Responsive Deliverables: Ensuring that standards, certification schemes, and technical outputs consider the different needs and experiences of all users.
- Organizational Culture and Systems: Embedding equality considerations into institutional DNA through training, policies, and governance structures.
Beyond Compliance: Strategic Value
What sets this Blueprint apart is its recognition that gender equality isn’t just about compliance or representation—it’s about institutional effectiveness. When quality infrastructure bodies integrate diverse perspectives, they produce standards and services that better serve entire populations, enhance innovation, and strengthen societal trust.
The Blueprint explicitly connects gender equality to broader strategic priorities including the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, and digital transformation. This integration demonstrates how gender-responsive approaches contribute to more resilient, innovative, and legitimate institutions.
While designed for quality infrastructure institutions, the Blueprint’s modular approach makes it adaptable to other regulatory and public sector bodies. Organizations can select activities based on their readiness level, from foundational steps like data collection to advanced measures like institutionalizing gender-responsiveness assessments.
The framework acknowledges that change takes time and provides tools for both quick wins and long-term transformation. It includes practical templates, key performance indicators, and change management strategies that address real-world implementation challenges.
A Call for Institutional Leadership
The GAP Model Blueprint arrives at a critical moment when public institutions face mounting pressure to demonstrate relevance, legitimacy, and effectiveness. By adopting these gender-responsive approaches, quality infrastructure bodies can model the inclusive leadership that societies increasingly demand.
As UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean notes in the publication’s foreword, this work is about “moving from principles to practice.” The Blueprint provides the roadmap—but success depends on institutional leaders willing to champion meaningful change.
The publication of this Blueprint represents more than a technical resource; it’s a recognition that gender equality is fundamental to effective governance and sustainable development. For quality infrastructure institutions worldwide, it offers both a challenge and an opportunity: to lead by example in creating more inclusive, responsive, and effective public institutions.
As members of the Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards, we’ve witnessed firsthand how technical institutions can drive broader social change. The GAP Model Blueprint now provides the tools for others to join this transformation, ensuring that the infrastructure of our global economy truly serves everyone.
The Gender Action Plan Model Blueprint is available in English, French, and Russian through UNECE publications. The document represents a collaborative effort involving specialists from across the UNECE region and beyond, demonstrating the power of international cooperation in advancing gender equality.
