This article aims to make a contribution to the conceptualization of mainstreaming gender equality promoted by the European Union. It starts by exploring the historical periodization of equal opportunities delivery strategies and challenging the compartmentalization of these developments. It suggests that equality policies can better be conceptualized in terms of a `three-legged equality stool', which recognizes the interconnectiveness of three perspectives — the equal treatment perspective, the women's perspective and the gender perspective. The article argues that the gender perspective has been closely associated with strategies for mainstreaming gender equality, but that this association is misleading. As a result mainstreaming has remained a `fuzzy' concept, which in turn has led to many different styles and forms of practical implementation in European member states.
ADM (Area Development Management Ltd) (1996 ) Towards Gender Equality in Integrated Local Development. Dublin: ADM.
2.
Bennett, Cinnamon (2000) `Mainstreaming in Organisations: Strategies for Delivering Women's Equality in UK Local Government', unpublished PhD thesis.
3.
Bennett, Cinnamon, Chris Booth and Sue Yeandle (1998) `Mainstreaming as an Approach to Achieving Gender Equality', interim report for research project `Criteria for Success in Mainstreaming', funded under the Fourth Community Action Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (1996-2000).
4.
Christian Michelsen Institute (1999) WID/Gender Units and the Experience of Gender Mainstreaming in Multi-Lateral Organisations: Knights on White Horses?, Evaluation Report 1.99. Oslo: The Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
5.
Cockburn C. (1991) In the Way of Women: Men's Resistance to Sex Equality in Organisations. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
6.
COM (96) 67 final (1996) Communication on Incorporating Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in all Community Policies and Activities. Brussels: European Commission.
7.
COM (96) 650 final (1997) Annual Report from the Commission: Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the European Union. Brussels: European Commission.
8.
COM (98) 122 final (1998) Progress Report from the Commission on the Follow up of the Communication: Incorporating Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in All Commission Activities and Policies. Brussels: European Commission.
9.
Council of Europe (1998) `Gender Mainstreaming, Conceptual Frameworks, Methodology and Presentation of Good Practices', Final Report of Activities of the Group of Specialists on Mainstreaming , Strasbourg, Council of Europe .
10.
Cousins, Catherine (1995) `Women and Social Policy in Spain: The Development of a Gendered Welfare System', Journal of European Social Policy5(3): 175-97.
11.
Coyle, Angela (1989) `The Limits of Change, Local Government and Equal Opportunities for Women', Public Administration67: 39-50.
12.
Duncan, Simon (1994) `The Diverse Worlds of European Patriarchy', pp. 74-110 in M.D. Garcia-Ramon and J. Monk (eds) Women of the European Union: The Politics of Work and Daily Life. London: Routledge .
13.
Duncan, Simon (1996) `Obstacles to a Successful Equal Opportunities Policy in theEuropean Union', European Journal of Women's Studies3: 399-422.
14.
EOC (Equal Opportunities Commission) (1997 ) Mainstreaming Gender Equality in Local Government: A Framework . Manchester: EOC.
15.
EQOP 02-97/rev DG V/D/5 (1997) Strategy Paper: Mainstreaming of Gender and Equal Opportunities Perspectives into All Community Policies: A Strategy for the Follow up to the Communication (COM) (96) 67 Final, Jaunary. Brussels: European Commission.
16.
European Commission (1998) One Hundred Words for Equality: A Glossary of Terms on Equality Between Women and Men, January. Brussels: Employment and Social Affairs, European Commission.
17.
Green, Pauline (1998) `Gender Mainstreaming in the European Parliament' , paper presented at the Mainstreaming Equality Seminar, London, sponsored by the European Commission.
18.
Harriss, Katherine (1984) `New Alliances: Socialist-Feminism in the Eighties ', Feminist Review 31(Spring): 34-54.
19.
Horrelli, Liisa (1998) `Notes for a Partner Working Group Meeting for the Fourth Community Action Programme Project "Criteria of Success" ' , March, unpublished.
20.
Hoskyns, Catherine (1992) `The European Community's Policy on Women in the Context of 1992', Women's Studies International Forum15(1): 21-8.
21.
Meier, P. (1998) `Brief Description of the Flemish Gender Impact Assessment for the Thematic Meeting of Mainstreaming', Brussels, June.
22.
Pollack, M.A. and E. Hafner-Burton (2000) `Mainstreaming Gender in theEuropean Union', Journal of European Public Policy7(3): 432-56.
23.
Rees, Teresa (1996) Paper presented at seminar `From Equal Opportunities to Mainstreaming Equality', SPS University of Bristol.
24.
Rees, Teresa (1998) Mainstreaming Equality in the European Union: Education, Training and Labour Market Policies. London: Routledge.
25.
Rossilli, M. (1997) `The European Community Policy on the Equality of Women. From the Treaty of Rome to the Present', The European Journal of Women's Studies4: 63-82.
26.
SALA (Association of Local Government Swedish Authorities) (n.d.) A Vital Force for Democracy, an edited collection of observations from women working in local government. Stockholm: SALA .
27.
Yeandle, Sue, Chris Booth and Cinnamon Bennett (1998) `Criteria for Success of a Mainstreaming Approach to Gender Equality', CRESR, research report, funded under the Fourth Community Action Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (1996-2000).
