What Constitutes a "Good Practice?" [*]

Good practice examples in this collection were chosen if they met at least two of the following criteria:

  1. Led to an actual change that contributes to gender equality or breaks new ground in non-traditional areas for women, including a link between the `good practice' and some visible or measurable change in gender relations, gender balance, or women's options and opportunities;
  2. Had an impact on the policy environment, to create a more conducive or enabling environment for gender equality. This could include impact on legislation, the regulatory environment, or resource allocation. It should include an assessment of the degree of institutionalization of the identified good practice;
  3. Demonstrated an innovative and replicable approach. In the context of this set of good practices, this implies the capacity to demonstrate what is new or unique about the initiative -- either its product or process -- and offer opportunities for the initiative to be replicated in other countries and contexts;
  4. Demonstrate sustainablity. In this context, the commitment of mainstream or institutional sponsors or participants in the initiative -- whether Government, academia, media, the UN, NGOs, etc. -- needs to be a component of the best practice.

Special interest exists in good practices that:

  • Emerge from a participatory process, involving a range of actors (civil society, private sector, Government, etc.);
  • Have significant scale or 'reach';
  • Involve inter-agency collaboration;
  • Address discrimination and inequalities from the life cycle perspective;
  • Demonstrate Government commitment to further action and resources.
In its annual meeting in February of 1999, the UN Inter-Agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality (IACWGE) agreed to the criteria for this collection of good practices.

* Please note that each submitting organization has determined to what extent their example constitutes a good practice as defined by the IACWGE.

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