Gender mainstreaming as a strategy for promoting gender equality in Lithuania

The article deals with the questions of gender policy formation and women's participation in Lithuanian political and civil life. It is based on the results of the EU 5th Framework project 'Enlargement, Gender and Governance: The Civic and Political Participation of Women in the EU Candidate Countries'. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with women politicians and activists, the article mainly describes gender mainstreaming as implemented through 'transversal' action plans for gender equality. These action plans assign responsibility to different units for the delivery of different objectives. The author points out that 'transversalism' involves no necessary change in policy-making structures or practice, and argues that gender mainstreaming continues to be designated as a distinct or separate policy space in Lithuania. The author also notes that the absence of a stable commitment to gender mainstreaming and the general policy culture of Lithuania are not conducive the evaluation and impact assessment activities in this area.