Gender Equality Plan

1. Commitment to Gender Equality

The Public Union «Association Eco Cluster» is committed to promoting gender equality in all areas of its work. We believe that gender equality is a fundamental human right and a key element of social and economic justice.
This Gender Equality Plan (GEP) outlines the commitment of the organisation to eliminate any form of gender-based discrimination and to promote equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender.

2. Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities

We ensure that:

• All individuals have equal access to opportunities in recruitment, career development, and working conditions.
• There is a commitment to equal pay for equal work and non-discriminatory pay practices.
• Gender equality is promoted through internal policies and procedures that guarantee no discrimination in our organisational culture.

3. Gender Balance in Governance and Decision-Making

The organisation is committed to achieving a gender-balanced leadership by:

• Ensuring that both women and men are represented in decision-making processes, particularly in the Board of Directors and senior management positions.
• Actively working towards increasing the representation of women in leadership roles and management within the organisation.
• Setting a target of 40% representation of each gender in leadership positions by 2026.

4. Recruitment, Employment, and Volunteering

The organisation will ensure:

• Gender-neutral recruitment policies are followed, guaranteeing equal access for all candidates.
• Equal access to training, career advancement, and leadership opportunities for both women and men.
• Ensuring equal pay for equal work and responsibilities across all positions.
• Addressing gender-specific barriers to employment or volunteering opportunities, if any.

5. Safe and Inclusive Working Environment (SEA-H)

The organisation has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEA-H).
We are committed to ensuring:

• A safe and inclusive working environment for all members of the organisation.
• Confidential reporting mechanisms for individuals who face any form of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment.
• Regular training and awareness-raising activities on SEA-H prevention for staff and partners.
• The development of a supportive environment for survivors of SEA-H.

6. Gender Mainstreaming in Projects and Activities

In all projects, the organisation commits to:

• Gender mainstreaming at all stages of the project cycle — from design and planning to implementation and evaluation.
• Collecting gender-disaggregated data to better understand the gendered impacts of our activities.
• Ensuring that gender equality is a key aspect of communication and outreach efforts, avoiding stereotypes and promoting positive, inclusive representations of gender roles.

7. Capacity Building and Awareness

We will:

• Raise awareness about gender equality within the organisation and ensure all staff members are trained in gender-sensitive practices.
• Engage experts and collaborate with external partners to strengthen our approach to gender mainstreaming in all activities.
• Provide capacity-building opportunities for staff to better implement gender-sensitive strategies and improve gender equality in all organisational areas.

8. Monitoring and Accountability

• The responsibility for the implementation of this GEP lies with the management and board of the organisation.
• The Plan will be reviewed annually and updated based on feedback from staff and partners, as well as changes in EU regulations or the organisation’s operational context.
• We will conduct regular monitoring and evaluations to measure the effectiveness of the GEP and ensure its proper implementation.

9. Public Availability

This Gender Equality Plan will be:

• Published on the organisation’s website for public access.
• Available for review upon request by donors, partners, or any relevant stakeholders.
• Applied to all EU-funded projects and actions of the organisation.