Examining policy proposals to see whether they will affect women and men differently, with a view to adapting these proposals to make sure that discriminatory effects are neutralised and that gender equality is promoted.
It is an ex-ante procedure that should be performed before the final decision on the policy proposal is taken. It involves comparing and assessing, according to gender relevant criteria, the current situation and trends in relation to the expected outcome resulting from the introduction of the proposed policy. Gender impact assessment is used to assess the impact of a given policy proposal on women and men and on gender relations in general.