Institutional mechanisms/national machinery are essential instruments that governments must establish or reinforce to pursue their obligation to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of sex and to achieve gender equality.
The Explanatory Memorandum to Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Recommendation (2007)17 on Gender equality standards and mechanisms lists some of the basic requirements for the creation, reinforcement or effective functioning of such institutional mechanisms including among others: “the location and the status of the mechanisms, their legal basis and clear mandate, their authority and visibility, their political recognition and funding, the need for an interdepartmental structure to co-ordinate gender mainstreaming, that must be constituted by representatives with decision-making powers, the development of gender expertise with the necessary tools and instruments, the establishment of effective channels of communication and co-operation with civil society organisations at every level, as well as with international partners and organisations”.
The same Recommendation also states that “Specific actions, including positive actions and temporary special measures, addressed at women and society at large, are recognised as the traditional mandate of national institutional mechanisms for gender equality; however, they must be complemented by gender mainstreaming, a strategy which must involve a variety of actors responsible for policies in all sectors and levels of governance”.