European Institute of Women’s Health (EIWH)

 

Founded in 1996, the European Institute of Women’s Health (EIWH) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that promotes gender equity in public health, research and social policies across Europe.

In striving to achieve the highest standard of health for all, our society’s health policies must recognise that women have specific needs and are faced with various obstacles and opportunities. Women’s health is influenced by a range of factors including gender-based violence, discrimination, the gender pay gap and harmful gender roles and expectations.

This requires a sex and gender-sensitive approach to research and policy. Over the years, the EIWH has worked closely with the European Commission, Member States and the World Health Organization to place gender mainstreaming on the health and research agendas.

EIWH Gender Equality Plan

STEP 1

This Gender Equality Plan (GEP) consists of the following steps:

  1. Preparation

  2. Baseline assessment and analysis

  3. Action planning and target setting

  4. Implementation

  5. Monitoring and evaluation

Preparation

The Board of the European Institute of Women’s Health (EIWH) is enthusiastic and supportive of the creation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a GEP. This has been discussed with the Board of Directors and agreed as an important next step for the EIWH.

As the EIWH is a small organisation, gender equality measures within the organisation will be devised, implemented, measured and evaluated by the EIWH Board . The Chairperson of the Board will lead on this.

The GEP will be reviewed by the Board members and the EIWH Team by the EIWH team yearly and used to discuss current gender equality policies and procedures and improvement measures, to get input and insight from the team and to get feedback on the GEP.

Baseline assessment

The following policies were analysed for their relevancy to the EIWH GEP:

  • Domestic and EU legislation

    • Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2015, which prohibit discrimination in a wide range of employment and employment-related areas including recruitment and promotion, equal pay, working conditions, training or experience, dismissal and harassment including sexual harassment and victimisation

    • Equal Status Acts 2000-2015, which prohibit discrimination on nine grounds including gender.

    • Equality between women and men and non-discrimination are common values on which the EU is founded and are firmly embedded in the Treaties of the European Union, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and secondary legislation.

    • Work-life balance directive

    • Gender Recast Directive 2006/54 prohibits harassment on the basis of a person’s sex or sexual harassment

      • Importantly, the Recast Directive requires that the Member States ensure that provisions in collective agreements, wage scales, wage agreements and individual employment contracts which are contrary to the principle of equal pay shall be or may be declared null and void or may be amended (Article 23).

    • Pregnant Workers Directive

    • Parental Leave Directive

  • Policies relating to:

    • Maternal leave, paternal leave and adoption leave

    • Parental leave

    • Flexible working hours

    • Workload management including work-life balance

    • Harassment, dignity at work and complaints procedure

    • Use of inclusive language

    • Providing all decision-makers with gender equality training

    • Recruitment and promotion

    • Balanced representation of gender in all panels organised by EIWH

    • Stress management – time sheets

Employee Handbook:

  • Maternity leave

  • Antenatal and post natal care leave

  • Antenatal classes leave

  • Breastfeeding arrangements

  • Adoptive leave

  • Paternity leave

  • Parental leave

  • Carers leave

  • Equal opportunities policy

  • Dignity at work policy

  • Harassment, sexual harassment and bullying

  • Complaints procedure

  • Promotions – opportunities advertised internally first

  • Stress management

Assessment

A gender audit was completed with a particular focus on the status of gender equality in EIWH policies and decision making structures; organisational culture and processes; staff perceptions, understanding and behaviours towards this issue; and the level to which gender equality is embedded in EIWH policies, research, curricula and staff management and wellbeing.

The purpose of this audit was to use quantitative and qualitative data to better understand the level that gender equality is embedded in the functioning, governing and outputs of the organisation and to identify gaps in the system, as well as areas the EIWH performs well in gender equality. This information will provide a baseline assessment for a GEP to be established.

Due to the size of the organisation, none of the available gender equality audit frameworks were appropriate to adequately measure the level of gender equality in the EIWH and to provide concrete and realistic actions and target to improve on this. Instead, a comprehensive review of existing EIWH policies was completed in synergy with existing national and EU legislation and policies. A focus group was held with the EIWH employees to gather additional information not contained in the EIWH documents and to discuss and determine areas where the EIWH can work positively on in its gender equality plan.

Current EIWH policies and corresponding national and EU legislation

The EIWH has a handbook which is given to all new and existing employees titled ‘Employee Policies’. It lays out the EIWH policies on a range of topics relating to gender equality such as maternal, paternal, parental and adoption leave; equal opportunities; dignity at work; harassment, sexual harassment and bullying; promotions and stress management, among others.

Gender Equality as a Principle

Articles 160 and 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Treaty on the European Union, the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the UN Sustainable Development Goals all call for gender equality; gender equality is a founding principle of the EU. Similarly, gender equality is the principle on which the EIWH is based. The Memorandum of Association states that the objective of the EIWH is ‘to promote the advancement and education of women’s and family health issues throughout Europe by conducting research, carrying out surveys, establishing and delivering training programmes, seminars and conferences on all aspects of healthcare’. The EIWH website states that the EIWH ‘is a non-governmental organisation that promotes gender equity in public health, research and social policies across Europe’. Thus, all EIWH research, activities and actions address sex and gender as a founding principle.

Harassment and Discrimination

Employment Equality Acts 1998 – 2015 and the Equal Status Acts 2000 – 2015 prohibit discrimination in a wide range of employment and employment-related areas including recruitment and promotion, equal pay, working conditions, training or experience, dismissal and harassment including sexual harassment and victimisation. The Gender Recast Directive prohibits harassment on the basis of a person’s sex, or sexual harassment.

The EIWH has an Equal Opportunities Policy and a Dignity at Work Policy which gives examples of unacceptable and harmful behaviours and actions; outlines the EIWH’s zero tolerance policy on bullying and harassment; the complaints procedure, both informal and formal; and the disciplinary procedure. The EIWH has a Positive Action on Disability Policy, promoting equal opportunities for people with disabilities and encouraging disability awareness among staff.

Work-Life Balance

The Work-Life Balance Directive aims to improve workers access to family leave and flexible work arrangements. This encourages more equal sharing of caring responsibilities between men and women, and promotes women’s participation in the workforce. The Parental Leave Directive ensures that employees are entitled to parental leave on the birth or adoption of a child. The Pregnant Workers Directive ensures that pregnant women are not discriminated against and that they are entitled to maternity leave.

The EIWH facilitates the inclusion of pregnant women, lactating women, as well as mothers and carers, in the workforce through a range of flexible policies described below. Paternity leave is granted and encouraged to promote the equal sharing of caring responsibilities between partners.

Each employee in the EIWH is entitled to 26 weeks maternity leave in line with national legislation. Of the 26-week period, at least 2 weeks must be taken before the expected date of birth, and at least 4 weeks after the birth. An employee who is on maternity leave is normally entitled to payment from the Department of Social Protection for the 26 weeks maternity leave, depending on meeting certain PRSI eligibility criteria. Social Welfare benefits are not payable during the optional additional 16 weeks maternity leave. In the event of the death of the mother of the new born child during maternity leave, the father will be entitled to avail of leave. The duration of such leave depends on when the death of the mother occurred.

The EIWH has flexible working arrangements around antenatal and postnatal appointments. An employee is entitled to paid leave for antenatal and postnatal care. An employee will receive paid time off for any antenatal medical appointments before the birth and postnatal medical appointments for the first 14 weeks following the birth. An employee must give the company two week’s written notice of any appointment and must be able to produce a certificate/record that the visit took place.

An employee is entitled to paid leave for antenatal classes. This leave will be granted to expectant mothers and fathers, subject to the following;

  • An expectant mother is entitled to paid time off to attend one set of antenatal classes, except for the last three classes in a set. This is a once off entitlement.

Note: This entitlement does not apply in respect of the last three ante-natal classes in a set, for which unpaid leave or annual leave may be provided if they occur during normal working hours.

  • An expectant father is entitled to paid time off to attend the last two antenatal classes in a set of classes which the expectant mother is attending. This is a once off entitlement for fathers in relation to one birth only.

If their child falls ill and is hospitalised, and the employee has availed of at least 14 weeks maternity leave with not less than 4 of those weeks being after the week of the birth, then she may apply to have the remaining maternity leave, and up to 16 weeks additional maternity leave, postponed until the child is released from hospital.

An employee who is breastfeeding will be entitled to work breaks or a reduction in working hours equivalent to one hour per day for the purposes of breastfeeding Where suitable facilities are available in the workplace, this benefit will be through rest breaks, otherwise the employee can avail of a reduction in working hours. This entitlement may be availed of for up to 26 weeks after the date of birth of the child.

The company will provide time off to employees who have adopted a child. From 1st March 2007, adopting mothers and sole male adopters are entitled to 24 weeks adoptive leave from the date of placement and up to an additional 16 weeks leave at the end of this 24 week period. The arrangements and notification periods for adoptive leave are the same as for maternity leave (see above). An employee is entitled to paid leave for pre-adoption classes or meetings which the employee is obliged to attend.

As per the Work-Life Balance Directive, paternity leave is 10 working days. Paternity benefit is currently €230 per week and is payable by the Department of Social Protection. Eligibility for payment will be based on the same PRSI contribution requirements as maternity benefit. The benefit must be claimed within 26 weeks of the date of birth, or date of placement if the child is adopted, and is paid for two consecutive weeks.

Any full-time employee, who is a natural or adoptive parent, or in loco parentis, and has completed one year’s continuous service, is entitled to 18 weeks unpaid parental leave per child, to enable him/her to take care of his/her child. All parents of children under eight years of age are eligible, as are parents of a disabled child, or a child with a long term illness under 16 years, and there is an extension if a child under 8 is adopted and is within 2 years of an adoption order.

At the end of the period of parental leave, the employee is entitled to return to their normal job under the same terms and conditions. If this is not feasible, suitable alternative employment will be provided.

Carers leave is 5 days per year as per the Work-Life Balance Directive.

Employee Retention and Growth

The Gender Recast Directive ensures the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in the workplace. This directive covers equal access to employment, opportunities, promotion and training; working conditions including pay; and social security schemes.

Regular performance appraisals provide the basis for an in-depth discussion between the employee and manager in the EIWH regarding the employee’s performance of their duties, their development needs, and future career direction. Continual dialogue and feedback will take place as part of regular on-going communication to reflect the need for continuous performance management. This is a mechanism designed to support individuals who may be struggling with their workload; may have competing responsibilities; or may be overwhelmed.

The EIWH is committed to the on-going training and development of all its employees. We believe a well thought out training and development programme is one of the most exciting and convenient tools for attracting, developing, motivating, and retaining excellent employees. The company provides employees with equal opportunity and exposure to training and development so far as such training and development relates to the business needs and funding available. Discussion on training and development requirements take place at performance review meetings. Training needs will be agreed with the manager and actions identified.

The purpose of the induction programme is to allow all new, redeployed, or promoted employees to be given the necessary information about their job and the organisation, to assist their integration into their new role in the organisation, to enhance their motivation, and to achieve improved productivity.

In order to provide opportunities for career development, the EIWH favourably considers employees for internal vacancies and promotional opportunities where possible. The EIWH believes that everyone should have the chance to increase their knowledge, skills, responsibility and earnings and we encourage you to seek out opportunities as they arise. Unsuccessful internal candidates will be given feedback so as to facilitate improvement.

Stress Management

In order the implement a positive environment and minimise the negative impact of stress, the company commits to the following:

  • Making employees aware of the Safety Statement, which highlights the company’s commitment to protect the health and safety of all employees

  • Inform all employees of the company’s grievance and dignity at work policies that provide employees with the opportunity to raise issues, explore the underlying causes and have them resolved

  • Regularly re-assessing job descriptions and employee needs, and taking action where employees highlight causes of stress in relation to work practices or conditions. Of particular concern is social support, job planning, reliability of work systems, working patterns and breaks. Employees will have the opportunity to input into the decisions about changes relating to these

The EIWH Secretariat meet once weekly to discuss the work, share the workload and discuss and rectify problems and issues. This helps with workload management and promotes communication and cooperation across the organisation.

Safety at Work

An employee, who is pregnant, has recently given birth or who is breastfeeding, will not be placed in any job that is a risk to her health and safety or that of her child. If such a risk does exist then the company will remove the risk, re-assign the employee to other suitable employment or place the employee on health and safety leave, which will be paid for the first 21 days. Thereafter the employee will receive benefit from the Department of Social Protection.

Other Areas

  • Policy on data collection – disaggregated by sex/age

  • Training – awareness raising on gender equality and unconscious bias for staff and decision-makers

  • Gender balance in leadership and decision-making. Already, board members and leaders are transparent on the EIWH website.

  • Mental health and stress management

  • Flexible and remote working policy – caring responsibilities as well as childcare

  • Policies surrounding the use of inclusive language

  • Gender balance and diversity on any panels organised by the EIWH

  • Support for victims of bullying/harassment

  • The communications department can do the following.

    • Ensure the use of gender-neutral and generally inclusive language in internal and external communications.

    • Ensure the use of non-stereotypical and non-sexist images in internal and external communications. The use of inclusive images enables you to show the diversity of your organisation.

    • Mobilise the available communication channels to promote the measures undertaken within the framework of the GEP.

    • Communicate about the progress of the organisation towards gender equality on a regular basis: small changes and steps are relevant and should be highlighted.

THE EIWH TEAM SUGGEST AND DISCUSS AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT AT TEAM MEETINGs

 

 

 

 

EIWH Objectives

 

The EIWH’s main objective is to promote equitable, gender sensitive approaches in health policy, research, treatment and care for the benefit of all citizens. The EIWH aims to reduce inequalities in health for all but particularly due to gender, age and socio economic status by highlighting that sex and gender are important determinants of health and our understanding how vulnerability to the onset and progression of specific diseases vary in men and women must be improved.

Our interests include preventive measures such as vaccination, birth control, etc. to all other relevant medicines for women as patients but also as carers for their children and other family members. To achieve the organisations objectives, the EIWH will continue to:

  • Promote health throughout the lifespan in women and their families
  • Ensure quality and equity in health policy, research, treatment and care for all
  • Draw policymakers attention to obstacles that women in minority and socio-economically disadvantaged groups face in obtaining a desirable health status.
  • Empower individuals to play an active part in their own health management.
  • Promote gender specific bio-medical and socio economic research that addresses sex and gender based differences so ensuring access to quality treatment and care for women across their life span.

 

Our key target groups include, but are not limited to

The European Commission specifically: DG Sante; DG Research, DG Justice; DG Connect; DG Employment,Social Affairs and Inclusion.

European Parliament, European Medicines Agency (EMA), The Council Presidencies, EU Member States, Public Health NGOs, Researchers, Health professionals and academic organisations, European national health systems, Patients and healthy people: especially including marginalised and vulnerable groups.

 

Key Priorities

 

  • Prevention of chronic diseases
  • Promotion of Health and Well being and combating smoking drinking and obesity in Women
  • Active and healthy ageing across the lifespan and increasing healthy life years.
  • Access to high quality treatment and care across the lifespan.
  • Safety of medicines in pregnancy.
  • Sex and gender in medicines regulation and medical education.
  • Vaccination across the lifespan.
  • Healthy pregnancies.
  • Mental Health across the lifespan, particularly depression.
  • Sex and gender sensitive Health Systems.
  • EIWH communications and Membership expansion.
  • Continued partnership with ECDC on Antibiotics Awareness raising and European Immunisation Week.

The EIWH is governed by a Board of Directors as nominated by members. The EIWH has an Expert Advisory Group appointed by the Board which guides EIWH policies and activities.

 

EIWH Board of Directors

 

The Secretariat, headed by the Director General, Peg Maguire, manages all day to day operations of the organisation and represents the EIWH at various international meetings including presentations at conferences. It also manages relationships with EU and international organisations and agencies.

List of Current Directors (being updated)

Code of Conduct for Board members

The Institute is also supported by a network of volunteers who provide a range of highly skilled individuals who give their time to the important work of the institute. This invaluable resource to the institute supports our efforts in demonstrating practical examples of how to utilise the expertise and experience that only time can give.

The EIWH has a membership base of individuals and organisations that contribute to our ongoing work.

The rules governing the operation and role of the EIWH Board is outlined in the Articles and Memorandum of Association of the organisation.

Code of Conduct for Volunteers

EIWH_Memorandum

In addition we provide information for the benefits of our members.

EIWH Code of Conduct (pdf)

 

Membership

 

Membership of the EIWH is open to individuals and organisations with an interest in women’s and family health. The EIWH has a membership base of individuals and organisations that contribute to the ongoing work of the EIWH. They include experts for a wide range of health related activities form across the EU.

The members contribute to the development of the work programme of the organisation on an annual basis and agree the content. The members on joining the EIWH indicate what areas of work in the health field they have an interest contributing. The membership have their own space on the EIWH website for the exchange of information and to manage their input to the various interest groups.

Members receive updates and press releases on a regular basis as well as notices of consultations taking place and position papers being developed.

Membership list

Members site

Currently going through a major update.

Governance Code

The EIWH is pleased to announce that it has passed the requirements set by the Governance Code Working Group, Ireland. Our results can be reviewed here.

 

Funding

 

The funding for carrying out EIWH activities are mainly based on European Commission project funding. Other core funding is obtained from industry with no conditions attached to such funding. See links below to download each pdf.

 

Financial Statement June 2022

Annual Report 2022

Funding 2022

Workplan 2020-2025

Workplan for 2018-21

 

Transparency Register

 

The European Institute of Women’s Health CLG (EIWH) is a company limited by guarantee not having share capital is a “not for profit” organisation, registered as a charity in Ireland charity no. CHY.12184.

European Institute of Women’s Health clg (EIWH)

Identification number: 234045010359-36
Registration date: 05/01/2013
Section: III – Non-governmental organisations

10359 European Institute of Women’s Health clg

234045010359-36 EIWH

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