Ur chefens synvinkel : - om ett jämställdhetsprojekt i Kalmar kommun

Sammanfattning: Kalmar Municipality has in 2008-2010 made an effort to educate managers on gender, with the goal of mainstreaming gender into public activities so that all citizens should feel safe in that treatment and services are designed and resources are distributed equally to both sexes living conditions and needs. The overall aim of this study was to examine whether the training effort has paid off, and how gender mainstreaming has been implemented in the different activities. We have used a qualitative approach, which we examined through interviews managers' approach to gender equality. Gender was generally described as an important issue of all respondents, and all were working to mainstream gender into their activities and workplaces. The results show that the operational and management needed clearer directives and strategies in their efforts to promote gender equality. Education was necessary because personal definition of gender may differ from the control contents of the documents. We found that many respondents saw the barrier of time, but also difficulties in changing attitudes and preferences of employees. As a result, we realized that the problem was bigger than that, when society is ruled by norms and values. After analysis of empirical data, we concluded that gender mainstreaming is a difficult subject, and it demands hard work, efforts and resources.