In 2026, the Gender equality Community of Practice continues its work with a session dedicated to “European Project Design and Gender Mainstreaming: Programs and Best Practices”.

The meeting took place at Nuova Collaborazione, a partner in the ecosystem, and was co-organized with the European Projects Hub of Torino Social Impact and Impacto Research Centre, an organization with extensive experience in European project design.

The session opened with Monica Cerutti, curator of the Community of practice, highlighting that gender equality is a cross-cutting issue in European project planning. From organizational policies to project proposals for calls, fostering a culture that integrates gender and equality is central to meaningful change.

The discussion provided an overview of key tools, including Gender Equality Plans, which are often seen as a formal requirement but can become a genuine driver of cultural transformation within organizations if applied effectively. Monica Cerutti explained:

“Gender mainstreaming means ensuring that the gender perspective is not confined to a specific area but becomes a lens through which we view all policies. Gender should be at the center: in every policy, in every project.”

It emerged that gender mainstreaming can enhance scientific quality, increase the social relevance of results, and strengthen the impact of policies and solutions. It is a lever for quality and innovation, not merely a compliance requirement, capable of generating real opportunities and benefits for organizations.

Alessia Ibba, Project Manager of the European Projects Hub for Social Economy at Torino Social Impact, then led a theoretical session titled “European Project Design, Gender Dimension, and Gender Mainstreaming”. She outlined key European programs that incorporate and promote the gender dimension, including Erasmus+, CERV, and AMIF, highlighting their approaches, objectives, and opportunities:

• CERV – Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values: Supports open, rights-based, democratic, fair, and inclusive societies under the rule of law. Gender equality is both a standalone priority and a cross-cutting theme.

• AMIF – Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund: Promotes effective, fair, and supportive migration management, protecting the rights of migrants, asylum seekers, and beneficiaries of international protection. Gender is addressed both as a specific focus and as a transversal principle, with strong attention to intersectionality.

• Erasmus+: Promotes learning, inclusion, and active participation of young people in Europe and beyond. Gender equality is integrated as part of the horizontal priority of inclusion and diversity and across the program’s objectives.

The session then explored practical ways to integrate gender mainstreaming into project proposals, emphasizing that it has been an EU principle since the 1990s. It serves as a tool to systematically embed gender perspectives into policies, practices, and project phases, helping dismantle discrimination and improve outcomes. Key points include:

• Integrating gender perspectives across all policies (from design to evaluation)

• Preventing and correcting inequalities through policy and practice

• Understanding that gender mainstreaming is a tool, not an end in itself

• The EU’s dual approach: mainstreaming gender in all policies + targeted measures to prevent or correct inequalities

During the practical workshop “Making a Project More Equitable: Applying Gender Mainstreaming in European Design” led by Valentina Crepaldi and Silvia Fazio of Impacto Centro Studi, participants worked on the VOICES – Migration Stories for Inclusive Policies case study (CERV Remembrance, with a migration-focused sub-call).

Through hands-on analysis, participants applied gender mainstreaming principles to project design, experimenting with methodologies, tools, and approaches. The workshop highlighted the importance of critical thinking in design and the ability to step outside local contexts to understand the broader EU policy and project landscape.