Study on gender training in the European Union : mapping, research and stakeholders’ engagement (2012–13). Bulgaria.
Date: 2013-09-19
Institutions: European Institute for Gender Equality
Subjects: Bulgaria, equal treatment, gender equality, labour market, position of women, women's rights

Study on gender training in the European Union: mapping, 
research and stakeholders’ engagement (2012–13)

Bulgaria

POLICY FRAMEWORK

The main policy commitments in the area of gender equal-
ity in Bulgaria are set out in the national strategy for gender 
equality  2009–15,  which  aims  to  ‘provide  guarantees  for 
equal  treatment,  equal  access  to  resources  and  equal  par-
ticipation of both women and men in decision-making, with 
a view towards their successful personal and social develop-
ment and the promotion of gender equality in all spheres of 
social, economic and political life’. 

The Unit for Equal Opportunities, Antidiscrimination and So-
cial Benefits at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) 
is  responsible  for  implementing  the  strategy.  The  MLSP  is 
committed to gender training for ministry and local author-
ity staff, along with introducing a gender-mainstreaming ap-
proach to the impact assessment of gender equality policies 
and gender-sensitive budgeting.

GENDER TRAINING IN PRACTICE

Gender  training  is  coordinated  and  delivered  by  the  MLSP, 
often  in  partnership  with  the  Commission  for  Protection 
against  Discrimination  or  non-governmental  organisations 
(NGOs) such as the Centre for Women’s Studies and Policies, 
the Gender Project for Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Gender Re-
search Foundation. The MLSP has held a number of gender 
training activities aimed at building or improving the capac-
ity of its staff, the staff of other ministries and those of NGOs. 
Activities  in  2011  included  gender  training  for  30  experts 
from the strategic planning units of the 15 ministries belong-
ing to the National Council on Equality between Women and 
Men. The training took place over four sessions, each lasting 
3  days,  and  was  also  attended  by  representatives  of  NGOs 
and social partners. A manual of best practices was produced 
to help apply the approach nationally. 

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Gender training was usually partly sponsored by the MLSP until 
2009, and by EU programmes such as Progress (2007–13) and 
the ESF operational programme on human resources devel-
opment. Two gender training programmes have taken place 
on  average  each  year  since  2005.  Gender  training  in  Bul-
garia  faces  challenges  such  as  lack  of  interest  or  difficulties 
in  understanding  the  topic,  or  reluctance  to  acknowledge 
the need for or benefit of gender training. Some of the most 
effective gender training courses include practical learning-
by-doing elements or interactive exercises (e.g. role-playing 
games), making use of examples from everyday life as well as 
examining best practices from other countries. 

ABOUT THE STUDY

This factsheet summarises research findings for Bulgaria from the European Institute for Gender Equality’s (EIGE) 2-year project on ‘Gender training in the 
European Union’, which is part of EIGE’s gender mainstreaming methods, tools and good practices work. The project collected practical information about 
gender training across the 27 EU Member States and Croatia, dating 2005–12.

The information is based on desk research and stakeholder interviews conducted between February and April 2012 by ICF GHK. The interviews included rep-
resentatives of national ministries tasked with the coordination of gender mainstreaming, other ministries and public organisations at national, regional and 
local level that deliver or commission gender training courses to their staff, and a sample of gender trainers who deliver the training. Further, the information 
contained herein was validated with EIGE’s thematic network on gender training in autumn 2012.

Other outputs from the study include online databases of gender trainers and training resources available on EIGE’s website at: eige.europa.eu

EXAMPLES OF GENDER TRAINING PROGRAMMES 

WHY DO WE NEED GENDER TRAINING?

Two EU-funded projects have contributed to training to sup-
port gender mainstreaming at local level. 

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In 2007, the trans-European project ‘Equality for local 
development: gender mainstreaming in municipalities’ 
provided support to the municipalities of Sofia, Veliko 
Turnovo and Plovdiv (coordinated by the Centre for 
Women’s Studies and Policies). The project aimed to 
encourage balanced participation of women and men 
in decision-making in local communities and increase 
the analytical and practical capability of staff in local 
authorities to implement gender-equality policies. 

In 2009 the Progress-funded project ‘Building effective 
capacity for implementing the approach to gender 
mainstreaming’ developed a methodology for 
implementing gender mainstreaming in Bulgaria. One 
hundred representatives of the central, regional and 
local administrations received gender training during 
this 1-year project.  

Gender training is an educational tool that supports gen-
der mainstreaming through building the capacity of min-
istries,  local  authorities  and  other  partners  to  consider 
and address issues facing women and men in their work 
and lives. Gender training: 

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raises awareness of gender issues and contributes 
to changing stereotypes; 
provides staff with expertise and analytical skills 
to identify gender inequality; 
develops understanding and builds competence 
to do things differently; 
benefits organisations by supporting a culture in 
which both women and men can prosper; 
helps to create a more equitable society.

Staff members may be trained on concepts such as what 
is gender; how to undertake gender analysis; key issues 
facing women and men in different sectors; underlying 
causes and how to address these; and how to construct 
gender-sensitive indicators. 

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FACTS AND FIGURES

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The  national  strategy  for  gender  equality  2009–15  summarises  the  government’s  commitments  to  gender 
mainstreaming in Bulgaria. The strategy is implemented through annual action plans which include gender training 
and related activities aimed at building capacity in the public administration. 

An estimated 600 ministry officials participated in gender training in 2011. In addition, more than 2 000 representatives 
from local authorities, social partners and other stakeholders, such as NGOs, SMEs, media, etc., have taken part in 
gender training since 2005.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR GENDER TRAINERS? 

USEFUL LINKS

Please visit EIGE’s Gender Trainers database at:  
http://eige.europa.eu/content/gender-trainers-database 

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy: 
http://www.mlsp.government.bg/bg/index.asp 

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN FURTHER RESOURCES 
ON HOW TO MAINSTREAM GENDER AND IMPROVE 
GENDER KNOWLEDGE? 

Please visit EIGE’s Gender Training Resources database at: 
http://eige.europa.eu/resources/gender-training

Unit for Equal Opportunities, Antidiscrimination and Social 
Benefits, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy — national 
policy on gender equality: 
http://www.mlsp.government.bg/equal/index.asp

About the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)
EIGE supports policymakers and all relevant institutions in their efforts to make equality between women and men a reality for all Europeans and beyond, by 

providing them with specific expertise and comparable and reliable information on gender equality in Europe.

More information:  
eige.europa.eu
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youtube.com/eurogender

doi:10.2839/36438