Gender competence is the ability of people to recognise gender perspectives in their work and policy fields and concentrate on them towards the goal of gender equality.
Gender competence is a prerequisite for successful Gender Mainstreaming. At the same time, new gender competence is produced through the implementation of Gender Mainstreaming.

Like other competences, gender competence consists of the elements of intention, knowledge and ability.

1.    Intention:

The motivation is there to work towards the goal of gender equality and make a contribution to the implementation of Gender Mainstreaming. This requires sensitivity to gender relations and (potential) discrimination structures.

2.    Knowledge:

“Gender” is understood in all its complexity and fundamental findings of Women’s Studies, Men’s Studies and Gender Studies are known. Specific specialist knowledge and information on gender perspectives in the subject area or policy field in question are in place, or data gaps are identified and plugged.

3.    Ability:

Gender Mainstreaming is identified as a strategy and is applied in your own work context. Gender perspectives are integrated into policy fields and related to subject areas with the aid of Gender Mainstreaming tools with the goal of implementing gender equality.
The GenderCompetenceCentre brings together gender perspectives in subject areas and policyfields as well as tools for Gender Mainstreaming and offers advice on the Gender Mainstreaming strategy and its implementation. Here you find a list of the services offered by the GenderCompetenceCentre [pdf-file in German].