To promote integration of the equal opportunities for woman and man dimension in all policies and activities . Recipe n.13 Developing action plans for the promotion of women employed in the provincial and municipal administration of Lower Austria What On the basis of the Province Equal Treatment Act which has existed since 1997, the Equal Treatment Commission of Lower Austria formulated an action plan for women employed in the Lower Austrian administration, which was adopted by the province government in June 2000. The next step is to develop corresponding action plans specifically tailored to the needs of women employed in the municipalities, with the aim of continually increasing the percentage of women among the personnel in all fields and at all administration levels over the next six years until a 40%-share is reached. How much The action plans are drawn up by the competent provincial or municipal staff and by the mayors during their regular working hours, at no additional cost. Workload for the Equal Treatment Commission: selecting the municipalities, making contacts, adapting statistical material, developing the action plan for the promotion of women during approximately 3 meetings. Workload for the municipalities: preparing statistical material, developing the action plan for the promotion of women in cooperation with the Equal Treatment Commission during approximately 3 meetings. How The Equal Treatment Officer of the province of Lower Austria is chairperson of the Equal Treatment Commission, which is composed according to the principle of social partnership (i. e. both employers and employees are represented). In this function she contacts the mayor of the municipality in question. The criteria for selection are: a total of more than 20 persons employed by the municipality (e. g. in municipal administration, hospitals, community-owned firms), several levels of administration. If the municipality is interested, a contact person is nominated, who will develop the specific action plan in cooperation with the Equal Treatment Commision on the basis of a model plan and the statistical data for the municipality regarding the number of its employees, the share of women in the respective functions, etc. The specific measures for reaching the objectives will be specified in the action plan for the promotion of women. This includes increased hiring of women, the promotion of education and training measures for women, appointing more women for leading positions, accompanying measures for women/men resuming their jobs after child-care, and also the use of a language which refers both to women and to men, on documents and inner-municipal communications. The action plan for the promotion of women will be passed by the respective municipal council and evaluated at two-year intervals. Why With the entry into force of the Equal Treatment Act of the Province of Lower Austria, the equal treatment and the promotion of women became a legal mandate. Tailored to the needs of both employers and employees in the respective province or municipality administration and drawn up in cooperation with them, the action plans for the promotion of women are designed as a specific instrument for the implementation of this Act. Results For the provincial administration of Lower Austria and four Lower Austrian municipalities (Waidhofen/Ybbs, Krems, Klosterneuburg, Wiener Neustadt), action plans for the promotion of women have already entered into force, another four action plans are at a preparatory stage. The promotion of women has become a topic of discussion in the provincial and municipal administrations as well as among the general public. The Province Equal Treatment Act thus becomes manifest, and its implementation at the provincial and municipal levels has a model function for other municipalities. The fact that the plans are adopted by the province government and the municipal councils and that evaluation is obligatory underlines the binding nature of the requirements specified in the action plans. References: Dr. Christine Rosenbach, Equal Treatment Officer of the Province of Lower Austria, Tor zum Landhaus, Rennbahnstrasse 29, A-3109 St. Poelten, tel. +43/2742/9005/ext.16212 and 16217, E-MAIL: POST.GBB@noel.gv.at