With the project “Acting in Partnership – Project Area Bundeswehr” a concept originally developed for the in-house training of young people was tested for the first time in an organization in which men traditionally far outnumber women. The survey presents the results of the scientific accompanying research.

Inhaltsübersicht

• Gender mainstreaming in theory and practice

 

Gender mainstreaming in theory and practice

This survey describes experiences with gender training in the Bundeswehr as a particularly male-dominated organization undergoing a radical change by opening its doors to women and restructuring the armed forces.

In 2003 and 2004 the Bundeswehr conducted a number of workshops on the subjects of “women and men in the workplace”, “compatibility of private life, family and work” and “sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination” under the heading of “Acting in Partnership”. This service targeted the teachers of the Bundeswehr engaged in the training of instructors.

The results of the seminars obtained by the academic accompanying research are evaluated in this survey and compared with the results of the general gender-research work. The question is explored of how organizations or organizational levels that were long reserved primarily to men react to women entering this “male domain”. The resulting problems were analysed and it could be shown that with the help of training courses on the subjects addressed by “Acting in Partnership”, outdated thought and behaviour patterns could be broken, bringing closer a working environment shaped by gender equality and respect.