Legislating for change: gender-sensitive ex-ante legislative scrutiny in practice

The law is a fundamental arena for advancing gender equality. Parliaments are where laws are made, but differential gender impacts are often not explored when draft legislation is scrutinised. A range of tools exist to help parliamentarians conduct gender-sensitive ex-ante legislative scrutiny but their success relies on parliamentary institutionalisation, localisation of measures, political will and parliamentary leadership, access to evidence and expertise, practical tools, its application to all laws, men, and government practice. Blind spots and weaknesses include intersectionality, the role of empathy in representation, a holistic approach to the whole legislative cycle, and linking to international obligations.