Most multi-party caucuses for gender equality surface because of the potential these groups hold to mobilise and streamline work in collaborative settings. The caucus’ specific purposes will vary based on identified needs in the parliament or broader society, and could include:

• building solidarity among women members of the legislature,
• promoting women’s representation in politics,
• mainstreaming gender in parliamentary institutions and procedures,
• drafting and reforming laws with a gender perspective,
• facilitating dialogue and raising awareness on gender issues in political parties and in communities, and/or
• providing training, information, or other support to members.

Having a preliminary idea of their goals can help those interested in founding a gender caucus in parliament to engage a potential membership. An informal initial meeting could be held to gauge other parliamentarians’ interest in the caucus’ establishment and begin to articulate the agenda it will advance. Common interests can inform the caucus’ overall objectives and the activities it will undertake to achieve them. Collective planning at early stages is vital to building ownership of and commitment to the caucus, which in turn helps to ensure the group’s sustainability.

The caucus’ objectives could also be informed by the outcomes of an exercise to evaluate the parliament’s gender sensitivity. Such an audit could raise awareness of ways in which the parliament could better contribute to achieving gender equality and reveal further strategic causes for the caucus to champion.

Once members have an idea of the objectives they hope to achieve, these could be ranked in order of precedence. This will further contribute to building the membership’s shared vision and can be useful for future planning processes and resource allocation.

Financial resources, research and administrative assistance from the parliament, support from non-member parliamentarians, and partnerships with external organisations are all potentially necessary to sustain the work of a gender caucus.

Financial resources: Certain initiatives a gender caucus aims to pursue, such as offering training sessions or hosting events, may have associated expenses. If this is the case, members will need to consider how to secure the necessary funding. Options could include seeking a designated budget from parliament, charging a membership fee, or fundraising.

Support from the parliament: The use of parliamentary facilities and the assistance of parliamentary staff could be beneficial logistical supports for organising and documenting meetings or other activities. Access to research capabilities, through the parliamentary library or gender bureau if either is available, could also lend specialised expertise when reviewing or drafting studies or bills ahead of meetings or debates.

Support from non-member parliamentarians: Securing the buy-in of non-member parliamentarians is essential if the caucus’ establishment requires a resolution by parliament. This may also be important if the caucus intends to contribute to the creation of legislation. Broad support for the caucus will also help to ensure its general sustainability. Caucus members should consider if those in positions of power or influence in parliament who are not already part of the founding membership can be engaged as potential champions.

External partnerships: Partnerships with actors outside of the parliament could be engaged to reinforce the gender caucus’ efforts and fill resource gaps.

• Local civil society organisations, universities, and gender equality advocates could provide research and data to inform legislation or campaigns; facilitate or help design capacity-building sessions; co-organise or sponsor events or initiatives; and/or connect caucus members  with other potential partners or sponsors.
• International or regional organisations could provide opportunities for engagement on areas of mutual interest with fellow parliamentarians in other countries; facilitate technical expertise and the exchange of experiences to inspire new ideas; and/or help troubleshoot any difficulties the caucus may face.

Taking inventory of the resources required based on the caucus’ objectives – and which will likely be accessible – should be done early in planning. This exercise may affect which activities the caucus pursues, or the order in which they are undertaken.

Demonstrated interest will be the starting point for determining membership, but the caucus could also encourage particular groups of individuals to join, including male parliamentarians, representatives from all political parties, former parliamentarians, and/or members of parliamentary leadership. Active, long-term involvement by each of these groups could strategically benefit the caucus and help achieve its objectives.

Engaging male parliamentarians who are allies for gender equality could help build a stronger support base for the caucus and its pursuits. This support would be especially valuable if the caucus hopes to advance legislation, increase sensitivity on women’s rights, or work to address identified barriers to equality within parliament.

There are similarly benefits to seeking a balanced representation of members from all parties, as initiatives will be more likely to advance through the legislature when there are voices advocating from across party lines. Partisanship can complicate parliamentarians’ ability to come together in undertaking this work, but certain strategies can help prevent or overcome any tensions. Improved cooperation across party lines could positively influence the overall parliamentary culture over time.

Members of parliamentary leadership, such as the Speaker or President of a chamber, can also be critical to promoting support for the group and should be among the first individuals canvassed if they are not already part of the founding membership. Parliamentarians have stated that the participation of a woman presiding officer brings gravitas to the caucus, facilitates access to parliamentary and other resources (such as securing speakers for events), and helps to increase awareness for initiatives because of the extensive networks these members often have. The inclusion of former parliamentarians could have similar advantages; their involvement would be particularly beneficial for caucuses hoping to promote mentorship or conduct capacity-building exercises.

The caucus is more likely to be an effective vehicle for achieving its members’ objectives if it is designed based on these objectives, taking the local parliamentary context into consideration. The exercise of collectively outlining the objectives, as well as the corresponding support available within and outside of parliament, can therefore help to determine the caucus’ structure.

If the caucus’ primary goals relate to influencing policy and legislation or reforming parliamentary procedures or norms, there will be a greater need to engage with other political actors and access resources within the legislature. This will likely require the gender caucus to have a more formal structure with a clearly defined relationship to the parliament. In this case, it may be necessary for parliament to approve a resolution to establish the gender caucus. Members will also need to consider how the caucus will interact with other governmental or legislative bodies that work on gender equality topics, such as national gender machinery or parliamentary committees.

Alternatively, if the main purpose for creating the caucus relates to strengthening trust or building solidarity among women parliamentarians, it may not be necessary for the caucus to have a formal structure that is approved by parliament. Members may instead decide to pursue a more informal structure, along the lines of an association or network.

Once the structure of the caucus and its relationship to the parliament have been determined, members can address how frequently and where to meet, how to run meetings, how decisions will be taken (e.g., by consensus or by voting), and the composition of and means for selecting a coordinating or executive group. Being established as a formal body within the parliament may have implications for member eligibility and each of the above-mentioned procedural requirements which should also be assessed.

When settled, all of this information should be documented for the caucus’ records. Decisions related to governance are typically documented in regulations or another type of rules document.

Periodic evaluation will help ensure the caucus continues to operate with success. This will be most effective with guiding documents like strategic plans and work plans to provide a reference for discussions, as well as metrics that help measure incremental progress towards short and long-term goals.

Undertaking an evaluation annually or at another pre-determined interval will allow caucus members to reflect regularly on how their activities are helping to achieve the caucus’ objectives, what has been accomplished, and what challenges have emerged along the way (source). The information yielded from this process can inform adjustments to objectives and working methods. Internal documents should also be amended to reflect currently practiced procedures or any other agreed-upon changes, as well as the decisions that led to them, to maintain a clear record for current and future members.

The information received through monitoring and evaluation efforts can also be used to support the caucus in reporting on its work to the public and the parliament, and in celebrating its achievements. Such a practice can help to increase transparency, maintain the momentum and commitment of the membership, and provide an opportunity to acquire additional support for the caucus’ work from parliament and outside stakeholder groups.