1. Introduction and Commitment
ALT-TEXT is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment for everyone we work with, including staff, volunteers, partners, and the beneficiaries of our projects. As a small Belgian nonprofit (ASBL/VZW), we integrate gender equality into our everyday operations rather than treating it as a separate function. This Gender Equality Plan sets out our commitments in proportion to our size and means. It is a living document that we review and update as the organisation grows.
2. Responsibility and Resources
Responsibility for this plan sits with the organisation’s leadership who will oversee its implementation and report on progress to the board. Rather than a dedicated budget, gender equality considerations are built into our existing decision-making on recruitment, project design, and organisational culture. Where useful, we draw on free or low-cost external resources, including guidance published by the Belgian Institute for the Equality of Women and Men (IEFH/IGVM) and EU bodies.
3. Data and Monitoring
We will collect basic, anonymised sex-disaggregated data on our team and, where relevant and feasible, on the beneficiaries of our projects. Given our small size, this is kept light and is reviewed once a year by the leadership as part of normal organisational review. The review notes any imbalances and identifies practical steps to address them. We avoid rigid numerical targets that are not meaningful at our scale, and instead commit to the principles set out below.
4. Thematic Commitments
- Work-life balance and culture. We offer flexible working arrangements, including remote work and flexible hours, and we foster a respectful working culture in which everyone can raise concerns.
- Balance in leadership and decision-making. We are committed to gender balance in our governance and decision-making, and we actively consider candidates of all genders when filling board, leadership, and volunteer roles.
- Recruitment and progression. We use gender-neutral language in all calls and job advertisements, apply consistent and fair selection criteria, and ensure that opportunities for development are open to all.
- Gender in our project content. We consider the gender dimension when designing projects and communications, so that our work is inclusive and reflects the needs of different audiences. This is part of our standard project design process rather than a separate procedure.
- Preventing harassment and gender-based violence. We maintain a clear expectation of respectful conduct and zero tolerance for harassment of any kind, including sexual and gender-based harassment. Anyone affected can raise a concern confidentially with the responsible board member, and concerns are handled seriously and discreetly.
5. Training and Awareness
We make sure that people involved in recruitment and governance are aware of gender bias and how to avoid it, using free or low-cost resources rather than mandatory formal training programmes. We mark relevant occasions, such as International Women’s Day, with internal discussion or external communication where appropriate.
6. Review
This plan is reviewed each year by the organisation’s leadership and updated as needed to reflect our growth, our experience, and any new obligations arising from the funding programmes we take part in.