2. Labour Markets Transitions from a Gender Perspective: Reintegration Policies and Opportunities in the Framework of the European Social Fund

Since 2006, the European Social Fund, one of the structural Funds of the European Union, has been earmarked to specific groups: namely the older workers, work incapacitated and so called NUGGERS, the people without a right to social security benefits. The majority of person in the latter group are women, more especially (former) housewives trying to return to wage work. For most Dutch municipalities, these women belong to the problem groups to be reintegrated back to the labour market. This paper explores whether Dutch local policy-makers perceive ESF as innovative tool to (re)integrate these women back to the labour market. The data comprises of semi-structural interviews of (senior) civil servants in selected Dutch municipalities conducted in 2011 and 2012. The preliminary results indicate that ESF can be employed as an innovate tool, but that the administrative obstacles inherent in this financial instrument are often perceived to be (too) hampering.