what we do

Many policies and plans are made without taking gender equality into account. That leads to unforeseen negative impacts on women in all their diversity. We make gender dimensions of technical sectors visible. We provide training and training tools on how to ensure gender-dimensions of sustainable development are taken into account. We have a network with specific gender tools and expertise such as gender assessments and gender budgeting. We work with civil society, science, government and EU and United Nations partners to create institutional frameworks for gender equality, such as gender action plans.

Gender equality as the key to sustainable development

In numerous economic sectors such as water and energy services, industry and waste, few women are officially employed. Many more women work in informal sectors then men. In particular technical decisions, such as on a choice of energy technology, are often gender-blind. Women’s role and priorities are mostly invisible. Ensuring that women and men’s role and priorities are clearly understood is the first step. Tools such as targets for increasing gender-balance in jobs and decision-making, and indicators to measure gender impacts, are very useful. In particular integrating gender equality measures into legislation and budget allocation is very effective. This is particularly also true for European countries, where progress on gender-equality has stagnated. For gender equality to be achieved, gender roles and norms need to be transformed. Women’s rights need to be ensured first and foremost. Ending violence against women in their home, at work and in public spaces is a prerequisite for their full and equal participation and decision making. We work with the United Nations on making the gender dimensions visible of national chemical and waste policies. We have coordinated the work on the global gender environment outlook with UN Environment. In our Women2030 program, we cooperate with partners in 50 countries to create gender-responsive policies.