Project Title: Development Cooperation and Gender

Implementing Organisation: International Gender Policy Network (IGPN)

Total Budget: 97.000 euros

Total Request from Fund: 44.000 euros

Overall Situation at the Beginning of the Project:

In the EU pre-accession and post-accession process, the situation of equal opportunities of men and women was monitored in the countries of accession and South Eastern Europe, framed by the EU legislation and policy. Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (EOWM) reports raised questions on the discrepancies between law and practice and brought to light the need to lobby and advocate at the national and EU level for implementation of legal changes and practical measures.

Description of the Project and Expected Results:

While the International Gender Policy Network had already published various reports on Equal Opportunities for women and men, they now wanted to focus more on advocacy among others on the basis of the EU’s Strategy to Promote Gender Equality in Development Cooperation. As one of the steps needed it identified building the capacity of its members, also in the CEE and CIS regions, to draft and disseminate shadow reports on their national government’s activities. The project would not limit itself to these regions, but also build relationships with the global south and with NGOs in ACP and Asian countries. It also aimed to build an unofficial network of policy makers with the necessary know-how to ensure that gender equality would be included in development policies.

Results after Implementation:

The final report mentioned that the IGPN organised a dynamic training session on the issue with the help of a member of the Concord Gender Group which greatly increased the active involvement of IGPN members in the advocacy work. For instance, in other new Member States IGPN started to contact and, where possible mobilise, the national NG(D)O platforms to raise awareness for gender equality in development cooperation. The IGPN members also developed a questionnaire for EC delegations and the EC in Brussels and analysed the EU strategy papers on gender equality, coming up with national reports on the issue, developing them into advocacy cards and using them for their advocacy work. While the advocacy cards  were well received they did not have much of an impact, due to the fact that the politicians were focussing on the 2009 EP elections.

During the project the IGNP joined the FoRS network and through them the Concord gender working group. While it had been actively engaged in promoting gender equality, the IGPN admitted in the final report that gender equality in development cooperation was a new topic for them, the implementation of the project had not only improved their knowledge on the issue, but also increased their coordination skills and enhanced their position in the regional and global women’s rights movement.  They indicated that they intended to continue working on the issue and also strengthen the position of gender equality within the FoRS platform.