Gender equality
Gender equality
We work to ensure women and men in developing countries have equal opportunities in society.
Women and girls are strong agents of change. Promoting their economic empowerment is central to our initiatives to combat poverty and protect human rights around the world.
Our goals
- Encourage women to participate in the sustainable economic development of their communities on an equal basis with men
- Increase women's access to and control over resources and the economic benefits they generate in order to reduce inequalities between women and men
- Encourage women and men to engage in dialogue to change social norms and practices that reinforce and maintain disparities between genders
We work with various partners to provide women access to:
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Financial resources
By developing innovative and affordable financial products based on their needs
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Productive resources
By facilitating access to land, technologies and practices to lighten workloads
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Markets
By facilitating women's integration into production chains
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Jobs
By supporting the development of women's entrepreneurship
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Capacity building opportunities
By helping them acquire and apply knowledge through customized training, primarily in financial education
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Power
By developing their leadership so they can participate more actively in decision-making and become more aware of their rights
Our services
- Increasing women's capacity and power to act: Development of women's leadership, entrepreneurial capacity building and development of financial decision-making skills
- Improving access to resources: Needs assessment to identify the best products for women and development of financial products and services and financing mechanisms specifically for women
- Creating a favourable environment: Support of community dialogue, connection of farmers' organizations with different market players (including financial institutions) and guidance on creating a political and legal environment more conducive to gender equality
Our accomplishments in promoting gender equality
Empowering women to make informed decisions: The FARM project in Mali
We help women grow their businesses through an integrated approach focused on improving their financial capacities and leadership.
Developing a financial product for women: The PANSEH project in Haiti
The Kombit Fanm product has given 47 women's groups in Haiti's Artibonite department access to loans, which has allowed them to advance their economic participation.
Promoting female leadership in the governance of microfinance institutions (MFIs): The ADAPAMI project in Benin
As a result of a strategy to promote dialogue between women and their husbands, the men committed to supporting their wives' participation in the political and administrative governance of MFIs.