Update of World Bank Group Gender Strategy: Consultations

To read the Note to Participants, please click here.

The strategy is being developed to reflect fundamental changes in the world and at the World Bank Group and to respond to accumulating evidence on what works to close gender gaps.  The previous World Bank strategy on gender, adopted in 2001, emphasized gender equality as an issue of development effectiveness and laid the basis for integrating gender into the Bank’s policy dialogue, analytic work, and operations.  A renewed strategy on gender equality will address how the World Bank Group can support client countries and companies to achieve greater gender equality as a key pathway to ensure lasting poverty reduction and shared prosperity.  We envision a strategy that is operational, with stronger emphasis on results in client countries and in our work with private sector clients– results that close key gender gaps and enhance women’s voice and agency. 

A Concept Note, discussed by our Board of Executive Directors on April 8, outlines a framework for a renewed gender strategy and serves as a basis for discussion during the consultative process. The strategy seeks to build on past achievements and raise the bar on gender equality by focusing on practical approaches the public and private sectors can take to reduce the differential constraints for poor women and men in economic opportunity and empowering women and girls to achieve their full potential. Removing the unique constraints that hold back women and girls, and including in the equation men and boys is a game-changer in tackling poverty and encouraging shared prosperity.

Through the consultations, from mid-April through July 2015, we are seeking stakeholders’ input on country and regional perspectives, global lessons learned and good practices to reduce key gender gaps.

To share your input click here. To share examples and case studies of solutions and approaches that have helped close gender gaps, send them to [email protected].

To review the new WBG gender strategy document about gender equality, poverty reduction and inclusive growth, click here.

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