Gender

'Gender equality is essential to the well-being of all nations. It is not only the responsibility of women; it is the responsibility of us all, women as well as men.’ UN General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa of Bahrain.

Understanding the role that gender plays in diverse contexts is essential to creating effective, sustainable development.

It is more than an issue of equality, or a focus on women alone. Rather, ODI's growing body of work on this subject takes a holistic approach: one that considers the relationships between men and women; the implications for girls and boys; the role of macro-economic policies and the importance of empowerment. Areas where we are particularly active in current policy debates include: gender and social protection, gender and poverty (especially in the context of the MDGs), gender and health, and gender-based violence.