Theoretical Perspective on Gender and Development

Gender equality is considered a critical element in achieving Decent Work for All Women and Men, in order to e ect social and institutional change that leads to sustainable development with equity and growth. Gender equality refers to equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities that all persons should enjoy, regardless of whether one is born male or female. Men and women often have di erent priorities, constraints and preferences with respect to development and can contribute to, and be a ected di erently by, development projects and campaigning interventions. To enhance e ectiveness, these considerations must be addressed in all program and campaign design and interventions. If such considerations are not addressed thoughtfully and adequately, these interventions can lead not only to ine cient and unsustainable results, but may also exacerbate existing inequities. Understanding gender issues can enable projects to take account of these and build in capacity to
deal with inequitable impacts and to ensure sustainability.