The twelve women's groups who were finalists in the 'Women Against Poverty' competition wanted to make a radical change in their lives, and they did.The objective of the competition financed by IFAD, the German Agency for Technical Development (GTZ), and the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI), was to encourage women to develop their microenterprises by providing them with financial support and technical assistance. Women face administrative, economic, organizational more...

'A recent report released by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions notes that while previous studies found that women who migrate to cities do so to join family members – mostly husbands – in the city, this trend appears to be changing: an increasing number of women are migrating to cities on their own, often to escape domestic violence or discrimination in rural areas, or because they have been disinherited. In some sub-Saharan African countries, stigmatization due to HIV/AIDS has also more...

August 2008 theme of the Gender equality at the heart of decent work Campaign, 2008-2009.

Youth is the time of life full of promise, aspiration and energy. Between childhood and adulthood, youth is when men and women are most eager to strike out to secure their futures and to contribute to their families, communities and societies. This stage of life is crucial in determining young peoples’ paths to achieving productive employment and decent work.

One billion young people will reach wor more...

'This issue of Women2000 on the gender dimensions of ageing highlights the inequalities faced by older women as a result of their gender-based roles in society, as well as the important role older women play at the family and community levels and possible measures to strengthen their positive contribution. The issue addresses policy implications for women in an ageing world, and explores changing family structures, widowhood, care giving, social protection and health, women’s work, and retirem more...

A WEDO Information and Action Guide. The UN Millennium Declaration was agreed by 191 governments at the September 2000 UN Millennium Summit, where 147 heads of government turned out for the largest-ever gathering of world leaders. The Declaration is packed with positive language about people’s needs for the new millennium and about women’s centrality in development processes. In it, governments commit “to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women as effective ways to combat pove more...

'In 2007 Vipe, Innovation Norway and the Ministry of Children and Equality made a report regarding women and international careers.

This document represents an excerpt from the report, and includes its summary and introduction, so that the reader is able to get an overview of its content. The unabridged report is available in Norwegian only and is published at www.vipe.no.'

'This publication profiles women entrepreneurs from seven African countries. It describes reasons for their success as well as some of the legal, regulatory, and practical obstacles they face in expanding their businesses.

The report also highlights reforms that can level the playing field for women and create better business environments that benefit both women and men. It is the first in a series of studies on developing regions.'

'In addition to caring for their families, women across the developing world spend considerable proportions of their time and energy using and preserving land for the production of food and fuel and to generate income for their families and communities. These activities include crop production, growing fruits and vegetables, raising small livestock, tending trees, processing products for food and markets, and managing and collecting water and fuel. Women are usually responsible for the plots in more...

'Polishing the stone' shares some of IFAD's knowledge and experience in promoting gender equity in rural development projects.
Source: IFAD

Laura Bisio and Alessandra Cataldi, WIDE 2008. This briefing paper aims to present the main innovations in terms of institutional changes, policy perspectives and priorities that the Treaty of Lisbon is going to introduce if it is ratified by the Member States of the European Union (EU). The analysis focuses in particular on how the Treaty affects the dimension of citizenship, human rights and gender mainstreaming.