Memorandum submitted by the Department
for International Development
WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT (Seventh Report
1998-99)
DFID's global strategy for promoting women's equality
has recently been updated and will be published at the end of
this month (September) as one of the series of "Strategies
for Achieving the International Development Targets". The
paper, entitled "Poverty Elimination and the Empowerment
of Women" reflects many of the concerns raised by the Committee
in its Seventh Report. It underlines the direct relationship between
investing in women, supporting them in the achievement of their
human rights and in the elimination of world poverty.
Plans are now well advanced for a comprehensive evaluation
of our support to gender equality. A detailed study design will
be submitted for senior management approval within the next few
weeks. Our Bangladesh programme has recently developed a new gender
strategy which, among other things, points to the need for better
data to support women's equality in that country. The strategy
will inform future DFID support to gender work as part of our
country strategy.
Work on communications and media work has been developing
at a fast pace, with gender concerns being prominent. A new media
and conflict guide is about to be published ("Working with
media in conflicts and other emergencies") which includes
practical guidance on mainstreaming gender in this work and assessing
impact. Gender impact components are also being developed in DFID-supported
media programmes in Bangladesh, Malawi, Brazil and Peru. A strong
gender component is also being developed in our global "Bridging
the Digital Divide" programme.
| 
