All Development Initiatives Should Internalize a Gender Guideline

Every development initiatives should be implemented following a gender guideline especially in case of more gender sensitive issues, for example migration and climate vulnerability.

Gender equality and social inclusion are seen as not only a fundamental aspect of human rights and social justice, but also a precondition to improve the development process by putting social concerns at the forefront of interventions. In such context, while implementing any initiatives that aid the development process, gender and social inclusion should be kept in mind.

IID shared its Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Strategy (GESI) guideline while moderating a session on 10th & 11th of January, 2018, at the 4th quarterly workshop of PROKAS. Discussion started with a presentation on how IID has been trying to follow GESI in it organizational policies and development initiatives to ensure gender balance and equal participation of all groups.   The objective of the session was to know the existing practices of gender and social inclusion, based on which a GESI guideline for all the partner organizations will be prepared.

According to the GESI guideline, when it comes to maintain a gender sensitive organizational culture, IID have to ensure that its work environment and HR policies adequately address gender equality.  For every research, policy and program, IID is supposed to evaluate the differential impact on women and men, youth, and various social groups, to ascertain that no one is impacted unfairly.  For example, in a policy forum, we sometimes ask questions and create opportunities to speak up if the women participants are uncomfortable to talk.  In research reports, focus is kept on gender-responsiveness for better inclusion and equity.

Other partner organizations and stakeholders of the Climate Finance and Fairer Migration projects talked about their prevailing practices of gender and social inclusiveness and also shared ideas on what should be kept in mind while preparing the GESI guideline. For example, CSRL (Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods) shared their experience of recently held climate fair where to ensure more participation of women, they provided transportation facilities and also appointed female volunteer to ensure gender-friendly environment. BOMSA (Bangladeshi Ovhibashi Mohila Sramik Association) shared how they make women aware other women about their rights as migrants, how they provide support to the returnee female migrants so that they do not revisit past trauma over and again.

Partner organizations who are working on Climate Finance Transparency Mechanism (CFTM) and Fairer Labour Migration (FLM) projects and their stakeholders from local communities were present in the session.

What should be the priorities of GESI strategy? – answering that participants suggested focusing on affirmative action to bring equality.  Strategies to address crisis of socioeconomic decision making ability and vulnerability of women and other marginalized group regarding migration and climate vulnerability has been prioritized.

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