Main findings

• The focus on gender equality in fragile situations, called for by international agreements and resolutions, is implemented only to a limited extent.
• On average, one-third of DAC members' aid to fragile states targets gender equality as a principal or significant objective. This is similar to the share for all developing countries combined (31%).
• Some DAC members allocate a higher proportion of their aid to gender equality in fragile states than in other countries, and have made it a major focus of their aid programmes.
• There is scope to scale up investments for gender equality in the peace and security sector in fragile states. Only 20% of aid allocated in this sector in fragile states integrates a gender equality dimension - a share that is lower than in all developing countries combined (23%).
• The share of aid in the peace and security sector that targets gender equality in fragile states is particularly low for security system management and reform initiatives: only 10%.
• Only 38% of aid allocated to the governance sector in fragile states addressed gender equality. This share is lower than the share in all developing countries combined (44%) and suggests that international commitments to increase the participation of women in decision-making are not being supported by donors.
• Donors pay particular attention to gender equality in the social sectors in fragile states: more than half of aid in the education and health sectors target gender equality. In all developing countries combined, these shares are lower by more than ten percentage points.

Related links

• Homepage: Aid in support of gender equality and women's empowerment 
• Chapter 1. Aid in support of gender equality and women's empowerment: Statistical overview
• Chapter 2. Aid in support of women's economic empowerment
• Chapter 3. Aid in support of gender equality in education and health
• Chapter 5. Aid in support of gender equality in humanitarian contexts (forthcoming)

Aid targeting gender equality in fragile states

34% of total bilateral aid to fragile states targeted gender equality as a principal or significant objective. This is equivalent to USD 4.4 billion per year in 2007-08. 66% of the aid screened against the gender equality policy marker did not target gender equality.

• Dataset: Aid activites targeting gender equality and women's empowerment (CRS)