Aid in Support of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

Bookmark this page: www.oecd.org/dac/stats/gender

Data on DAC members’ aid targeting gender equality and women’s empowerment are compiled with the help of the gender equality marker in the Creditor Reporting System (CRS). Every aid activity reported to the CRS should be screened and marked as either (i) targeting gender equality as a “principal objective” or a “significant objective”, or (ii) not targeting the objective.

Dynamic graphics - aid to gender equality by sector:

These online dynamic graphics show aid spent on gender equality and women’s empowerment, both in total and by individual DAC donor. Place the pointer over the charts to see the distribution by sector of all aid targeting gender equality, as well as the gender equality focus of each specific sector.

In addition, Aid in Support of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (pdf, 1.5MB) published in March 2011, presents statistics on aid from DAC members to sectors focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment for the period 2008-2009. Information shown includes the gender equality policy marker coverage, the top ten recipients and a sector breakdown of aid focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Definition:

An activity should be classified as gender equality focused (score Principal or Significant) if it is intended to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment or reduce discrimination and inequalities based on sex. Criteria for eligibility: gender equality is explicitly promoted in activity documentation trough specific measures which:

• Reduce social, economic or political power inequalities between women and men, girls and boys, ensure that women benefit equally with men from the activity, or compensate for past discrimination; or
• Develop or strengthen gender equality or anti-discrimination policies, legislation or institutions.
  

Important note on coverage:

The first element to take into account when analysing the data for one country or when comparing data between countries is the COVERAGE RATIO, i.e. the proportion of aid which is screened. A high percentage of gender equality focused aid alone does not mean that aid is well aligned with the gender equality policy objective, such a conclusion would only be valid for a donor with 100% coverage. When comparing data between donors, both coverage ratio and % of aid focused on gender equality and women's empowerment have to be considered.

Data:

It is possible to obtain gender equality marker data from CRS online.

Click here for an example of statistics on gender equality (Sub-Saharan Africa focussed aid by recipient and sector).