Gender – UNIDO

How is Gender approached?

From the perspective of realizing women’s rights, targeting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment is important and a smart economic move as women are key agents of change: when women and men are equal, economies grow faster while less people remain in poverty and the overall well-being of people increases. As such, harnessing women’s potential as economic actors, leaders and consumers results in higher levels of industrialization and more sustained growth rates – global gross domestic product could increase by more than 25 percent by 2025 if women played the same role in labour markets as men.

Challenges associated with Gender

Industrialization and industrial policies are gendered processes because economies are gendered structures, in the sense that both the paid market sphere and the unpaid non-market sphere are characterized by gender inequalities. Industrial development can reduce gender inequality when it contributes to quality job creation in sectors previously precluded to women, but it can also reinforce gender inequalities when industrial expansion is based on increasing jobs for women while at the same time maintaining gender-based sectoral segregation and large gender wage gaps.

How is UNIDO targeting Gender?

By raising awareness, generating knowledge and building capacity, UNIDO designs gender-responsive projects; invests efforts to increase awareness of linkages between gender and industrialization; and addresses the gender balance of the Organization’s workforce. A systematic screening and review system is also in place to ensure that gender perspectives are integrated in the initial stages of UNIDO technical project development.

Did you know?

Through its dedicated gender mainstreaming unit, UNIDO implements a gender mainstreaming strategy across its programmes, policies and projects to strengthen the gender dimension of inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) as a vital prerequisite for achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Who are the active players in this field?

UNIDO collaborates with partners across the UN system as well as with public and private stakeholders to advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. Through these partnerships, UNIDO provides technical cooperation activities that encourage investment in women-owned businesses; strengthen female networks; improve access to markets; and provide training, technology and clean energy solutions.