Development policy: mainstreaming of gender equality in development cooperation, action programme 2001-2006

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Maria MARTENS (EPP-ED, Netherlands) on the Commission's action programme on gender equality. (Please refer to the document dated 26/02/02.) A large majority of poor people in the world are women and it is this link between gender and poverty which has made the gender factor in development policy more important than ever. There needs to be a balanced representation of men and women in project management and recruitment procedures which take due account of gender concerns. Operational instruments such as gender impact assessment (ex-ante and ex-post), checks on the integration of gender issues, follow-up indicators and gender-specifics statistics and data should be promoted and used at all levels. Gender impact assessments should be carried out for all different components of the development cooperation agreements, including provisions and policies related to trade.�