The Social Development Group provides specialised services in the field of gender and development with professional personnel experienced in gender and development policy, gender analysis in project design, development and implementation, as well as gender analysis training.

Our experience includes the implementation of affirmative action programs and in the mainstreaming of gender issues in an institutional context.

We offer gender and development services in the following areas:

• introductory training in gender analysis in the project cycle

• sector-specific gender analysis training

• the institutionalising of gender development through mainstreaming techniques

• development of gender policy

• other gender-specific project work.

In addition to providing these services for clients, we ensure greater gender sensitivity in our multi-disciplinary projects through the provision of internal training in gender analysis in the project cycle. Issues that we address include:

Women and poverty

Promotion of employment and income-generating activities for women, and providing basic social services, including education and health care.

Education and training for women

Girls education and training at all levels, especially in primary education. Initiation of alternative education systems to reach girls in disadvantaged groups and to remove gender biases from education.

Women and health

Increased use of modern contraceptives; increased attention to HIV/AIDS infection among women; the introduction of a gender perspective into health-related educational activities; better prevention and treatment of sexually-transmitted diseases.

Women and the economy

Promotion of women's economic rights, equal access to economic resources and equality in employment.

Women in power and decision-making

Participation of women in decision-making contributing to an increased awareness of the systematic changes that are needed to bring about gender appropriate decisions.

Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women

National machineries are recognised as the institutional base and catalysts for promoting gender equality and gender mainstreaming. These machineries contribute to enhancing national capacity for the generation and dissemination of data disaggregated by sex (information collected via questionnaires, observation, or other techniques that reveals the different roles and responsibilities of men and women).

The girl child

Gender-sensitive school environments and increased non-formal education opportunities and enhanced attendance at classes.

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