The debate: Building capacity, research, and networking for gender mainstreaming at work: A glance to global achievements

During the past decades many activities have been carried out aiming to complying the United Nations’ System mandates for improving gender equality and implementing gender mainstreaming strategies in policies and programs dealing with work in all economic activities. Capacity building, research and networking strengthened in sectors where women’s participation in higher. Others seem not to have the same level of actions. The issue is that women play a fundamental role in today’s society where social, economic and human contexts are blended with tremendous inequities and poverty. They face many challenges and barriers, needing support to overcome them.   Invited experts on gender will share their points of view on the following:    Question 1: Social-economic crises are leaving poverty-unemployment behind, mostly in the developing world. Women -single mothers-, need to work to survive with their families. Gender-responsive governance and institutions supporting women’s empowerment are strongly required, particularly in rural areas. Tell us about activities aimed at strengthening institutional capacities to address women’s needs and to promoting gender equality in rural work.     Question 2: Gender mainstreaming policies, strategies and programs need funding to succeed. There are many experiences funding and/or implementing initiatives for gender equality and empowering working women, individually or networking. Please give your perception about the progress of such initiatives, from academic, research institutions, international and multilateral development partners.     Question 3: As research has built evidence, knowledge about women’s exposure to hazards at work has increased. To control-correct them, emerging practices in providing support services and primary prevention are required (rural and urban settings). Give us an example of successful interventions following the evidence of research. [E.g. Violence against women in and out of work in all its forms.]