Gender equity is an important development end in and of itself. It broadens the entitlements, choices, rights and capabilities exercised by women and men. At home and in the workplace, women are especially disadvantaged because of unequal gender relations that segregate women and privilege men in the labor market and in public life. Two projects in LAC promote gender equity in innovative ways. The Argentina Family Strengthening and Social Capital Promotion Project, PROFAM, uses a social capital approach to address the vulnerability of the poor by promoting gender equity, increasing opportunities for women and addressing issues of income generation, domestic violence, education, health, HIV/AIDS and reproduction. The Mexico Gender Equity Project, Generosidad, improves women's access to government-supported income generation programs as well as promotes incentives for gender equality in major private firms through a gender certification process. Thus far, 50 firms have been certified. Profam Argentina
The development objective of the Argentina Family Strengthening and Social Capital Promotion Project (PROFAM) is to test and monitor a social capital approach to address the vulnerability of the poor by targeting families as comprehensive units and promoting gender equality. The project has three components: The first has two sub-components that implement the " Programa Equidad, " a demand-driven grant program for developing small sub-projects which promote and strengthen the capacity of families to actively function within their community; and support the strengthening of existing networks or associations of community-based organizations and other civil society organizations through capacity building and technical assistance, and in some instances the provision of basic equipment such as computers or printers. Priority will be given to those networks that demonstrate innovative approaches to family strengthening, facilitate the participation of the family, and promote more equitable gender relations. The second component promotes awareness-raising and communication strategies at a micro-level that seeks to directly impact the project target areas to further enhance government-civil-society-community-family relationships, respect for non-traditional gender roles among youth and children, etc. The third component provides technical assistance and capacity building for the personnel and consultants of the implementing agency, the Ministry of Social and Environmental Development.
Generosidad Mexico
The Gender Equity Project (Generosidad), a learning and innovation loan (LIL), aims to facilitate the mutual learning and piloting of community-based initiatives to promote gender equity and improved access to government-supported income generation programs in the context of Mexico's strategy for poverty reduction and social sustainability. The project consists of three components. 1) Institutionalization of Gender Approach in Poverty-alleviation Program will ensure improved gender equity in the access to opportunities and resources of social and economic development programs. The activities it finances include awareness raising seminars and workshops to build the capacity of the Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL) employees; review of the norms, standards, processes, and procedures of SEDESOL; and implementation and monitoring of an information system with a gender focus. 2) The Community-based Gender Development component promotes community-based actions to improve equity in opportunities for men and women, peaceful sociability, and respect to the dignity of all social groups, regardless of sex and ethnicity. This includes technical assistance to women's income generating projects. 3) The Gender Awareness component promotes awareness of the value of equitable relations between men and women by transmitting new ideas and successful experiences that can be replicated throughout urban and rural Mexico. Most notably, this component involves gender equity training and certification of private firms that confirms that they abide by "gender equity norms" designed by the National Women's Institute. |
