Gender equality is an integral part of the IFRC’s goal to promote respect for diversity and human dignity, and to reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion. The principles and values department provides guidance within IFRC and to National Societies in the creation of gender programming and to ensure that a gender perspective is included in all our operational activities. Particular work is also being done to address and prevent gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse.
Addressing the causes and consequences of gender inequality is strongly linked to the organization’s humanitarian mandate, “to improve the lives of vulnerable people”. The importance of this work is also outlined in our fundamental principle of impartiality.
The IFRC and all its National Societies are committed to recruit, promote and retain equal numbers of female and male professional staff. Operationally, the gender focus is in our two core working areas: disaster management and health. For more information, please see Gender training pack 2003(CD-ROM version)
Gender Capacity Assessment Matrix: Australian Red Cross
Women-friendly volunteer programme design
Equal opportunity indicators for well-functioning National Societies
Gender sensitization training for IFRC and Pakistan Red Crescent staff
Gender advocacy, meetings and workshops
- Consultative meeting with Global Alliance Partners in South Africa towards an integration of gender-based violence strategy into the IFRC’s Global Alliance HIV Programme.
- A Gender and Disaster Management workshop, June 2009, Kathmandu, Nepal: to equip participants from 14 different National Societies with the knowledge, skills and insights for designing and implementing gender sensitive disaster management programmes. This workshop used past, present and future proposed gender initiatives in the area of disaster management from within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as well as external government and non-government agencies.