While some forms of discrimination against women and girls are diminishing, gender inequality continues to hold women back and deprives them of basic rights and opportunities. Empowering women requires addressing structural issues such as unfair social norms and attitudes as well as developing progressive legal frameworks that promote equality between women and men.
The international programmes of RVO.nl contribute to SDG 5 and gender-related targets under other SDGs, through its wide scope of projects and programmes. RVO.nl stimulates its partners to promote gender equality and therewith contributes to:
- Promoting women entrepreneurship and management (target 5.5)
- Aiming for no discrimination against women (target 5.1)
- Full and effective participation and equal access to (economic) opportunities and resources (target 5.a)
Promoting gender equality has led to concrete results. Whereas in 2016 the majority of jobs supported within the international projects and programmes of RVO.nl were fulfilled by men, in 2017 the majority of jobs supported were for women. In total 45.715 jobs for women and 39.298 jobs for men were supported. This in an increase in supported jobs for women of 17%.
