GSDRC

Governance, social development, conflict and humanitarian knowledge services

  • Research
    • Governance
      • Democracy & elections
      • Public sector management
      • Security & justice
      • Service delivery
      • State-society relations
      • Supporting economic development
    • Social Development
      • Gender
      • Inequalities & exclusion
      • Poverty & wellbeing
      • Social protection
    • Conflict
      • Conflict analysis
      • Conflict prevention
      • Conflict response
      • Conflict sensitivity
      • Impacts of conflict
      • Peacebuilding
    • Humanitarian Issues
      • Humanitarian financing
      • Humanitarian response
      • Recovery & reconstruction
      • Refugees/IDPs
      • Risk & resilience
    • Development Pressures
      • Climate change
      • Food security
      • Fragility
      • Migration & diaspora
      • Population growth
      • Urbanisation
    • Approaches
      • Complexity & systems thinking
      • Institutions & social norms
      • Theories of change
      • Results-based approaches
      • Rights-based approaches
      • Thinking & working politically
    • Aid Instruments
      • Budget support & SWAps
      • Capacity building
      • Civil society partnerships
      • Multilateral aid
      • Private sector partnerships
      • Technical assistance
    • Monitoring and evaluation
      • Indicators
      • Learning
      • M&E approaches
  • Services
    • Research Helpdesk
    • Professional development
  • News & commentary
  • Publication types
    • Helpdesk reports
    • Topic guides
    • Conflict analyses
    • Literature reviews
    • Professional development packs
    • Working Papers
    • Webinars
    • Covid-19 evidence summaries
  • About us
    • Staff profiles
    • International partnerships
    • Privacy policy
    • Terms and conditions
    • Contact Us
Home»Topic Guide»Gender
GenderAnn Kangas; Huma Haider; Erika Fraser; Evie Browne
Topic Guide, July 2014

Gender

Gender is a way of looking at how social norms and power structures affect different groups of men and women. Understanding that men and women, boys and girls experience poverty differently, and face different barriers in accessing services, economic resources and political opportunities, helps to target interventions.

About this Topic Guide

This Topic Guide introduces some of the best recent literature on a range of gender issues and highlights major critical debates. It is intended primarily as a reference for policymakers and highlights practical guidance, lessons learned and case studies. New publications and emerging issues will be regularly incorporated.

The guide was written by Ann Kangas, Huma Haider (GSDRC, University of Birmingham) and Erika Fraser in 2012. It was commissioned and funded by the Australian Government (DFAT). It was updated in 2014 by Evie Browne (GSDRC, University of Birmingham) with funding from the UK Government's Department for International Development (DFID).

The GSDRC appreciates the expert contributions made by Samantha Hung (Asian Development Bank) and Annalise Moser (Gender and Development Specialist).

Suggested citation

Kangas, A., Haider, H., Fraser, E. & Browne, E. (2014). Gender: Topic Guide. (Revised ed.) Birmingham: GSDRC, University of Birmingham, UK

Image credits: © CIAT ( A village meeting in Dirib Gombo)
Gender in fragile and conflict-affected environments »

Related Content

Donor Support for the Human Rights of LGBT+
Helpdesk Report
2021
Interventions to Address Discrimination against LGBTQi Persons
Helpdesk Report
2021
Documentation of survivors of gender-based violence (GBV)
Helpdesk Report
2021
LGBT rights and inclusion in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Helpdesk Report
2021
  • Gender
    • Gender in fragile and conflict-affected environments
    • Understanding gender
    • Legal framework and access to justice
    • Gender and human development
    • Sexual and reproductive health and rights
    • Gender-based violence
    • Gender and economic rights
    • Gender and governance
    • Gender and media
    • Gender and citizenship
    • Gender, statebuilding and peacebuilding
    • Gender and climate change
    • Monitoring and evaluation
    • Donor approaches to gender

University of Birmingham

Connect with us: Bluesky Linkedin X.com

Outputs supported by DFID are © DFID Crown Copyright 2025; outputs supported by the Australian Government are © Australian Government 2025; and outputs supported by the European Commission are © European Union 2025

We use cookies to remember settings and choices, and to count visitor numbers and usage trends. These cookies do not identify you personally. By using this site you indicate agreement with the use of cookies. For details, click "read more" and see "use of cookies".