This study provides an overview of DAC members’ funding targeted to gender equality in fragile and conflict?affected states. The methodology relies on data on DAC members’ aid targeting gender equality and women’s empowerment in 43 fragile or conflict-affected states. The data are compiled with the help of the gender equality policy marker in the Creditor Reporting System (CRS). DAC members should screen and mark every aid activity they report to the CRS as either (i) targeting gender equality as a “principal objective” or a “significant objective”, or (ii) not targeting the objective. “
Key findings:
- The focus on gender equality in fragile situations, called for by international agreements and resolutions, is implemented only to a limited extent.
- On average, one?third of DAC members’ aid to fragile states targets gender equality as a principal or significant objective. This is similar to the share for all developing countries combined (31%).
- Some DAC members allocate a higher proportion of their aid to gender equality in fragile states than in other countries, and have made it a major focus of their aid programmes.
- There is scope to scale up investments for gender equality in the peace and security sector in fragile states. Only 20% of aid allocated in this sector in fragile states integrates a gender equality dimension – a share that is lower than in all developing countries combined (23%).
- The share of aid in the peace and security sector that targets gender equality in fragile states is particularly low for security system management and reform initiatives: only 10%.
- Only 38% of aid allocated to the governance sector in fragile states addressed gender equality. This share is lower than the share in all developing countries combined (44%) and suggests that international commitments to increase the participation of women in decision?making are not being supported by donors.
- Donors pay particular attention to gender equality in the social sectors in fragile states: more than half of aid in the education and health sectors target gender equality. In all developing countries combined, these shares are lower by more than ten percentage points.
