Addressing Gender Issues at ICDDR,B

ICDDR,B has historically addressed issues related to women’s equality both through research and services as well as within the organization. However, in recent years there has been a growing recognition of the need to address gender issues in a systematic way. In response, the Centre formed a Gender Equality Committee in 2000 that took a number of steps to address gender issues at the organizational level. In March 2003, the Committee initiated the process of drafting a Gender Policy with participation and contributions from all divisions of the Centre. Subsequently, Centre-wide consultations took place to give staff at all levels an opportunity to review and give input on the draft policy. In June 2003, the Gender Policy was approved by the Board of Trustees.

The Gender Policy seeks to complement and strengthen the focus on gender equality in the Centre’s Strategic Plan. The policy will assist the Centre in integrating gender equity goals and objectives into all its research, interventions, service and training activities organizationally so that they become internally and institutionally accepted. It will also deliver these objectives. The policy will be implemented until 2010 with anticipation that modifications thereafter will be based on the Centre’s progress in implementation and will address emerging issues.

Many government ministries, international and multilateral agencies, national and international NGOs have recognized the need to systematically address gender issues and promote gender mainstreaming, formulating their own gender policies. The Centre will follow this trend while at the same time remaining conscious of its uniqueness as a multidimensional organization, focusing on a range of activities including research, interventions, the delivery of health-related services and training.

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