GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IN THE WORLD OF WORK IN FRAGILE, CONFLICT AND DISASTER SETTINGS

Currently, about 1.8 billion people live in fragile contexts (OECD 2020). Due to their different roles, responsibilities, needs and activities, women, men, girls and boys are affected by crisis in different ways. Even more so, when different personal characteristics such as race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual identity, age, disability, or HIV status and others intersect resulting in more pronounced unequal power relations. For example, women’s overall workload often increases significantly during crises owing to the need to compensate for declining family income and social services. At the same time, because of the increased burden of unpaid care work, insecurity and its impact on mobility and other challenges, such as limited access to land, inputs and markets, women’s engagement in paid work becomes more challenging. The significance of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in promoting peace, preventing crises, enabling recovery and building resilience was reiterated by the ILO through the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205). Adding to other important conventions, recommendations and frameworks in the area of equality and non-discrimination, Recommendation No. 205 reinforced the strong mandate of the ILO to promote gender equality in the world of work in all types of settings, including those characterized by fragility, disaster or conflict. OBJECTIVES Anchored in and building on these frameworks and UN inter-agency work and initiatives on gender equality and women’s empowerment and leadership, this self-guided course aims to enhance awareness of gender dimensions and issues in fragile, conflict and disaster settings and to provide guidance on gender mainstreaming in initiatives related to employment and decent work across the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. It is intended to support both ILO staff and constituents and other stakeholders working at global, national or local levels in ensuring gender-responsiveness in the world of work across the triple nexus. CONTENT • Understand the differential impact of crises on women and men, girls and boys. • Define fundamental principles and concepts related to the gender dimension of fragility and crises. • Explain why gender equality and decent work are key to achieving peace and sustainable development that leaves no one behind. • Understand international frameworks aiming at advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in crisis settings • Gain practical skills on gender mainstreaming in initiatives related to employment and decent work in crisis settings