IRM identifies gender as a crosscutting theme. This requires gender to be integrated into policy planning, programming, implementation and evaluation of activities. IRM’s Gender and Development Unit aims to provide gender based training at local, regional and global level. IRM believes that its efforts to reduce poverty cannot be achieved unless the organization addresses the constraints that limit the capabilities of men and women to improve their standard of living and quality of life.
IRM works to eliminate gender inequalities through targeted, women focused programmes across Pakistan. IRM aligned its work with SDGs as these SDGs provide a road map for elevating and integrating gender equality into all aspects of IRM’s work on poverty reduction, resilience and peace. IRM’s goals and objectives have the broader aim of accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
IRM stresses gender equality as “Ultimate human rights and the essential basis for a world of peace, prosperity and sustainability” which is critical to achieve the SDGs. Our work highlights the commitment to accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment through interventions to accelerate structural transformations for gender equality through four priority areas. These areas are:
- Improve men and women’s social and economic empowerment;
- Promote women’s participation in all forms of decision-making;
- Improve women leadership skills and;
- Provide opportunities to women through professional and skills development programmes.
For example, to address women leadership skills, to address women’s social and economic empowerment, implementing different projects ensuring women’s equality, providing decent work environment, enhancing women’s skills and improving capabilities and equal access to basic services including health care, and engaging men in care work. Such efforts would drive progress across the SDGs, including on SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).
