Improving women's lives

The World Bank actions since Beijing

Published by: World Bank, 2005
Via: Siyanda

The World Bank is committed to helping member countries fulfil the Beijing Platform for Action and recognises that gender equality is critical to development and poverty reduction. The World Bank's emphasis on gender increased after the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women. This document discusses the Bank's contribution to implementing the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) - linking the BPfA with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Failure to achieve the Beijing objectives hinders achievement not only of the third MDG — on gender equality - but other MDGs too. The relationship between gender equality and economic growth means equality is essential for progress on MDG one - to eradicate poverty. Meeting MDG two on universal access to education requires addressing the conditions specific to girls or boys that prevent them from attending or completing primary school. In The Gambia, the World Bank supports government efforts to reduce gender inequalities in education. They aim to increase girls' school enrolment by increasing public expenditure on education. Funding is being provided to the 'Girl Friendly Schools Initiative,' which has improved the physical conditions in schools where girls' attendance was low, in return for community commitments to increase female enrolments, and to the 'Girls' Scholarship Trust Fund' in secondary schools, which subsidises girls' enrolment fees.