Environment, Sustainability & Energy

In the past, development programs over-relied on major infrastructure and macro economics with little measurable impact on the lives of poor women, their families and communities. To be effective, development policies need to focus on equity and sustainability with women at the center. Women, especially indigenous women, have a special relationship to natural resources due to their primary responsibility for fuel and water collection, food production and household management. Investing in gender equality empowers women and actually increases productivity, efficiency and sustainability. A recent review of World Bank projects demonstrated that sustainability increased 16 percent when women were included in decision-making. Sustainable development policies and programs must include women’s full participation from conception to actualization and compliance monitoring.