6 New World Bank Group Commitments on Gender Equality

President Robert B. Zoellick announced six new World Bank Group commitments on gender equality on April 11, 2008 at the event "Ways to Bridge Gender Gaps." The event included ministers from Germany, Egypt, Sweden, Denmark and Liberia and aimed to take stock of the status of women in developing countries and focus on creating opportunities for adolescent girls and women entrepreneurs. The six commitments are:

1. To measurably improve the integration of gender equality into the Bank's agriculture and rural developments projects by the end of the implementation of the Gender Action Plan in December 2010. In the Africa Region, at least half of the Bank's rural projects will include gender-responsive actions in their design. An example of the work in this sector will be to help women obtain title to their land, often a prerequisite to obtaining financing.

2. To channel, through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), at least $100 million in credit lines at commercial banks for women entrepreneurs, by the end of 2012.

3. To have World Bank Country Directors report by June 1 on what the Bank is doing and what more it should be doing to empower girls and women economically in the countries the Bank works with.

4. To launch a work program with private and public sector leaders on "young women count for economic development," at an event prior to the 2008 Annual Meetings. The event will focus on the development value of increasing adolescent girls' economic opportunities, and seek to mobilize government, donors, foundations and private sector engagement and funds. A first program already being implemented in this space is a public-private partnership with the Nike Foundation and the Government of Liberia to expand economic opportunities for adolescent girls in Liberia through job training and transition-to-work programs.

5. To create a Private Sector Leaders' Forum to support the Gender Action Plan and convene their first meeting on the margins of the 2008 Annual Meetings.

6. To increase IDA Investments for Gender Equality. Mr. Zoellick will ask for a review of IDA-funded activities with regard to gender mainstreaming at the end of the IDA15 cycle, with the objective of increasing IDA investments on gender equality in operations financed through IDA16.