Supporting Gender Equality in Post-Conflict Contexts

Gender equality (SDG 5) and peacebuilding (SDG 16) are key aspects of global sustainable development. For German development cooperation gender equality is a goal in its own right and a guiding principle for its work. Gender mainstreaming, meaning the systematic integration of a gender perspective into all development policy strategies and projects, is intended to enable German development cooperation to take account of these context-specific gender aspects throughout its work. An evaluation conducted by the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) reveals that the procedures currently specified for gender mainstreaming in German bilateral official development cooperation are fundamentally suited to the purpose of supporting gender equality. Studies at the outcome level also show that in areas such as “overcoming trauma” and “increasing income”, individual projects achieve relevant outcomes which besides satisfying practical needs also contribute to empowering women and transforming gender roles.

The evaluation used the Most Significant Change approach combined with a so-called “storytelling” technique using the method of narrative interviews to capture changes at the outcome level. The approach is qualitative and participatory in nature. It aims to give voice to those participating in development interventions by capturing the most important perceived changes in the interviewees’ personal lives, and how the development cooperation measures in question may have contributed to it. These are their “stories”. This approach was chosen to avoid implicitly guiding the interviewees to focus on the issues that the evaluators may judge to be most relevant and to avoid setting a focus that interviewees may experience as disturbing or even re-traumatising. A total of 90 stories were collected. The respondents are participants in projects of German bilateral official development cooperation in Colombia, Liberia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Almost all stories, of both women and men, describe a positive impact of the development intervention on their lives. In order to protect the persons, no further details are given. The answers are fully anonymised.

Gender equality (SDG 5) and peacebuilding (SDG 16) are key aspects of global sustainable development.

Who are the storytellers?

In which country do you live in?

What is your age?

What is your gender?

Women have started to speak out and make decisions in their homes, which has empowered them not only socially, but also economically.

What is your occupation?

What is your marital status?

Which sectors/fields were affected by the project?

Through the project, me and my female peers have managed to emerge from the "traditional shell".

Title of the Story

What were the most significant changes this project has brought about for you? [Country distribution]

My self-confidence has grown immensely and now I feel much more empowered as a woman.

What were the most significant changes this project has brought about for you? [age distribution]

What were the most significant changes this project has brought about for you? [gender distribution]

The project has given me a direction in life and allowed me to pursue my career while growing academically, professionally and personally.