Hands up for gender equality!

March 8 is #InternationalWomensDay. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect countries worldwide, it is of utmost importance to keep focusing on women’s rights, both in Flanders and abroad.

Pandemics are known to affect women and men differently, making it essential to recognise these differences in order to understand the impacts on individuals and communities and to respond effectively and equitably. There is already clear evidence that the ongoing health, social and economic crisis is having gendered impacts.

The Government of Flanders maintains that education and emancipation of girls and women offers the key to (social, economic and financial) freedom. This remains even more so in current times. Therefore, Flanders focuses on projects that promote equality between men and women, and on themes such as gender equality, (sexual) education and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We refer in particular to the cooperation between Flanders and Mozambique. Through our multi-annual programmes on development cooperation, Flanders and Mozambique have been cooperating for more than 15 years in the health sector. The focus is on health system strengthening and inclusive access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, primarily for adolescent girls as these are a vulnerable group in Mozambique.

Not only in development cooperation, but also across its other international programmes, Flanders uses a gender transformative approach. This approach examines, questions and transforms inequitable gender norms and power dynamics into positive values that directly enhance gender equality. This, in turn, improves equal rights for all.