The Road to the SDGs

PURPOSE X By empowering women and girls to participate in and benefit from the development of their societies and communities, IsDB’s Women’s Empowerment Policy aims at improving the effectiveness of IsDB’s development assistance so as to bring about greater socioeconomic returns and deliver on its mandate. X The Policy is the first of its kind for IsDB and defines a commitment to promote women’s empowerment as a means to reduce poverty and foster sustainable development and inclusive growth. It also marks IsDB’s promise to unlock the untapped potential of women in its MCs and Muslim communities in non-MCs by establishing fundamental principles to guide its programmes and interventions to reduce the barriers to women’s economic and social development. X Intended to guide IsDB towards integrating women’s empowerment in future operations, the Policy is in line with IsDB’s 10YS and reform agenda based on the P5P (2017–2022). The Policy will also contribute to the implementation of OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women and the SDGs, specifically SDG 5 (gender equality). METHOD X The Policy has four pillars, which reflect the challenges and priorities of MCs and IsDB’s institutional and global commitments to support MCs to realise their national and international obligations. The pillars are: – Access – Mainstreaming – Agency – Learning. X IsDB will address the four pillars guided by the following principles: – Capitalising on synergies and complementarities – Making strategic choices in areas and modes of engagement – Promoting innovation – Being adaptable to ensure inclusivity of all. X Both the pillars and principles are stimulated by key enablers that leverage IsDB’s comparative advantage and unique instruments, capitalise on its decentralised structure and strengthen partnerships. X IsDB will commit sufficient human and financial resources and clear and measurable accountability mechanisms for the successful implementation of the Policy. X The Policy requires IsDB to constantly monitor its own performance in support T he Women’s Empowerment Policy contributes to sustainable and inclusive development in MCs and Muslim communities in non-MCs Women’s Empowerment Policy IsDB will gradually and consistently build the capacity of its staff to promote women’s empowerment in their work programmes and country engagements [ 108 ] SDGs