In many cases poverty is female. Even though in many countries women work hard at taking care of the family and rearing children, they are more affected than men by political, economic and social exclusion and oppression. That is why DC attaches great importance to picking out gender issues specifically and to take equalizing steps that go beyond support for women. Only according women full equality ensures genuine participation and a relationship based on partnership.

All development organizations actively promote gender equality as a key prerequisite for overcoming poverty. The work of the Austrian Development and Eastern Cooperation Department (OEZA) is focussed on:

• better education, health care and nutritional security for women and girls
• equality in law and economic and political improvements for women
• fair access to resources such as land, water, income, energy or capital
• preventing violence to women and girls

Not only tangibly improving women’s conditions of life and work, but also their position in the overall social context are at issue. Women and men should have equal access to the results of development projects and be entitled to take part in these on an equal footing.

Gender is also an integral part of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Among these, Goal 3 is to promote gender equality and women’s participation, political, economic and social, particularly in the field of training. The UN regard the empowerment of women as an effective and essential tool for reducing poverty.