The Division's Mandate

Policy Advice

The Division provides policy advice to the senior management and the Programme Sectors for mainstreaming gender in all UNESCO policies, strategies and programmes. It also promotes gender parity and work-life balance in the Secretariat.

Advocacy

The Division is responsible for raising awareness of the cross-cutting nature of gender dimensions in social, economic, scientific, cultural and educational fields. In line with this, one of the Division’s main objectives is to foster political commitment to gender equality, as well as to monitor the implementation of one of two global priorities of the Organization, gender equality, in all of UNESCO’s programmes.

Capacity Development

The Division supports capacity development within UNESCO and among Member States, by developing holistic and multi-disciplinary approaches that would contribute to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals. It also conducts orientation and training programmes to increase the competence and skills of staff in UNESCO headquarters and field offices to plan, implement and monitor gender-responsive and gender-transformative initiatives.

Research

The Division conducts and coordinates cutting-edge policy and action research on gender equality issues in selected areas pertaining to UNESCO’s fields of competence. It provides expert policy advice to Member-States and relevant actors based on evidence and works to strengthen the research-policy linkages.

Partnerships

The Division develops and establishes partnerships with other UN bodies, INGOs, regional bodies, IGOs, NGOs, private foundations and private sector partners that support women’s empowerment and gender equality initiatives.