Machakos, Kenya, September 5, 2024: The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has successfully wrapped up a crucial training session aimed at enhancing gender equality within the organization. Held from September 3rd to 5th, 2024, in Machakos, the three-day event focused on the practical implementation of IGAD’s Customised Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines and the IGAD Gender Management System (GMS) Handbook.
Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Amina Farah, Head of the Gender Department at IGAD, emphasized that achieving true gender equity requires more than just policy enactment. “It demands a fundamental shift in organizational culture,” she stated. Farah highlighted the GMS Handbook as a central component of IGAD’s Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit, which is essential for fostering a gender-inclusive environment. “The handbook aims to provide the managerial structures, mechanisms, and procedures necessary to accelerate gender equality and support balanced decision-making and program interventions,” she added.
This training follows a Senior Management retreat in July 2024, where the GMS Handbook was rolled out. The Gender Department has now extended this initiative to Gender Focal Persons across various IGAD divisions. The training familiarized participants with the GMS Handbook, clarified their roles, and provided a framework for promoting gender equality within their respective offices.
Key objectives achieved during the training included enhancing participants’ understanding of the GMS Handbook and IGAD’s Customised Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit. Participants also identified tools for assessing projects and monitoring gender equality outcomes. Additionally, they suggested incentives for recognizing exemplary practices, addressing non-compliance, and developing action plans to better integrate gender considerations into their projects and offices.
This training represents a significant milestone in IGAD’s ongoing efforts to promote gender equality, ensuring that women, men, girls, and boys in member states have equal opportunities to participate fully and thrive in all aspects of society.
