Gender | Asian Development Bank

Well-Springs of New Hope

An ADB-supported project put latrines in Trav Ly's community and her children are healthier, allowing her to invest the money she has saved on medical care in their school supplies and tuition. Read More

Breaking with Tradition

An ADB-supported project in Nepal is helping some of the most disadvantaged women in the country build careers in occupations once reserved for men. Read More

The Skills to Succeed

An ADB-supported project in Cambodia has given some of the country's poorest women a chance to change their lives. Read More

Transforming Lives

In rural Nepal, small changes go a long way in improving the lot of disadvantaged women. Read More

Overview

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are essential for meeting the region’s aspirations of inclusive and sustainable development. Gender equality needs to be pursued in its own right for a just and equal society, and for better development outcomes - inclusive growth, faster poverty reduction and accelerated progress towards MDG attainment.

ADB has placed gender equality at the “front and center” of its development agenda. Promoting “gender equity” is included as one of the 5 drivers of change in Strategy 2020. ADB recognizes that without harnessing the talents, human capital and economic potential of women, the region’s goals of poverty reduction and sustainable development will not be met.