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Build Sustainable Financing and Partnerships for Girls and Women

The transformative power of girls and women is undeniable. It is time for development partners to invest wisely, invest together, and invest often.

Overview   Evidence    Ripple Effect   Policy Asks   Solutions in Action  

As the international community works to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), development actors working across sectors have an opportunity to work together to positively impact girls’ and women’s lives through financial investment and strengthened multi-sector partnerships that deliver on an integrated agenda. These partnerships can drive progress forward, bringing people with diverse skills, experiences, and resources together to addresses common challenges and to advance gender equality.

4%
Gender-equality programming amounted to only 4% of OECD Development Assistant Committee bilateral aid in 2016-2017.
55%
An estimated 55% of the global population lacks government-funded social protection coverage, which disproportionately affects women.
10X
Investments in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health yield at least a 10-fold return through better educational attainment, workforce participation, and social contributions.
$28 Trillion
If women’s informal labor were recognized and they were to participate in the economy at the same rate and level as men, there could be a $28 trillion increase in global GDP by 2025.

Investing in girls and women creates a ripple effect that yields multiple benefits, not only for individual women, but also for families, communities, and countries. When cross-sector stakeholders work together to invest in gender equality and to leverage their collective strengths, there will be social and economic returns for all.

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Boost Women's Economic Empowerment
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Boost Women's Economic Empowerment
Women’s economic empowerment is a pre-requisite for inclusive and equitable...
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Improve Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition
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Improve Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition
Investments in maternal, newborn, and reproductive health save lives and...
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Improve Data and Accountability for Girls and Women
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Improve Data and Accountability for Girls and Women
Data play a critical role in understanding gaps in programs...
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Invest in Girls and Women to Tackle Climate Change and Conserve the Environment
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Invest in Girls and Women to Tackle Climate Change and Conserve the Environment
Gender equality is critical to improving the environment and fighting...
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  • Focus on women, children, and adolescents in political and funding priorities across SDG targets and indicators, and ensure time-bound implementation of transparent, reliable funding streams that honor their commitments made in international and regional agreements.
  • Increase spending through integrated and innovative approaches (including progressive taxation), and develop gender-responsive budgets in line with the SDG commitments made to girls and women.
  • Support countries in effectively monitor and audit taxes and budgets to finance SDG investments.
  • Develop new partnerships across sectors, foster horizontal investments, account for social determinants of health, and work toward more sustainable domestic financing to boost efficient financing and implementation of the SDGs and examine alternative forms of financing to help meet demands.
  • Account for, develop, and manage sound, equitable budgets in line with funding the SDGs.
  • Strengthen government accountability and call out corruption and negligence in all sectors.
Explore the Policy Brief
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