Development cooperation fact sheets
Gender Equality Development Cooperation Factsheet
May 2022
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Gender equality Development Cooperation Factsheet [PDF 352 KB]
Estimated Australian ODA for gender equality, disability and social inclusion 2023–24: $101.2 million
Australian ODA, Gender Equality, 2020-21 to 2021-22
| Region of Benefit | 2020-21 Actual ($m)* | 2021-22 Actual($m)* | 2021-22 Actual ($m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific | 563.5 | 530.9 | 35% |
| Southeast and East Asia | 501.7 | 516.0 | 34% |
| South and West Asia | 205.4 | 233.3 | 16% |
| Africa and the Middle East | 128.2 | 79.4 | 5% |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0% |
| Rest of the world** | 98.1 | 141.6 | 9% |
| Total Australian ODA Gender Equality | 1,496.9 | 1,501.4 | 100.0 |
Leaving No One Behind
Australia invests in improved availability of data and evidence on gender equality, including evidence regarding intersecting inequalities facing women and girls. Australia has supported UN Women's programs Women Count and Building Back Better, which are at the forefront of efforts to shed light on the gender impacts of COVID-19 and policy responses to the crisis in the Indo-Pacific region. Our partnership with the International Women's Development Agency is also furthering Australia's investment in innovative, gender-sensitive multidimensional poverty measurement, through the Equality Insights survey.
Australia is committed to gender equality and the human rights of women and girls around the world.
For the first time in 20 years, the number of people living in extreme poverty has increased. Women and girls have been impacted most, with almost half a billion now living below the poverty line.
Strategic Direction
Gender equality and women's empowerment are priority objectives of Australia's development program. The Government has reintroduced an 80 per cent performance target to ensure Australia's development investments effectively address gender equality and has mandated that those over $3 million have a gender equality objective.
In 2022–23, we will provide $65 million through the Indo-Pacific Gender Equality Fund to respond to the needs and interests of diverse women and girls and implement the Women, Peace and Security agenda. This includes a $10.0 million allocation to Emerging Markets Impact Investment Fund trust (EMIIF) to support gender lends investments through the Investing in Women program in Southeast Asia.
Australia's gender equality priorities are interconnected and mutually reinforcing:
- enhancing women's decision-making and leadership;
- promoting women's economic empowerment;
- ending sexual and gender-based violence; and
- implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
Program Highlights
Australia's continued investment to champion the rights of women and girls is delivering results.
- In 2021–22, 80 per cent of DFAT's development investments effectively addressed gender equality during implementation.
- In 2021–22, the inaugural Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders Meeting was held, which recognised the challenges facing women and girls in the Pacific and affirmed regional commitment to gender equality. Australia is supporting the region through Pacific Women Lead.
- In Southeast Asia, Australia's Investing in Women program improves women's economic participation in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar. In 2021–22, there were 35 new investments in women-led enterprises totalling $3.3 million, leveraging a further $197.6 million in private investment.
