The main purpose of the seminar was to enhance capacity building on linking and integrating women’s rights and gender equality within central themes for Norwegian development cooperation. Norway developed a strategy and action plan on women’s right and gender equality 2007-2009 which has now been extended until 2013. This action plan is intended to boost efforts to promote women’s rights and gender equality in the international community and among Norway’s cooperation partners.
With the extension of the action plan seven embassies have been selected as candidates for a pilot status i.e. Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Angola, Mozambique, Nicaragua and Nepal. All except Nicaragua were represented at the seminar. It is expected that the embassies will assume the pilot role in consultation with Norad/MFA before the conclusion of 2010.
During the first day session presentations were made on gender and climate change, maternal health (MDG5), and women’s political empowerment which brought about lively discussions. In the second day, experiences of individual embassies in addressing gender issues and women’s rights in bilateral development cooperation were shared and the dialogue and roles and responsibilities between Norad/MFA and individual embassies were discussed at length.
In their concluding remarks, participants of the seminar underlined that they found the seminar useful in getting a better understanding of Norwegian policies on women’s right and gender equality and that they acquired what it takes to advise their embassies to make an informed decision on the piloting status.