Public Development Banks Driving Gender Equality

Operating at the intersection between finance and public policy, and with around 10 per cent of all global public and private investment, public development banks (PDBs) play a vital role in advancing gender equality women's empowerment.

This report provides an overview of how leading PDBs - with different historical backgrounds, mandates and engagement methods - are delivering on the gender equality agenda. This includes adopting gender-responsive principles, mechanisms and tools, as well as programming and funding cycles. 

As outlined by WEPs, the foundational elements of making sustainable progress lie in top management commitment and leadership, a dedicated and funded organizational gender strategy or policy and the tracking of progress and results. This report outlines different approaches adopted by PDBs and the choices they have made of what to measure (e.g. spending volume on gender equality, or effective gender equality results). The report concludes with 10 actions recommendations for PDBs.