Start Date : 1 Jul 09   End Date : 3 Jul 09 Location: Nairobi,Kenya

In January 2009, UN-HABITAT commissioned a global study to assess the status of women’s empowerment and gender mainstreaming in local governance in 25 countries.  From the 1st to 3rd July 2009, researchers carrying out the studies and experts from academic institutions, community based organisations, local governments and other stakeholders working on gender and governance will meet to discuss the initial findings of the reports.

The purpose of the studies is to provide the information necessary for designing effective policy guidelines, tools and recommendations for practical actions at the local level that will enhance gender equality in local development and contribute to poverty reduction.

The countries covered in this research are Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malawi, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sudan, Tanzania, Vietnam, Trinidad and Tobago, and  Zimbabwe.

Funded by the Government of Norway, this global assessment is unique in being broader and more comprehensive than other studies on women’s empowerment and governance.  While other studies have tended to focus on participation of women in political decision-making, this assessment goes further by also examining measures taken by local governments to address poverty, promote safety and security, and improve access to markets, resources, housing, land, security of tenure, water, sanitation, transport and energy.