Purpose

This year, ADB celebrates International Women's Day (IWD) adopting the international UN theme: Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All - Beijing at 15: gender equality, development and peace. The celebration marks the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for the Advancement of Women (1995).

In addition to the IWD breakfast event, there will be a series of gender activities throughout the month from both institutional and operational perspectives.

Objectives

The month-long activities will:

• promote gender equality and women's empowerment in the work culture and work environment
• provide an understanding of ADB's institutional commitment to gender mainstreaming
• demonstrate the benefits of gender mainstreaming to greater operational effectiveness and key ADB Gender Policy requirements; and
• enhance knowledge and strengthen skills in addressing gender concerns in transport and energy projects

Activities

A.  Institutional Activities

• 8 March: International Women's Day (IWD) Breakfast. ADB celebrates international women's day adopting the UN theme: Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All - Beijing at 15: gender equality, development and peace
• 9 March: Brown Bag on Gender Inclusion in the Workplace: EIB's experience
• 11 and 12 March: Effective Communication (Refresher Course)
• 15 and 16 March: Effective Communication Training
• 15 March: Women's Education Network Event for Women Professional Staff
• 29 March: Lunch and Learn Session with Directors: Managing for Gender Inclusiveness

B.  Operational Activities

• 3 March: Filipino men as an emerging human face of trafficking
• 8 March: Gender Specialists Retreat for Headquarters Staff
• 9-10 March: Gender and Development Knowledge Sharing Event. The knowledge sharing event includes sessions on (i) ADB gender policy and implementation, (ii) gender and energy, and (iii) gender and transport.
• 25 March: Supporting women's small and medium enterprises

Target participants

All staff are invited to attend the International Women's Day Breakfast event on 8 March and the various seminars planned for the month of March. The sessions of the Gender and Development Knowledge Sharing Event sessions on 9-10 March are primarily designed for operational staff.