ADB’s Policy on Gender and Development (GAD) is the guiding framework for gender and development activities. The Policy adopts gender mainstreaming as the key strategy for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment across the full range of ADB operations—from country partnership strategies to the design and implementation of gender-inclusive projects and programs.

Gender equality needs to be pursued in its own right and because it is critical for sustained economic growth, faster poverty reduction, and inclusive development. Under investments in women are missed opportunities to correct gender disparities and to capture and unleash the economic and human capital potential of women.

Hence, ADB’s long-term strategic framework—Strategy 2020 includes “promoting gender equity” as one of the five drivers of change. The corporate results framework to measure performance includes concrete numerical gender targets to be met by 2012. Gender performance is tracked and reported annually.

Periodic reviews of the GAD policy in 2002 Interim Progress Report on the Policy on GAD and 2006 GAD Policy Implementation Review  confirm the Policy’s continued relevance and sound framework for supporting women’s empowerment and gender equality outcomes.