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Policy

International development

From
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture
Directorate
External Affairs Directorate
Topic
Communities and third sector, Economy, International
Policy actions  6 of 9

Equalities

Advancing equality was identified as a thematic priority in 2021. It is set out in our International Strategy.  

We take two approaches to delivering on our commitments on equality in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5. 

International Development Fund equalities programme 

Through an equalities programme, funded through our International Development Fund, including: 

  • The Women and Girls Fund, which was launched on International Women’s Day 2024, and which will provide £3 million over four years to support women- and girl-led organisations in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda, with the advancement of gender equality and the rights of women and girls as a principal objective. The fund is being delivered in partnership with the international research consultancy Ecorys, working in collaboration with FAWE (Forum for African Women Educationalists). Read more about the fund and our participatory approach. 

  • Continued support for the Police Scotland Peer-to-Peer Partnership with the police services in Malawi and Zambia, building on longstanding partnerships. This programme provides funding of up to £1.45 million between 2024 and 2027, and focuses on systems strengthening, the protection of vulnerable groups. This programme focuses on key areas including tackling gender-based violence, and child protection. 

Mainstreaming gender equality 

We are mainstreaming gender equality across our international development work. This requires building more gender-responsive international development programmes across our sector portfolios. 

We will score our new bilateral and multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding for the implementation of specific projects against the OECD DAC gender equality policy marker. In doing so, we will seek to fund more work that strengthens gender equality or positively changes behaviours and attitudes towards gender and power relations. 

Using this tool will increase transparency on how the Scottish Government’s ODA spending promotes gender equality and women’s rights, and recognises the different ways that gender can intersect with other protected characteristics – such as disability - in each of our partner countries. 

Read more: Mainstreaming gender equality guidance note.  

This will apply to all our international development work. 

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