AREAS OF EXPERTISE
GENDER RIGHTS
Research reveals that gender-neutral approaches to policies and procedures can render gender issues invisible and marginalize women. Since its founding, Avanzar has proactively incorporated gender considerations in our work since it is crucial for achieving sustainable development.
Women living near extractive operations are usually more likely to be poor than men. They face barriers to access to education, social services, and economic opportunities. At the same time, women invest more in their children and family. They can be catalysts for economic development. Avanzar constantly strives to support women, prevent gender discrimination, and elevate women’s voices in our client projects.
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SAMPLE PROJECTS INCLUDE:
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During Human Rights Risk Assessments and Social Risk Assessments, we strive to interview at least 50 percent female employees, community members, or contractor employees. We interview local organizations that focus on gender equality to understand the context women live in at the operation.
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To promote female leadership in our Participatory Water Monitoring Projects, Avanzar provides additional capacity building and leadership training to the women representatives and gender equality training to all representatives. In Panama and Guatemala, women have served as elected leaders and made major contributions to the credibility of the Participatory Committees.
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Avanzar provided guidance to the consultant conducting an EIA in a remote region of Turkey to ensure that women were properly and meaningfully consulted.
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TRAINING
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Meaningful community participation only occurs when the community is well trained and has the capacity to understand the information provided and the decision-making process. To ensure women participate in any stakeholder engagement process, Avanzar works diligently to provide guidance, capacity building, and leadership training that empowers the women to speak up and lead with confidence.
Avanzar also ensures that all training modules developed on human rights, security, or other topics are gender inclusive. For example, our security and human rights training focuses on gender discrimination and safeguards for the proper treatment of women and respect for women's rights.