Education: Through its programmes of support to higher education and in particular to science and technology, the Bank will contribute to increasing women attendance and certification to at least 50% by 2015.
Health and Education: The Bank will contribute to efforts at increasing the attendance of girls and women in education, at improving women's health, and at reducing maternal mortality by improving basic infrastructure, schools, hospital, clinics, access roads, and by providing water and sanitation.
Employment generation: Under its programmes, the Bank commits to:
- increasing access to micro finance to at least 60% female entrepreneurs;
- increasing access to rural finance to at least 70% female farmers, given their critical role in agricultural development, with an anticipated increase in smallholder female farmer disposable incomes by at least 5% per year;
- increasing its support to at least 50% of female entrepreneurs in at least 5 African countries in its private sector operations;
- instituting an annual Presidential Prize for Innovative African female entrepreneur in business.
Gender Budgeting: Assessing the impact on women and tracking the use of resources is a powerful tool for mainstreaming gender in a core area of public policy. The Bank will step-up its work on gender-responsive budgets and auditing, in particular, within the context of the Bank's policy dialogue on budget support.
Improving the Gender Balance within the Bank: The Bank commits to fast-track action in order to attain international best practice by the end of 2009 in the recruitment, retention, and career development of women. In addition, an annual Award will be instituted for a Bank project which demonstrates best practice or innovation in promoting gender equality.
