We take a holistic approach to tackling gender inequalities. Our approach recognises that change is needed to support women and girls’ awareness, capacities and abilities, and to create opportunities and an enabling environment for empowerment.
We collaborate with partners from different sectors to influence legislation and policy that promotes gender equality, at the local and national level.
Given that discriminatory social attitudes, beliefs and social norms can negatively affect women and girls’ empowerment, some of our work on women and girls seeks to understand, explore and influence change in attitudes, as well as foster opportunities for influencing social norms in the longer term.
Our theory of change
We offer different opportunities for women and girls' empowerment through a range of programmes in 110 countries and use the following five intended outcomes to frame the work we do in this area:
- increased awareness and agency
- fairer access to resources and opportunities
- supportive legal and policy environment
- changes in attitudes, beliefs, practices and discriminatory social norms
- dialogue, collaboration and collective action.
Gender Guide
This Guide and the accompanying annex is a collection of information, resources and activities that aim to support British Council staff to advance women’s rights and gender equality through their work. It is designed to provide practical solutions for embedding gender into our projects and programmes.
