Gender Equality and Women Empowerment

"My biggest takeaway is that gender equality doesn’t happen by accident — it happens by design. The programme gave me the tools to turn intention into action. Frameworks like the Gender Integration Continuum helped me assess where our current efforts stand and how we can move toward truly transformative change. I also found the four types of power framework especially powerful in understanding how to foster and sustain meaningful empowerment. As someone leading a startup accelerator, I gained valuable insights into the economic cost of gender inequality, particularly how it restricts women’s access to finance, leadership, and innovation opportunities. Learning how to design a gender-responsive budget was a practical skill I’ll immediately apply in our programmes. Equally important was understanding how to integrate gender in climate action — an area where inclusive solutions are not just fair, but necessary for impact. And perhaps most importantly, I walk away with a deeper belief that gender equality isn’t just a “women’s issue”, it’s about reshaping systems for everyone.”
Mr. Mostafa Mohamed (Egypt), participant of the May 2025 programme

"As a believer in the power of education to foster social change, I was eager to deepen my knowledge on gender issues and to develop practical skills that could help address these challenges in my country."
Mr. Ibrahim Jamal Azeez (Iraq), participant of the June 2024 programme

"When I applied to the position as the “Energy Gender Focal Point” in Jordan, I aimed at expanding my knowledge and enriching my skills in these spheres so that I could make a positive impact in my community and the working environment."
Ms. Rasha Marar (Jordan) participant of the June 2024 programme

“This course has exposed me to a wide range of issues for which I am very grateful. When I go back to my country, I am able to effectively advocate for gender transformative policies and gender responsive projects, which take into cognizance the need of women and also men.”
Mrs. Taiwo Olaniyan (Niigeria) participant of the June 2022 programme.

"The content is designed in a structured and engaging manner, with a good mix of theory and practice.  I particularly like the way the programme provoked thoughts and reflection, which allowed me to first self-assess my leadership, and visualise how I am going to evolve to empower other women.”
Ms. Trân Tran Thi Ngoc (Vietnam) participant June 2023 

“Given my background as a university lecturer and a strong advocate of women empowerment, the programme has enriched my capacity through valuable connections in networking, funding sources, and shared experience among the participants from across the regions of the world.”
Mr. Paul Okon Udofot (Nigeria)​ participant of the June 2023 programme

"This programme was actually a wake-up call for me as I didn’t realize how much work I needed to do for myself, for my country and my organization when it comes to women empowerment and gender equality.”
Mrs. Isra Al Tarbaghia (Libyia) participant June 2022 

“Being a social project manager, I implemented a lot of social initiatives that deal with empowering rural women to create their own businesses. Therefore, joining this program was a great opportunity to know more about gender issues and the female entrepreneurship policies. This helps me to influence, inspire and lead other women in my community.”
Mrs. Naima Fatehi (Algeria) participant June 2022