BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Friday said it has launched an innovative Gender Toolkit, marking a pivotal step forward in strengthening gender-responsive community development across the Caribbean.
The CDB said that the initiative being undertaken through its Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) provides comprehensive guidance on gender analysis, gender action planning, and the prevention and response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The project is being unveiled ahead of the global observance of International Women’s Day on Sunday, and the CDB said the toolkit underscores BNTF’s ongoing work to embed gender equality throughout every stage of the project cycle and reaffirms the bank’s commitment to advancing gender-responsive development across the region.
“Gender equality remains a cross-cutting priority of BNTF. Recognising that infrastructure and services affect women and men differently due to the gendered realities of their lives, the BNTF has taken deliberate steps to ensure that development interventions are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to community needs,” said CDB’s BNTF portfolio manager, George Yearwood.
The CDB said that the newly developed toolkit provides practical guidance on conducting gender analysis in community development projects, developing gender action plans, reporting and monitoring gender outcomes, and preventing and responding to SGBV, including protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
In addition to the toolkit, BNTF has delivered virtual training for 20 people, including representatives from its Implementing agencies and national gender machineries in participating countries.
“As a next step, BNTF will roll out three e-learning courses, focusing on gender analysis and gender action planning in community development projects, SGBV prevention and response in community development projects, and SGBV prevention and response in infrastructure projects, particularly for contractors and supervisory personnel.”
The CDB said that by strengthening gender mainstreaming, BNTF is advancing safer, more resilient, and more inclusive Caribbean communities.
“The toolkit represents a significant milestone in institutionalising gender-responsive approaches in infrastructure and community development projects throughout the region,” it added.
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