Gender equality is fundamental to human rights, inclusive development, and economic progress. Eliminating gender-based disparities enables communities to thrive-leading to improved health outcomes, increased educational attainment, economic growth, and stronger governance.

SRSF’s Commitment to Gender Equality

At SRSF, promoting gender equality is a core organizational priority. Our commitment is twofold:

• Internally, we strive to foster an inclusive, equitable workplace.
• Externally, we ensure all programs are designed and implemented with a gender-responsive lens.

This commitment is especially critical in rural areas, where entrenched patriarchal norms often limit women’s rights, participation, and access to resources. These restrictions result in poverty, illiteracy, and limited access to health and livelihood opportunities.

Empowering women through education, healthcare, social mobilization, and economic inclusion leads to stronger families and more resilient communities.

Mainstreaming Gender Across All Programs

SRSF embeds gender mainstreaming across all projects and initiatives. This approach ensures that gender perspectives are integrated at every level of planning, implementation, and evaluation-reinforcing our mission of poverty reduction through inclusive development.

Gender and Development Section

To institutionalize gender equality, SRSF has established a dedicated Gender and Development (GAD) Section. This unit leads the organization’s efforts to promote gender-responsive programming and advocacy at both community and organizational levels.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure gender remains a core focus across all SRSF activities.
• Design programs and support packages tailored for women’s Community Organizations (COs).
• Develop gender policies, operational strategies, and monitoring systems to ensure implementation.
• Advocate for dedicated resources toward gender-related initiatives.
• Deliver gender awareness and sensitivity training for staff and community stakeholders.
• Regularly review planning and implementation tools to support women’s active participation.
• Enhance internal understanding of gender mainstreaming and promote continuous learning.

Gender Policy and Implementation Plan

SRSF’s Gender Policy and Implementation Plan outlines strategic actions to embed gender equality across all operations. By addressing existing gaps and preventing new disparities, the policy ensures that both men and women benefit equally from development efforts.

This plan is a critical step toward ensuring that all SRSF initiatives are inclusive, equitable, and transformative-paving the way for sustainable development and social justice.