INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TOMORROW
AIIB recognizes the central role infrastructure can play in improving women’s lives. The delivery of affordable, convenient, and reliable infrastructure can strengthen women’s access to economic, political, and social opportunities, as well as essential education and healthcare services. Increased engagement of women in infrastructure planning, labor force participation and associated use of services can also strengthen the quality and efficiency of projects as well as increase return on investment. At a minimum, infrastructure projects need to be delivered in ways which mitigate risks to women, including from pre-existing gender inequalities and exclusions.
AIIB GENDER ACTION PLAN
Focused on delivering results, AIIB’s first Gender Action Plan takes an innovative and impactful approach. It spells out the practical steps the Bank will take to ensure it meets its policy commitment to consider relevant gender equality issues in its financing. This requirement focuses our attention on the special features of each project and of each client, taking seriously their context, stakeholders, and the resources available.
NEWS & INSIGHTS
JOINT REPORTS
Financing Care Infrastructure
Care work is the backbone of societies worldwide. It encompasses both paid and unpaid labour that ensures the health and well-being of individuals, households, and communities. This essential labour, disproportionately shouldered by women, remains largely overlooked in public policy and budgets. Understanding care services and physical infrastructure as part of a unified concept of care infrastructure, investments in these areas should be viewed as complementary and interconnected, rather than as separate or competing.
AIIB has clear corporate commitments in its policies and strategies regarding gender, particularly the Corporate Strategy for 2021-2030 and the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), and these commitments are also reflected in the Bank’s Sector Strategies. The Operational Policy on Financing (OPF) and the Corporate Strategy set out AIIB’s client-driven business model and highlight client engagement in infrastructure projects as an entry point for gender and other considerations to be developed.
AIIB will continue its close dialogue with Members and clients, as well as CSOs and other development partners, on how to eliminate barriers when financing infrastructure projects and maximize benefits for all.
