Illustrated guidelines for gender-responsive employment intensive investment programmes

This guide is the outcome of a study carried out on gender and public works, and has been developed using evidence from 43 EIIPs implemented in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America between 1995 and 2013.

The ILO’s Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) has more than 35 years’ experience in over 70 countries linking employment with infrastructure development.

The EIIP promotes labour-based technologies that offer major advantages in terms of using investments in infrastructure to create work and income-generating opportunities, and to build the skills and capacities of local communities.

The EIIP uses the infrastructure project cycle as a means of realizing its objectives of employment creation, local participation and resource use, and of promoting good governance. These Illustrated Guidelines for Gender-responsive Employment Intensive Investment Programmes (EIIPs) highlight how the EIIP cycle has entry points where gender equality can be promoted. Such entry points include: ensuring that disadvantaged groups can participate in and meaningfully contribute to the planning and implementation of rural infrastructure; engaging women in planning processes; and ensuring that they can also benefit from the employment offered. Enabling women to take up employment also requires specific measures depending on local customs and culture. Measures such as equal pay for work of equal value, child care, setting quotas, making works available close to home, flexible working hours and options for part-time work tend to enhance women’s participation.

This Guide is the outcome of a study carried out on gender and public works, and has been developed using evidence from more than 43 projects implemented in 27 countries.