The overall goal for this round table meeting is to find more effective means for mainstreaming poverty reduction and gender in IDB's agenda.

I would like to stress that mainstreaming poverty reduction and mainstreaming gender should not be seen as two separate tasks and processes, but as one coherent undertaking.

We need to be more aware of how we gender mainstreaming is crucial for eradicating poverty. Because still, the concepts gender and gender mainstreaming are not very well understood. There is thus an intellectual challenge – which will transform development analysis and action – to clarify what a gender perspective actually means.

I will thus start by addressing conceptual issues, to demonstrate the rationale for applying a gender perspective in poverty reduction - and end by providing some recommendations for future action.

All over the globe, in Latin and Central America just as in Europe, women constitute the majority of the poor, both in economic and in non-economic terms. And all over the world women suffer from exclusion; as they often - because of their sex - are excluded from decision- making and access to resources, also within their families and the local community.

It is pivotal to focus on the structural reasons behind this female poverty. Because what we often define as gender "gaps" and gender "differencies" are rarely co-incidences but parts of a global pattern.

Gender equality is often in practice considered as "optional" in most societies and institutions is not really a question of attitudes but a question of power.

Women are poorer than men because they are often denied access to or ownership of land and other assets. Women seldom get paid for the work they perform, which is crucial for the survival and well being of both families and societies. Women, because of their sex, do not get training and education nor introduction to new technologies to the same degree as men. And as IDB clearly has pointed out repeatedly, women suffer from sexual and domestic violence, partly because it is considered that women are inferior human beings who can be abused.

The perceptions of male superiority and female subordination is pointed out as a basic reason for gender differences in the Beijing Platform of Action, adopted at the UN Fourth World Conference for women in Beijing 1995.

Thus, we must look into the structures which cause poverty for women.

The Swedish Government has to that end, commissioned a project, to demonstrate how gender based discrimination is a root cause for poverty, both for individuals and for societies at large.

The discrimination is the problem, much more than the "vulnerability" of women. If women are vulnerable, it is because they have been made vulnerable – legally, economically, socially - and not because women are intrinsically vulnerable.

When given equal opportunities and when not discriminated against, women will be able to help themselves, their families and communities to move out of poverty - and to promote economic and social growth.

I thus have some problems with the terminology "Women in development". Because the problem is not "women" but discrimination against women. Nor is the problem to integrate women in development – but to address the assymetrical structures by which women now are integrated - which prevents women, and societies at large, from successfully combating poverty.

It is for instance appalling to see that women's work is not even recognised in statistics of world economics, which tend to state that only some 50% of women are economically active – in spite of the fact that ALL women work, and mostly 14 hours per day , compared to the 8-10 men tend to provide. It is a question of intellectual honesty to recognise these realities.

To address discrimination is also crucial for promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms – for all, regardless of sex, age and race, as enshrined in the charter of the UN – and in many national constitutions.

It is indeed encouraging to see that the human rights approach is more in the forefront of the international development discourse these days. But we still need to high light the fact that these rights are for everybody – and that we must reveal and address gender based obstacles, not only among partner countries but also in our own institutions.

It the discourse on poverty and gender it is also crucial to look into how discrimination of women and poverty among women prevents development for societies at large. This has been high-lighted by several development institutions, including the World Bank. It has also been stressed that discrimination prevents the functioning of the market – and thus runs contrary to important goals – vigorously supported by i a development banks - to facilitate the smooth functioning of the market.

It is also interesting but alarming to note that studies demonstrate that the gender gaps are larger in the poorest households, where many women lack control over even extremely limited resources.

And we know from studies of other regions, such as South Asia, that during seasons of food shortages poor women are both more under-nourished than men and also beaten by theirs frustrated men when there is not enough food to put on the table in the households.

The IDB has been in the forefront internationally in a fight which is crucial for the well-being of people which is at the heart of development co-operation: to high-lighting domestic violence. IDB deserves praise for this work. But: the IDB could do more to demonstrate the links between poverty and violence, and to address gender and poverty in a more coherent and systematic manner.

Of course, the poverty of women is linked to the division of labour, in the household and in most parts of society at large.

Women perform what traditionally has been labelled "reproductive work", which almost never is given economic value, and which is seen as inferior to "productive work", which tends to be male. And paid for!

However, it must be recognised that the so called reproductive work is and has always been a precondition for the productive work in society.

Even the most advanced philosophers and engineers in history have been dependent on nursing in their childhood, and on food, shelter and other basic services, often provided by women.

It is for instance estimated that 75% of all health services globally are provided in the households, primarily by women. This is never estimated in economic terms - and is thus not really seen and acknowledged as a contribution to economies, in spite of its fundamental value.

It is not thus a question of "integrating" women in economies - but of recognising what women do – and could do if given equal rights and access to resources. We need a coherent, holistic picture instead of the far too often fragmented approach to gender mainstreaming.

We need to move away from an often paternalistic approach to treat women as inferior, vulnerable etc – and to treat women with dignity and respect, and to regard poor women as important vehicles for poverty eradication and growth.

I now wish to mention ten pieces of advice which could facilitate gender mainstreaming in organisations like the IDB:

1. Non-discrimination: Gender equality basically means not to discriminate on grounds of sex. It does not imply that women and men must perform the same tasks. But it means that they, regardless of their undertakings, should have the same rights, opportunities and obligations; to influence agenda setting in all areas, and at all levels.

Non-discrimination can best be pursued with a dual approach – both by applying a gender perspective into all work and by particularly focussing on women.

2. Transformation: To apply a gender perspective and to strive for gender equality will imply change and transformation of processes and perceptions, including in decision-making, in political agenda setting and in allocation of resources.

3. Honour commitments: Gender equality can never be "optional". Countries have made legal and political commitments not to discriminate women under basic UN Conventions, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and in Platform of Action from the UN Conference in Beijing 1995.

4. Effectiveness and quality: No one can effectively combat poverty nor promote democracy, human rights, partnership and sustainable development if not women and men - on an equal basis - are seen as both actors and recipients. Gender equality is both an end in itself and a means of efficiency, and a means for improving quality standards.

5. Committed leadership: Mainstreaming gender perspectives, with the aim of attaining gender equality, requires strong support from top management – and all the way down to implementing levels.

6. Practically oriented, clear examples: Concepts like gender and mainstreaming should be explained - but kept practically oriented. Simple, concrete manuals must be provided with examples on what a gender perspective means in agriculture, health, in a road project etc. Involve colleagues when manuals and other tools are produced. Distribute and explain the manuals at seminars and meetings. Mainstreaming requires knowledge, training and awareness – but can never change procedures if political commitment is lacking.

7. Identify entry-points in key-processes and bring in gender in the development dialogue with partner countries and organisations: Whenever a new key policy process /dialogue is launched see to it that knowledge and awareness on gender discrimination, and the different roles and opportunities for women and men, are integral parts of both analysis and suggested action. And link gender mainstreaming to the daily processes of country-programming, speech writing, policy- and project assessment, in budgetary allocation, evaluations etc.

8. Adequate resources: Often there are huge gaps between high political ambitions regarding gender mainstreaming and resources set aside for the undertakings. It is essential to allocate both qualified personnel and financial resources for politics, analysis, operations, training and production of manuals etc.

9. Partnerships and net-working: Involve women and gender perspectives in all partnership dialogues. Build net works, internal and external, and collect, document and disseminate good examples which can serve as models for other undertakings.

10. Accountability: Ensure accountability by linking back to a committed management and governing boards. Ensure that activities related to gender form part of regular action plans of the organisation and that reports on progress and problems encountered are sent to top management.

Let me conclude by saying that tools for gender mainstreaming should primarily be more conceptual, policy-oriented and go to the heart of the matter, more than having the aim of addressing technical issues. They should help us think in new directions.

One very simple help to this end, often used in Sweden, is the so called "tree R-method". It indicates that we should look at three questions and see to what extent women and men are treated in an equal manner whenever we plan an undertaking:

1. Resources: do women and men get equal access to resources such as credits, education, training etc in the activity being planned?

2. Representation: Are women to the same extent as men involved in assessing the needs, in designing activities, in execution etc?

3. Reality-check: How can we make an analysis of how and why women and men, already at the outset of a planning process, have very different conditions and prospects – and why priority is given to one sex and not the other, in for instance reproductive health (when men get less attention) and economic reforms and privatisation programs (when women tend to be left out). Ask: who benefits from the activities? Women or men primarily?

These are but a few of the issues that would need to be addressed in a discourse on mainstreaming gender and poverty. I thus hope that the Nordic countries and the IDB will continue to discuss these issues with the aim of finding more appropriate ways and means for developing coherent mechanisms for mainstreaming poverty eradication and gender equality with the aim of improving living conditions for the poor.

Thank you.