Owning Development: Promoting Gender Equality in the New Aid Modalities and Partnerships

A conference held in Brussels 7–9 November 2005 by UNIFEM and the European Commission (EC), which was organised with support from EEPA, discussed how to accelerate progress on gender equality and development cooperation, within the context of a changing aid architecture that is increasingly driven by partnership between donor and recipient countries, and ownership of the development process by the recipients of aid.

The meeting, which brought together 130 government representatives, women's rights advocates, donors and UN partners, was designed as a follow-up to 2005's landmark events, including the 10-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action, the adoption of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, and the 2005 World Summit. It provided an important, and timely, space for women from developing countries to engage in the "partnership for development" debate with the EC and other donors and highlighted possible entry points to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in the new aid agenda and national development planning.

• National ownership, gender equality and national development planning;
• Participation and negotiation;
• Partnerships;
• Accountability and mutual accountability;
• Knowledge and communication.