The impact of EU gender policy in the NDICI-Global Europe framework
In the past decades, the EU has taken significant steps to promote gender equality globally through its external action. Sara Gianesello, Amandine Sabourin and Katja Sergejeff examine how the EU mainstreams gender equality within NDICI-Global Europe and argue that while there are several good practices, there is still a need to include gender considerations, for instance, in structural issues within societies.
This paper is gender transformative. 
Summary
Over recent decades, the EU has taken significant steps to promote gender equality globally through its external action. These efforts are based on key policy documents such as the subsequent Gender Action Plans as well as driven by specific targets on promoting gender equality in the Neighbourhood, Development, and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe).
This paper examines how the EU mainstreams gender equality in its external actions under NDICI-Global Europe. Firstly, the paper sets the scene on the benefits of gender mainstreaming for women as well as for development outcomes more broadly. Furthermore, it analyses the EU’s programming in six partner countries and assesses gender mainstreaming in 56 actions. Clearly the EU has made good efforts in mainstreaming gender in its development cooperation, but there is a large variance in how meaningfully this has been done. While this study found several good practices, there is still a need to ensure relevant inclusion of gender considerations, particularly in addressing structural issues within societies.
Going forward, the EU should mainstream gender in a more comprehensive, politically informed and contextual manner, setting attention on addressing the causes of gender inequalities to improve the lives of girls and women. Furthermore, the EU should consider strengthening the mandate and role of gender focal points and enhancing the whole-of-delegation ownership of gender equality.
