Gender equality is now at the forefront of the global development agenda, with gender equality included as a standalone target in the Sustainable Development Goals – plus gender-specific targets in other Goals.

Our work aims to identify effective approaches to help achieve these targets through analysing the social, political and economic factors that underpin gender inequality such as discriminatory social and gender norms, violence against women and girls, and social exclusion.

We translate knowledge about women and girls’ well-being into policy and practice across a range of issues, including sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, political economy, social protection, economic crisis, climate change, and notions of masculinity. 

We take a life-course approach to addressing women and girls’ constraints, with a particular focus on how they influence the intersection between gender, childhood and the transition to young adulthood.