StartEquality: Helping Public Institutions Begin Their Gender Equality Journey

For many public institutions, advancing gender equality is a priority, but knowing where to start can be a challenge. To respond to this reality, UNDP developed StartEquality, a practical capacity development programme that helps institutions build their knowledge, commitment, and vision needed to advance gender equality in their mandates.  

As an entry point to the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions, StartEquality provides a structured yet flexible process that can be adapted to different countries, sectors, and institutional contexts. Through a combination of learning, dialogue, and planning, institutions identify their gender equality priorities and develop a roadmap for action.  

To support this journey, UNDP developed three online training modules on gender equality, inclusive governance, and gender analysis, as well as an in-person participatory workshop methodology that guides institutions in developing an Institutional Vision and Roadmap.   

The programme was recently piloted in Senegal in three municipalities, with the support of the Country Office and local civil society organizations acting as facilitators and partners on the ground. Three Senegalese NGOs, enda ECOPOP, Afrique Enjeux, and Déclic, were trained to implement the methodology and accompany municipal Champions Groups throughout the process. They successfully delivered the three online training modules and facilitated the in-person workshops that enabled municipalities to develop their institutional visions for gender equality.  

The pilot involved the municipalities of Sédhiou, Boutoupa Camaracounda, and Kéréwane, each of which developed a vision that reflects its local priorities and challenges.  

In Sédhiou, the municipality committed to becoming an inclusive local government where gender equality is integrated into planning, public service delivery, and local governance, while promoting women’s economic empowerment and greater participation in decision-making spaces.  

In Boutoupa Camaracounda, the institutional vision focuses on creating conditions for girls to remain in school, increasing women’s participation in school and municipal governance, and promoting more equitable access to land and local development opportunities.  

Meanwhile, Kéréwane defined a vision of becoming a model of inclusive governance where girls can safely access quality education and women have greater access to land and decision-making processes, addressing some of the structural inequalities identified at local level.  

The Senegal experience demonstrates one of StartEquality’s greatest strengths: its ability to combine a global methodology with locally owned solutions. While each municipality identified different priorities, all three emerged from the process with a shared vision, clear objectives, and a roadmap for advancing gender equality through their institutional mandate.  

Every institution’s path to gender equality is unique. StartEquality offers a practical way to turn commitment into action, transforming conversations into shared visions and visions into change. The first step towards becoming a gender-responsive institution does not have to be complex. It starts with commitment, collective leadership, and a clear direction. StartEquality provides the tools to begin that journey. Could your institution be next?