Crops to End Hunger
How CtEH integrates gender dimension
CtEH contributes to gender mainstreaming in several ways, including collaborating on the design of gender-intentional Target Product Profiles, establishing gender-representative organizational structures, and developing gender-conscious facilities with equipment adapted for women. All 14 CtEH projects incorporate a gender dimension. Additionally, the CtEH training program is committed to building the capacity of women, alongside men, across all countries, skill levels, and fields of expertise where CtEH operates.
“We prioritize accessibility at the design stage. This means, for example, ensuring restroom facilities for women and men in compliance with legal requirements. Having these amenities ensures women can take breaks and address needs like breastfeeding. When procuring equipment, like planters for example, we also consider usability for all individuals.”
Gustavo Teixeira, Mechanization Specialist and Facilities Upgrade and Mechanization Improvement Project Coordinator
Gender-Inclusive Capacity Building in CtEH
CtEH is committed to fostering gender-appropriate impact-targeted breeding by investing in human capacity building across roles, with a focus on gender inclusivity. Through various training programs, 2,233 staff members—48% female and 53% male— will benefited from CtEH investments. While 42% of all training participants were women, a key finding showed that female participants, especially in field roles, had fewer opportunities for training and were less likely to express high confidence in their skills. On average, female participants attended fewer training days (4.1 days compared to 13.2 days for males), but training increased knowledge and skills for both genders. Notably, women reported feeling that the training did not significantly enhance their capacity to advance into leadership roles.
Gender Representation in Decision-Making and Workplace Support
Despite increased female participation in CtEH programs, women remain underrepresented in decision-making roles. For example, while women constitute a comparable percentage of senior roles and committee memberships, they still lag behind in overall participation in decision-making processes. Male respondents were more likely to perceive the workplace as supportive of gender equality. Additionally, while most staff members felt comfortable contributing to decisions, gender differences emerged, particularly in field operations, where men were more likely to influence decisions. These findings highlight the ongoing need for a more gender-supportive environment to ensure that women in CtEH programs can thrive and contribute equally at all levels.
