ANNEX D: DEFINITION OF TERMS Gender and Development Concepts and Principles a) Gender and Development (GAD) - refers to the development perspective and process that is participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence, respectful of human rights, and supportive of self-determination and actualization of human potentials. It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that should be reflected in development choices and contends that women are active agents of development, not just passive recipients of development. b) Gender Audit - refers to a form of “social audit” or “quality audit” which determines whether the organization’s internal practices and related support systems for gender mainstreaming are effective, reinforcing each other and are being followed. This tool or process assists organizations in establishing a baseline, identifying critical gaps and challenges, and recommending ways of addressing them. c) Gender Equality - refers to the principle asserting the equality of women and men and their right to enjoy equal conditions, realizing their full potentials to contribute to and benefit from the results of development, and with the State recognizing that all human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. d) Gender Mainstreaming - refers to the strategy for making women’s and men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programs in all social, political, civil, and economic spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. It is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies, or programs in all areas and at all levels. At the agency level, gender mainstreaming means raising people’s awareness on GAD and building GAD-related capabilities; putting in place policies, structures, systems, and mechanisms that would facilitate and institutionalize the pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment; applying GAD-related skills and tools to develop programs, activities and projects addressing gender issues; continuously implementing, monitoring, evaluating and enhancing the agency’s gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment efforts; and incorporating GAD in all aspects of the agency’s operations. 35