The purpose of this training manual is to support the institutionalisation of gender equality and women’s rights in all humanitarian action. It was developed by Oxfam to support the implementation of the project Institutionalising Gender in Emergencies: Bridging Policy and Practice in the Humanitarian System supported by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) during 2015 to 2017. It sought to enhance collaboration, the sharing of learning, and mutual support between individuals and organisations at country level, and to equip participants with the capacity to lead change on gender within their own organisations and in the wider humanitarian community.

The aim of this initial training is to develop a critical mass of committed gender leaders – some might call these ‘change agents’ or ‘change-makers’ – who can together influence changes in policy and practice at different levels across the humanitarian system. The fundamental challenges are: to find entry points for people to reflect on the gendered impact of the way they carry out humanitarian work; to understand and feel passionate about the need for change; to develop the confidence and competence to challenge the status quo; and to propose alternatives that protect and promote gender equality and women’s rights.