The Centre undertakes activities in the following areas:

1. Institutional and organizational capacity building

EGDC strives to create an institutional environment conducive to gender mainstreaming in the regional integration and development processes by developing the capacities of all actors: governmental mechanisms, civil society, the private sector, decentralized agencies, national institutions and development partners.

2. Equal access for women and men to basic social services

EGDC works closely with Member States to ensure that women and men have equal access to basic social services. It sees to it that the specific needs, priorities and constraints of women are effectively taken into consideration in all social programmes, particularly in the areas of education and health.

3. Economic empowerment

EGDC’s interventions in this area are directed towards ensuring women’s equal access to economic resources and opportunities through:

• promoting women’s access to resources;
• strengthening their economic capacities; and
• improving the visibility of their contribution to the regional economy.

4. Human rights, conflict prevention and resolution, governance, peace and security

EGDC contributes to the elimination of all forms of gender-specific discrimination and the respect of the populations’ fundamental rights, including those of young girls and women. The Centre promotes women’s access to decision-making bodies, strengthening their position within these bodies and advocates for their involvement in conflict management as well as in peace-building processes.