In the work of IGED-Africa, we recognize these principles and values as fundamental to every process we are engaged in. We challenge ourselves to ensure that each of our strategies builds on these philosophies.
Human Dignity
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, including the right to be treated equally, shelter, food, health, work and education. The inherent nature of every person is creative, resourceful, self-reliant, responsible and productive. We must not treat people different and discriminate against them because of race, gender, sex, stature in life, location among others.
Gender Equality
An essential part development must be to cause society-wide change towards gender equality. Women bear the major responsibility for meeting basic needs, yet are systematically denied the resources, freedom of action and voice in decision-making to fulfill that responsibility.
Empowerment
In the face of social suppression, focused and sustained action is required to awaken people to the possibility of self-reliance, to provide them with a voice, to build confidence, and to organize communities to take charge of their own development.
Sustainability
Solutions to ending gender discrimination and empower women and the youth must be sustainable locally, socially, economically, politically and environmentally.
Interconnectedness
Our actions are shaped by, and affect, all other people and our natural environment. Gender discrimination or disparities are not problems of one country or another but are global issues and this affects societal development. We must solve them not as “donors and recipients” but as global citizens, working as coequal partners in a common front to end discrimination.
Social Transformation
People’s self-reliance is suppressed by conditions such as discrimination, non participation and non consultation of the youth and the subjugation of women among others. These are all rooted in an age-old and nearly universal customarily rooted and patriarchal mindset that must be transformed as part of a fundamental shift in the way society is organized.
Trans-formative Leadership
Ending gender inequality, ensuring youth development and women’s empowerment requires a new kind of leadership: not top-down, authority-based leadership, but leadership that awakens people to their own power — leadership “with” and ‘by’ people rather than leadership “over” people.
Leverage
Ensuring gender equality and enhancing societal development requires action that catalyzes large-scale systemic change. We must regularly step back — assess our impact within the evolving social/political/economic environment — and launch the highest leverage actions we can to meet this challenge.
Decentralization
Individual and community ownership of local development is critical. Actions are most successful if decisions are made close to the people. This requires effective national and local government working in partnership with the people.