Gender equality is a cross-cutting goal for COL. In COL’s experience, gender mainstreaming can be an important and effective strategy for addressing gender inequality. Gender mainstreaming ensures that both women’s and men’s views, interests and needs shape policies, plans and programmes.

COL is well-positioned to help its partners mainstream gender perspectives in open and distance learning. But, gender equality in learning requires that both women/girls and men/boys experience the same level of quality and equitable outcomes, emphasising a greater need to focus on open and distance learning (ODL) practice, delivery and outcomes.

COL works to:

• Harness the potential of ODL to expand access and improve learning outcomes for girls/women and boys/men;

• Continue to integrate a gender equality perspective in its own programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as in that of its partners;

• Provide technical assistance and support in the design and development of gender-responsive curricula and teaching/learning materials;

• Generate research and policy briefs to inform strategic directions in gender mainstreaming in ODL; and

• Develop a gender mainstreaming model for further replication.