achieving women s economic empowerment requires sound public policies a holistic approach and longterm commitment and genderspecific perspectives must be integrated at the design stage of policy and programming women must have more equitable access to assets and services infrastructure programmes should be designed to benefit the poor both men and women and employment opportunities must be improved while increasing recognition of women s vast unpaid work innovative approaches and partnerships include increased dialogue among development actors improved coordination amongst donors and support for women organising at the national and global level