Introduction

Gender equality is fundamentally linked to people-centered sustainable development. In the context of local government, gender equality is critical as women, men, and people with diverse gender identities face different challenges for full participation, representation and equal (work) opportunities. Measures that ensure equitable access to resources and services are necessary to achieve inclusive and gender responsive governance.

This course discusses gender dynamics and focuses on the different needs and priorities of women, men, young girls and boys. We discuss gender-sensitive strategies and tools for gender analysis, gender mainstreaming and gender-responsive budgeting in policies and programmes at the local level. Special attention is given to the involvement of marginalised groups in developing initiatives. The course also discusses how best to engage men and discuss cross-cutting issues of applying a diverse gender perspective (intersectionality), especially in complex cultural, religious or fragile settings.

Key Information

This course is aimed at professionals working on gender awareness and gender mainstreaming in government policies or development programmes. Participants come from national, regional and local government, NGOs, and donor and development organisations.

The course will take place from 20 October 2025 to 31 October 2025. 

The course fee is € 3,895*. This includes all training related costs as well as drinks and warm lunches during the training days. Group discounts are available if you participate with three or more colleagues.

This training takes place in The Hague, Netherlands.

After this course, you will receive a professional certificate of completion from The Hague Academy for Local Governance.

*Professionals working in local government or for local NGOs on the DAC list of ODA-recipient countries (OECD) may qualify for a reduced course fee. Contact us for details.

Learning objectives

This course will help you:

Increase their knowledge about gender concepts and relate to the latest insights in gender-responsive governance;

  1. Analyse and discuss how gender power dynamics and norms shape decision making, project development and policy formulation;
  1. Apply tools for conducting gender analysis, gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting in project and policy development;

Design strategies for equitable service delivery and socio-economic inclusion of marginalised groups;

  1. Apply measures to empower women, increase their participation in policy and decision making, and engage men in promoting gender equality;

6. Discuss strategies and review tools to promote gender responsive governance through lobbying and advocacy;

Experience

During the course, participants bring their personal experience, engage in exercises and have lively debates with experts and fellow participants. They are exposed to different perspectives, expectations and learn how to argue their beliefs. Participants test new tools, and are challenged to re-think the way they approach their work through a gender and inclusion lens lens.

Participants will visit local and international NGOs, for example WO=MEN, Bureau Clara Wichmann, Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation, International Development Law Organisation, Emancipator and Mama Cash. Each of these organisations work on different gender issues: how to promote SDG 5; how to influence national and international policies, how to promote laws and regulations for gender equality or how to provide support to GBV-survivors

Practical information

Find the practical information for the course here.

  • Payment

    After submitting your completed application, you will receive a confirmation of receipt. Once we have assessed your application and admitted you to the course, we will send you an invoice with payment details.

    Payments can be made by bank transfer or by PayPal request. We offer the option of paying in one or two instalments. An advance payment of 50% secures the reservation of a seat at the training until the payment deadline. Your participation in the course is guaranteed only after receipt of full payment.

    Please note that The Hague Academy accepts registrations on a first-paid, first-served policy.

  • Visa Applications

    Some countries require a visa to enter the Netherlands. Please check with The Netherlands or the embassy for the visa requirements related to your country. Because of the length of time needed for the visa procedure, we advise you to start this process as soon as possible. Once we have received your payment for the course, The Hague Academy will send you an acceptance letter which will assist you in arranging your visa to The Netherlands.

  • Cancellation

    Under certain circumstances, participants may need to cancel their participation in the course. For cancellations before the payment deadline, we will reimburse the paid amounts minus an administration fee of €350.

    To prevent late cancellation, we strongly encourage you to start with your visa application procedure at least six weeks before the start of the training programme.

    We will charge a cancellation fee of 50% of the course fee for participants cancelling between four and two weeks prior to the start of the training. If you cancel your participation within the two-week period before the start of the course, then you have to pay 80% of the course fee.

    No-show will result in paying 100% of the course fee.

    It is always possible to nominate a suitably qualified candidate to replace you without extra charge, in the event that you cannot attend the course.

    The Hague Academy for Local Governance reserves the right to cancel a course if the number of participants is insufficient or due to any other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, your payment will be 100% reimbursed. Other costs such as transportation or hotel cannot be reimbursed.

Scholarships

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers MSP scholarships for training courses in the Netherlands. The MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) aims to enhance the skills, instincts, and abilities of professionals, empowering their organizations and communities to thrive in an ever-changing world.

For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit our Scholarships page. Note that scholarships have a separate application process.

Scholarships page

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