Incentivizing finance for women’s empowerment
Measure and quantify women’s empowerment while channeling funds directly to women’s groups
Discover the W+ Standard™
The W+ Standard is the only women-specific standard that measures women’s empowerment in a transparent and quantifiable manner, through the analysis of data collected within projects and communities. It provides a market-based mechanism that recognizes and rewards women’s contributions to economies, environments and communities.
It was developed in 2014 by gender and monitoring and evaluation experts and won the UNFCCC Momentum for Change Women for Results Award in 2016.
How does it work?
Measure
Provides metrics for projects and companies to quantify and verify women’s empowerment results within projects and value chains
Generate W+ credits
Translates independently verified results into W+ credits. 10% change in women’s empowerment= 1 W+ credit per beneficiary
Sell W+ credits
Gives monetary value to results. W+ credits can be sold in carbon markets, impact and SDG markets
Channel financial resources back to women’s organizations
At least 20% of the sales’ revenue goes back to women’s groups for self-determined climate adaptation and development activities
Women’s empowerment is measured in 6 vital areas. These were identified in consultation with women’s groups from Kenya and Nepal.
The Time method enables project developers to document the increase in women’s discretionary time, by measuring shifts in the use of time away from lower-value activities toward higher-value activities.
The Health method enables project developers to evaluate how the project has improved the overall health of women.
The Education & Knowledge method enables project developers to evaluate how projects have resulted in women’s increased knowledge and skills, as well as the transmittal of women’s knowledge and skills to others in the community.
The Food Security method enables project developers to evaluate how the project has decreased the quantity and quality of food insecurity within households
The Income & Assets method enables measurable and verifiable improvements in access to resources and control of earned assets by women in project communities.
The Leadership method enables project developers to evaluate how projects result in increased decision making roles for women – within the context of the project itself or within households and communities.
