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European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

Gender- and age-sensitive aid

Gender
© European Union
Gender- and age-sensitive aid

What is it?

Natural hazards and human-induced crises are not gender neutral: they have a different impact on women, girls, boys, and men. They are also not age neutral.

To respond effectively to different needs, EU humanitarian assistance must take gender and age into account.

Facts & figures

EU humanitarian funding on gender and age for 2024:

€48 million
to prevent and address gender-based violence
€29 million
for reproductive health

Why is this important?

Integrating gender and age enhances the quality of humanitarian programming. This is in line with the EU's humanitarian mandate and other international commitments.

Aid that is not gender- and age-sensitive is less effective. It risks not reaching the most vulnerable people or not responding adequately to their specific needs.

Furthermore, it could expose vulnerable populations to the risk of sexual and gender-based violence.

A woman talking to a girl, seated on a bench.
© European Union, 2021 (photographer: George Ourfalian)

How are we helping?

The EU allocated significant humanitarian funding in 2024 to address diverse needs across multiple sectors, including:

  • protection
  • health
  • education
  • emergency response 

From implementing the Gender Action Plan III to working with partners like UNHCR and UNICEF, EU humanitarian aid is addressing a wide range of challenges faced by vulnerable populations in crisis situations.

  1. 2025
    Humanitarian health policy guidelines

    In March 2025, DG ECHO launched the new Humanitarian health policy guidelines, updating the previous text from 2014. With its own dedicated sub-chapter, significant review has been made concerning reproductive, maternal and newborn health. This promotes an integrated approach between health and protection services, not only for the response to GBV, but also referrals to mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, case management and legal assistance to survivors of GBV.

  2. 2024
    Results of gender age marker

    87% of actions integrated gender and age considerations ‘strongly’ or ‘to a certain extent’. 

  3. 2023
    Third assessment report

    In 2023, the third assessment report highlighted that between 2018-2021, there has been an overall improvement in the integration of gender and age considerations into humanitarian assistance.

  4. 2021-2025
    Gender action plan for 2021-2025

    Ensuring that gender is taken into consideration in the EU’s humanitarian aid is included in the European Union third Gender Action Plan for 2021-2025 (extended until 2027), which sets out the framework for action for all activities on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the EU’s external relations, including for EU Member States.

  5. 2016
    Humanitarian protection

    The European Commission issued a new policy  on protection ‘Humanitarian Protection: Improving protection outcomes to reduce risks for people in humanitarian crises’ that includes further guidance for programming of protection activities, including on gender-based violence. 

  6. 2014
    Gender-age marker

    To ensure the effective implementation of this policy, the European Commission introduced a Gender-Age Marker in 2014. This tool measures how EU-funded humanitarian actions integrate gender and age considerations. This is a quality and accountability tool that measures the extent to which EU-funded humanitarian actions integrate gender and age considerations. 

  7. 2013
    Gender in humanitarian aid: different needs, adapted assistance

    The European Commission’s gender policy ‘Gender in Humanitarian Aid: Different Needs, Adapted Assistance’ of July 2013 outlines a reinforced policy approach to gender and gender-based violence in humanitarian settings. 

  8. 2013
    Call to action on protection from gender-based violence in emergencies

    In 2013, the ‘Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies’ was established. A global initiative to implement structural changes in the humanitarian system to address GBV. 

    The initiative brings together more than 100 partners, including the EU and 16 of its Member States, as well as other countries, NGOs and international organisations. The EU has been an active member of the Call to Action and led this initiative in 2017-2018. 

  10. 2007
    The European consensus on humanitarian aid

    The European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid stresses the need to integrate gender considerations. This includes protection strategies against sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) in humanitarian response. 

    The Consensus considers that crisis-affected women, girls, boys, and men should participate in the design, implementation and evaluation of humanitarian actions.

 

Aid worker talking to an elderly, standing in a street.
© European Union, 2022 (photographer: Anouk Delafortrie)

Protection from gender-based violence in emergencies

In 2013, the ‘Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies’ was established. The EU’s annual progress reports can be found on the official website.

In January 2021, the EU renewed its commitments to the Call to Action roadmap 2021-2025. Among other things, the EU commits to:

  • implement and disseminate its relevant humanitarian policies for GBV in emergencies
  • support capacity-building of its staff and partners to enhance systemic integration of gender considerations into humanitarian assistance
  • continue to advocate for:
    • addressing GBV in emergencies from the onset of crises
    • the importance of GBV risk mitigation and gender-sensitive humanitarian aid
    • promoting the work of the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, including through its engagement with the EU Member States
  • respond to GBV in emergencies against women, girls, men and boys
  • report annually on funding allocations for humanitarian-targeted actions that respond to GBV in line with the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid (2008)
  • incorporate protection strategies against GBV in all aspects of humanitarian assistance
  • promote the active participation of women in humanitarian aid
  • implement a Nexus approach in preventing and responding to gender-based violence, wherever feasible.

Last updated: 25/11/2025