CHALLENGES FOR ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK OPERATIONS

In 1999, ADB refocused its development mission and made poverty reduction its
overarching objective as detailed in the Poverty Reduction Strategy. This strategy is to be pursued
through sustainable economic growth, inclusive social development; and good governance for
effective policies and institutions. GAD is a crosscutting theme of this strategy, which also forms
the basis of ADB’s Long-Term Strategic Framework. ADB’s enhanced focus on poverty
reduction underscores the importance of mainstreaming gender concerns in its operations,
because two thirds of the poor in the Asia and Pacific region are women.81 Equity—especially
gender equity—is recognized as a key factor in transforming growth into development and in
reducing poverty.82