Knowledge is the key to change. Therefore, research into and knowledge of the conditions of women’s and men’s lives are vital when it comes to developing strategies in order to create a more equal society. KVINFO supports research and knowledge sharing and the development of new methods of bringing the issue of gender into the public consciousness in the Danish and  Arabic societies. Partners actively contribute to spreading awareness on gender research through the establishment of networks and in conducting seminars.

But research cannot stand alone. Promotion and spreading of research and knowledge are vital as well. KVINFO’s key focus area Research, Documentation and Debate on Gender Issues aims to support all phases of the knowledge-process, from research gathering and documentation to information sharing, promotion and debate. Especially regarding the last phases - those regarding the spreading of knowlegde - has the rapid development in the field of communication technology created new ways of spreading, promoting and debating gender-relevant information, which is a fact made great use of in this key focus area.

Gender Research

Women’s Studies emerged in the 1970s as an independent and multidisciplinary research area. Since then Women’s Studies has been replaced by Gender Research which focuses on both women and men and relationships between the genders. Women’s Studies and Gender Research have played a core role in the development of society and have resulted in greater gender equality. This goes through empirical research of the living conditions of men and women in the past and present but also through the theoretical development of new theories concerning the relationships between genders. However, Gender Research often is challenged by limited ressources and a lack of recognition – in Denmark as well as in the Middle East and North Africa.  

KVINFO is engaged in the following projects:

• Ph.d. Network

A network for Ph.d. students in the Middle East and North Africa, Sweden and Denmark which provides support to young gender researchers. Participants have the opportunity of getting guidance from respected gender researchers, may participate in annual seminars and have the opportunity to share knowledge and debate online. The project is part of KVINFOs Regional Programme on Gender and Women’s Rights.

Read more about Nordic-Arab Network of Research on Women’s Empowerment, Gender and Politics (WEP)

• Changing Masculinities

The Changing Masculinities project focuses on men as a gender group. As a result, the project requires that men’s lives be viewed from a gender perspective, something most men are reluctant to do. Changing Masculinities is a series of workshops in Copenhagen and Cairo which will bring together selected professionals to examine and discuss the concept of masculinity. The project is part of KVINFOs Regional Programme on Gender and Women’s Rights.

• Capacity Building of Library and Documentation Centre at Sana’a University

Bringing gender research to the awareness of the public at large is crucial in affecting the development of society. Important tools for this are women’s libraries and information centres. Without the gathering of research and documentation, the debate on gender research and the promotion of the history of the women’s movement, valuable knowledge and experience will be lost for the future. Sana’a University’s Gender Development Research and Studies Centre, Yemen, is working in a joint partnership with KVINFO to establish a research library for gender and development.  Read more

• The Female Bloggers project

This project aims to support the growing number of female Arab bloggers. The blog offers its users a space to express themselves, often anonymously, in a way that is not possible in any other public forum. Not only does the blog provide a means of expressing thoughts and opinions, but it is also a strong social and political tool in creating public awareness and encouraging debate. The project is part of KVINFOs Regional Programme on Gender and Women’s Rights.