When we hear the word gender, most of us think “male” or “female.” But gender is not simply a biological label — it’s a social lens that shapes how people live, work, and are treated. It influences the opportunities available to us, the expectations placed upon us, and the barriers we face because of how society perceives our sex, age, ability, or background.

These factors do not exist in isolation; they intersect - a concept known as intersectionality - meaning that gender interacts with other aspects of identity such as age, disability, class, or locality to create unique experiences of privilege or disadvantage. In everyday life, these overlapping perceptions determine whose voices are heard, whose needs are met, and whose safety or potential may be overlooked. And when gender and its intersections are ignored, the consequences can be more far-reaching than we realise. To see how this unfolds in practice, let’s look at a few cases where gender perceptions have influenced real-world outcomes.

When Design Becomes Dangerous

Consider the car industry. For decades, vehicle safety tests used crash dummies based on the average male body. As a result, studies revealed that women were 47% more likely to be seriously injured in accidents. The oversight wasn’t intentional — it was gender-blind.

By ignoring differences in body structure and biomechanics, car makers designed safety features that protected only part of the population. This mistake became a powerful reminder that when we design without inclusion, we design for exclusion — sometimes with life-threatening results.

Inclusion that Strengthens Communities

In Japan, disaster-prone communities discovered the power of inclusion after the 2011 tsunami. New emergency-preparedness programmes began involving senior citizens in drills and planning. With their deep knowledge of local geography and past disasters, these elders became trusted guides and role models, improving both evacuation plans and participation rates. This approach recognised that gender and age intersect in shaping vulnerability and leadership — older women, often seen as caregivers, emerged as key communicators and organisers within their communities.

Similarly, in Thailand, an HIV-prevention campaign achieved greater success after expanding its outreach to include elderly, rural, and disabled populations. Health messages were adapted into local dialects and pictograms for those with limited literacy, and elders were trained as peer educators. By acknowledging that gender, disability, and geography influence access to information and care, the campaign demonstrated how inclusive strategies grounded in intersectionality can lead to stronger community resilience and more equitable outcomes.

Gender Mainstreaming: Seeing the Whole Picture

These stories reflect the essence of gender mainstreaming — applying a gender lens to everything we do. It means asking:

• Who benefits from this policy or programme?
• Who might be left out?
• How can we make it more inclusive for everyone?

Crucially, gender mainstreaming isn’t just about what happens in the workplace. It must extend into every project, programme, and activity — from education and health to technology, community development, and policymaking. When gender perspectives are embedded from the start, outcomes become not only fairer but also more effective, innovative, and lasting.

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) has adopted this inclusive vision through its Gender Strategy, which focuses on four strategic pillars — Policy Advocacy, Organisational Mainstreaming, Programme Implementation, and Learning & Innovation.

This commitment is reflected in regional initiatives that put gender principles into practice, such as ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme and Future4Girls.

ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme: Evidence, Equity, and Empowerment

The ASEAN-UK Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education (SAGE) Programme, funded by the Government of the United Kingdom, provides evidence-based guidance and support for policies and initiatives aligned with three core pillars: strengthening foundational learning; expanding opportunities for out-of-school and marginalised learners; and reducing gender barriers to digital skills for employment. Through these priorities, the programme aims to strengthen education systems, that not only bringing girls into classrooms, but also preparing them for meaningful participation in a rapidly changing, technology driven world.

Future4Girls: Transforming Gender Norms Through Education

The Future4Girls Programme seeks to enhance learning and skills for girls, promote positive gender norms, and foster equality through a gender-transformative approach to education. It works at multiple levels — in schools and communities, through national actions, and via regional policy advocacy — to ensure that girls have both the opportunities and the support they need to thrive. The overall programme is managed by UNICEF EAPRO in partnership with SEAMEO Secretariat and close collaboration with UNESCO Bangkok on Outcome 3 : Regional Exchange that aims at promoting policy uptake of evidence on how to create gender transformative education systems through regional policy frameworks and dialogue. This programme is run with support funding by DFAT Australia Government.

Beyond Policies — Towards a Culture of Inclusion

Embedding gender perspectives in everyday decisions doesn’t only improve fairness; it improves results. When inclusion becomes part of how we design systems — from classrooms to boardrooms — it ensures that every person’s potential is recognised.

Ultimately, gender inclusion isn’t a women’s issue, nor an office checklist. It’s a mindset — a way of building societies, institutions, and communities that work better for everyone.

Because when we see people in their full diversity, beyond labels of “male” or “female,” we begin to create a world that is more resilient, innovative, and just — for all.