The group of seven major industrialized countries whose heads of state meet annually in summit meetings to discuss economic and political issues. The seven are United States, Canada, Japan, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.


Russia joined the G7 in 1997 to form the G8. The G8 meets annually to discuss and syncrhonise their points of view on the major international economic and political issues. The statements published following the ministerial meetings and the annual summit of Heads of State and Government reflect this solidarity and may contain political and financial commitments made by G8 members. The G8 Summit is chaired by each of the member countries in turn. The United Kingdom will host the G8 Summit in 2005. The European Union has observer status at G8 meetings and is represented by the President of the Commission as well as the Leader of the country that holds the presidency of the European Union.


A group of ten countries, members of the IMF, that together with Switzerland agreed to make resources available outside their IMF quotas. Since 1963 the governors of the G10 central banks have meet on the occasion of the bimonthly BIS meetings.


An international forum of finance ministers and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union, plus the IMF and World Bank. Created in 1999 by the finance ministers of the G-7, it meets annually to discuss financial and economic concerns among industrialised economies and emerging markets.


A group of developing countries established in 1971 with the aim of taking positions on monetary and development finance issues.


A coalition of developing countries within the United Nations, established in 1964 at the end of the first session of UNCTAD, intended to articulate and promote the collective economic interests of its members and enhance their negotiating capacity. Originally with 77 members, it now has more.


An international body set up in 1947 to look into ways and means of reducing tariffs on internationally traded goods and services.


The sexual identity and relations of men and women in society. Gender relations often change in response to altering circumstances. This contrasts with sex which identifies the biological difference between women and men and does not alter over time.


The systematic way of looking at the different impacts of development on women and men. This includes looking at sexual division of labour, the access and control men and women have over inputs required for their labour, and the benefits of their labour. It also takes account of how factors of class, race, ethnicity or other factors interact with gender to produce discriminatory results.


A measure of gender inequality, in economic and political terms. It has two dimensions: economic participation and decision making – measured by the percentage of female administrators and managers, and professional and technical workers; and political participation and decision making – measured by the percentage of seats in parliament held by women.


Gender equality occurs when women and men have equal access to socially valued goods and resources.


The fair treatment for women and men, according to their respective needs. A gender equity goal often requires built-in measures to compensate for the historical and social disadvantages of women.


The gap between men and women in terms of how they benefit from access to information and resources including education, employment, health care, and services.


The process of integrating a commitment to equality between men and women into an organisation’s strategy, policies and operations by assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation.

It ensures that both women’s and men’s concerns and experiences are taken into account in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all activities. The aim is to develop interventions that overcome barriers preventing men and women from having equal access to the resources and services they need to improve their livelihoods.


A measure using the same variables as the Human Development Index except that the GDI adjusts for the average achievement of each country in life expectancy, literacy and income to take account of the disparity in achievement between men and women.


A focus of accomplishment supported by a series of objectives needed to realise it.


Something with universal benefits across several if not all countries, and population groups and benefiting both current and future generations.


The term used to describe the increasing pace of interconnectedness which has occurred as a result of technological changes – enabled information and goods to travel faster and the increasing world-wide integration of markets for goods, services and capital.

Other effects of globalisation include an increased role for large translational corporations (TNCs) in the world economy and increased intervention into domestic policies and affairs by international institutions such as the WTO, IMF and World Bank. Among developing countries, the term sometimes refers to the domination of world economic affairs, commerce, and culture by the United States and other developed countries.


Plants or animals whose genetic makeup has been determined or altered by genetic engineering.


A financial assistance mechanism where by money and/or direct assistance is provided to carry out approved activities.


Individuals or society at a local level.


Measures the total final outputs of goods and services produced by the country’s economy, i.e. within the country’s territory.


The value of a country's final output of goods and services in a year. This includes income received from other countries. The value of GNP is fundamentally calculated by totalling the income of a country’s population.


The average income of a country's citizens calculated by taking a country's final output of goods and services in a year (its GNP) and dividing it by its population.


The term used to explain the development and adoption in the 1960s of high yield hybrid varieties of cereals, notably wheat, corn and rice. The practice was often adopted in developing countries.