A premise of this report, therefore, is that gender equality should not be addressed at the periphery, but rather as a central policy concern. Unless public policies, services, legislation and resources benefit all citizens - women as well as men - good governance cannot be fully achieved (OECD, 2010). This report, therefore, encourages governments across the region to analyse their policies and services through a gender lens to ensure that they reach out and respond to the specific needs of women and men.