Due to their critical importance to all development processes, the Master Plan devotes special attention to four cross-cutting issues, which lay the basis for the Government of Catalonia’s entire development cooperation policy. These issues are as follows:

1. Democratic Governability and Strengthening of The Social Fabric

Governability, democracy and a strong and inclusive social fabric form the basis for social and economic development and allow for rich, open international cooperation. Support for good governance is a key component of development cooperation policies, which, in addition to calling for the establishment of specific strategic goals, must be applied across the board and taken into account with regard to all actions carried out from Catalonia.

2. Peace Culture and Human Rights

The culture of peace and respect for human rights are critical to any strategy to reduce poverty. In this sphere, Catalonia is characterised by its spirit and history of seeking agreement and consensus as mechanisms for resolving the differences intrinsic to cultural and linguistic pluralism.

3. Gender

Equality between men and women is essential for development. Development cooperation must foment changes in political, legal, social, labour and domestic attitudes, structures and mechanisms, offering support in order to reduce gender inequality. Development actions that do not take gender into account are less efficient and have a smaller impact.

4. Environment

The inextricable link between the environment and development addressed by the concept of sustainable development has lead to the application of environmental criteria on a cross-cutting basis and affects all other development assistance priorities, especially those concerning economic growth.