PIP: The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) has created an Action Program for Promoting Equality Between Women and Men in Partner Countries that emphasizes competency development as a means of achieving gender equality. Competency development goes beyond formal training and utilizes existing entry points while creating innovative ones. SIDA's partnership approach requires clear delineation of roles for SIDA personnel and partner countries, with SIDA 1) applying a gender perspective to assessments, 2) initiating a constructive dialogue about gender equality if needed, 3) assessing the need for gender equality promoting competency development, 4) studying the local context, and 5) developing effective local networks. In addition, the needs of different groups within SIDA should be met with appropriate competency development inputs while SIDA continues support to competency development in partner countries by developing local capacity for gender training and gender sensitization at the regional and national levels. At SIDA, gender training has evolved since 1989 to its current focus on the practical and concrete challenges facing participants. In addition, departments and divisions conduct sector- and issue-specific training, and gender equality is integrated in all SIDA training activities on every topic. The challenges for future competency development are to 1) increase the number of men involved in provision of competency development inputs, 2) improve competency at embassy and field levels, and 3) improve competency in policy dialogues.^ieng