In the last FOS partners’ meeting held at Willow Park Hotel and Conference Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2012, a Gender Reference Group (GRG) was created to strengthen partners’ interventions on gender and women empowerment. This reference group was assigned to develop a “FOS Gender Work Plan for 2013” and beyond. The GRG was also meant to inform, guide and monitor partners’ implementation on gender equality and women empowerment interventions, at organisation, national and regional levels. The GRG was also expected to find ways of strengthening networking and alliance building among the participating / active FOS partners and outside the group where feasible and relevant. The group had a meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa on the 5th – 6th of August. During this meeting, priorities for the GRG were identified and are summarised in table 1