NZAID Tools Analytical Tools 

Gender Analysis

Annex 3: Summary of key gender analysis steps

Adapted from Hunt, Juliet, ‘Introduction to gender analysis concepts and steps’, 2004, Development Bulletin, no. 64, pp. 100-106.

Overview

During program and project design, gender analysis is the process of assessing the impact that a development activity may have on females and males, and on gender relations (the economic and social relationships between males and females which are constructed and reinforced by social institutions). It can be used to ensure that men and women are not disadvantaged by development activities, to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of activities, or to identify priority areas for action to promote equality between women and men. During implementation, monitoring and evaluation, gender analysis assists to assess differences in participation, benefits and impacts between males and females, including progress towards gender equality and changes in gender relations. Gender analysis can also be used to assess and build capacity and commitment to gender sensitive planning and programming in donor and partner organisations; and to identify gender equality issues and strategies at country, sectoral or thematic programming level.

Summary of Key gender analysis steps

  1. Collect sex disaggregated household, workplace and community data/information relevant to the program/project for each area below.
  2. Assess how the gender division of labour and patterns of decision-making affects the program/project, and how the program/project affects the gender division of labour and decision making.
  3. Assess who has access to and control over resources, assets and benefits, including program/project benefits.
  4. Understand women’s/girls’ and men’s/boys’ different needs, priorities and strengths.
  5. Understand the complexity of gender relations in the context of social relations, and how this constrains or provides opportunities for addressing gender inequality.
  6. Assess the barriers and constraints to women and men participating and benefiting equally from the program/project.
  7. Develop strategies to address barriers and constraints, include these strategies in program/project design and implementation, and ensure that they are adequately resourced.
  8. Assess counterpart/partner capacity for gender sensitive planning, implementation and monitoring, and develop strategies to strengthen capacity.
  9. Assess the potential of the program/project to empower women, address strategic gender interests and transform gender relations.
  10. Develop gender-sensitive indicators to monitor participation, benefits, the effectiveness of gender equality strategies, and changes in gender relations.
  11. Apply the above information and analysis throughout the program and project cycle.