Annex_J.11_-_USAID_Guide_to_Gender_Integration_ _Analysis.pdf

Guide to Gender Integration And Analysis

Additional Help for ADS Chapters 201 and 203

New Reference: 03/31/2010 Responsible Office: EGAT/WID File Name: 201sab_033110

GUIDE TO GENDER INTEGRATION AND ANALYSIS1

“Gender issues are central to the achievement of strategic plans and Assistance Objectives (AO), and USAID strives to promote gender equality, in which both men and women have equal opportunity to benefit from and contribute to economic, social, cultural and political development; enjoy socially valued resources and rewards; and realize their human rights.” (ADS 201.3.9.3)

USAID is committed to strengthening women’s rights and strives to increase the contributions women make to economic, political, and social development. By addressing gender inequities and constraints grounded in entrenched gender roles and power dynamics that impact both men and women, USAID will strengthen the effectiveness of its development programming. This is not only the right thing to do; it is “smart development.”

This introductory guide will assist USAID staff in integrating gender into development planning and programming. Promoting gender equality is a shared Agency responsibility and depends on all staff members to contribute in keeping with their roles within USAID. For example, senior management and Mission directors must hold staff accountable for compliance with USAID policy and procedures related to gender in development. Program officers enforce technical teams’ adherence to gender programming policy. Technical officers ensure that the findings from gender analyses are used in project design and resulting solicitations. Contracting and assistance officers are another critical link in the chain, while gender advisors throughout the Agency have the expertise to both lead and support the entire gender integration process.

What Is Gender?

Gender is a social construct that refers to relations between and among the sexes, based on their relative roles. It encompasses the economic, political, and socio-cultural attributes, constraints, and opportunities associated with being male or female. As a social construct, gender varies across cultures, is dynamic and open to change over time. Because of the variation in gender across cultures and over time, gender roles should not be assumed but investigated. Note that “gender” is not interchangeable with “women” or "sex."

What Are the ADS Requirements for Integrating Gender Throughout the Planning and Programming Cycle?

The ADS is USAID’s directives program, which defines staff roles and responsibilities so that employees can achieve the Agency’s development goals, consistent with applicable rules, sound policy principles, and management practices. The ADS is the primary vehicle for outlining USAID’s requirements for integrating gender throughout the planning and programming cycle.

Gender Integration entails the identification and subsequent treatment of gender differences and inequalities during program/project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

1 This guide draws from three key sources: Guidance for Conducting Gender Analysis during Project Design, Elisabeth Duban, E&E Bureau (2008); Implementing the USAID ADS Gender Requirements in Health Programs, Global Health Bureau (forthcoming); and the Office of Women in Development’s Web page.

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Taking gender into account usually, but not always, involves a focus on women since women most often occupy a subordinate position in society or are the most marginalized in their communities. As women have traditionally held lower status than men in most countries around the world, USAID has developed and executed equalizing strategies that promote increased access to resources and opportunities for women.

Experience has shown that sustainable changes are most fully realized through activities focused on engaging both men and women to transform harmful attitudes and behaviors. This is because men can also be disadvantaged due to their sex and their related gender roles. For instance, young boys in southern Africa are taken out of school at certain times of the year due to animal herding responsibilities. In cases where there is societal pressure for men to be aggressive and dominant, such male gender norms may negatively impact women, families, and communities by encouraging violence against women. Thus, even programs that primarily focus on women should also work with men to transform harmful attitudes and behaviors. A program that promotes women’s economic empowerment should consider whether there are societal expectations for men to be the sole provider in their families; if so, men may feel disempowered by such a program, and domestic violence could be an unintended consequence.

USAID policy and procedures related to gender integration are found in the following ADS sections:

201.3.8 Program Planning: Assistance Objective (AO)

201.3.9.3 Gender Analysis

201.3.11.6 Project/Activity Planning Step 2: Conduct Project-Level Analyses as Needed

201.3.11.16 Project/Activity Planning Step 12: Prepare Activity Approval Document

(AAD)

203.3.4.3 Reflecting Gender Issues in Performance Indicators

203.3.6.1 When Is an Evaluation Appropriate?

203.3.6.2 Planning Evaluations

302.3.5.15 Incorporating Gender Issues into Solicitations

303.3.6.3 Evaluation Criteria

Long-Term Planning ADS 201.3.9.3, Gender Analysis sets forth the requirements for the Agency’s long-term planning goals regarding gender: “Gender issues are central to the achievement of strategic plans and Assistance Objectives (AO)… Accordingly, USAID planning in the development of strategic plans and AOs must take into account gender roles and relationships. Gender analysis can help guide long term planning and ensure desired results are achieved. However, gender is not a separate topic to be analyzed and reported on in isolation. USAID’s gender integration approach requires that gender analysis be applied to the range of technical issues that are considered in the development of strategic plans, AOs, and projects/activities.”

Project and Activity Planning ADS 201.3.11.6, Project/Activity Planning Step 2: Conduct Project-Level Analyses as Needed sets forth the Agency’s project and activity planning requirements regarding gender:

All projects and activities must address gender issues in a manner consistent with the findings of any analytical work performed during development of the Mission’s long-term http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/200/201.pdf plan (see 201.3.9.3) or for project or activity design. Findings from gender analyses can help to determine how gender can be addressed in the project or activity. The AO Team must document the conclusion of any gender analyses in the Activity Approval Document (AAD).

If the AO Team determines that gender is not an issue, it must state this in the Activity Approval Document (see 201.3.11.16).

To reiterate, gender analysis at the project/activity level is mandatory.

Performance Indicators ADS 203.3.4.3, Reflecting Gender Issues in Performance Indicators sets forth the Agency’s requirements for performance indicators in projects/activities regarding gender: In order to ensure that USAID assistance makes the optimal contribution to gender equality, performance management systems and evaluations at the AO and project or activity levels must include gender-sensitive indicators and sex-disaggregated data when the technical analyses supporting the AO, project, or activity demonstrate that:

a. The different roles and status of women and men within the community, political sphere, workplace, and household (for example, roles in decision-making and different access to and control over resources and services) affect the activities to be undertaken; and

b. The anticipated results of the work would affect women and men differently.

Both qualitative and quantitative data can be used to determine the impact of proposed or already implemented projects on policies and practices that affect men and women.

Issuance of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Requests for Applications (RFAs) The solicitation documents for both contracts and grants/cooperative agreements/APS have similar requirements for addressing gender issues. Below is a summary of the ADS guidance on contracts (ADS 302.3.5.15) and grants (ADS 303.3.6.3):

The Contract or Agreement Officer must ensure that the requiring office integrates gender issues in the procurement request (i.e., RFP, Request for Task Order Proposal, RFA [including those for Leader/Associate Awards], Annual Program Statement), or includes a rationale for not addressing gender in the project or activity.

Gender issues must be integrated in the different performance components of an

RFP (e.g., Statement of Work, project deliverables, key personnel qualifications, monitoring and evaluation requirements), or an RFA (e.g., Program Description, key personnel qualifications, monitoring and evaluation requirements).

The Contract or Agreement Officer must ensure that once gender has been integrated into the solicitation contract performance components, gender is also reflected in the corresponding technical evaluation criteria for RFPs or technical selection criteria for APSs. These technical criteria include, but are not limited to, technical understanding and approach, monitoring and evaluation, and personnel.

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What Is Gender Analysis?

USAID uses gender analysis to identify, understand, and describe gender differences and the impact of gender inequalities on a sector or program at the country or project level. Gender analysis is a required element of strategic planning and project design and is the basic foundation on which gender integration is built (ADS 201.3.9.3 and ADS 201.3.11.6).

Gender analysis examines the different but interdependent roles of men and women and the relations between the sexes. It also involves an examination of the rights and opportunities of men and women, power relations, and access to and control over resources. Gender analysis identifies disparities, investigates why such disparities exist, determines whether they are detrimental, and if so, looks at how they can be remedied.

USAID's approach to gender analysis is built around two key questions:

a. How will the different roles and status of women and men within the community, political sphere, workplace, and household (for example, roles in decision-making and different access to and control over resources and services) affect the work to be undertaken? (See Box 1)

b. How will the anticipated results of the work affect women and men differently? (See

Box 2)

From ADS 201.3.9.3: The purpose of the first question is to ensure that: 1) the differences in the roles and status of women and men are examined; and 2) any inequalities or differences that will impede achieving program or project goals are addressed in the planned work design. The different roles, responsibilities, and status of men and women within the community, political sphere, workplace and household (e.g., roles in decision-making and different access to and control over resources and services) must be addressed.

Box 1: Sample Questions to Respond To: “How will the different roles and status of women and men within the community, political sphere, workplace, and household (for example, roles in decision-making and different access to and control over resources and services) affect the work to be undertaken?”

Gender Roles and Responsibilities

Do men’s and women’s different roles within the household influence how decisions are made, e.g., who within the household will seek health services and when they will seek them?

Do men’s and women’s different responsibilities within the household make them more or less susceptible to health problems (e.g., contact with waste water, fumes from indoor cooking fires, bodily fluids, or animal meat)?

Do differences in men’s and women’s position within the community influence their assumption of leadership positions and participation in community activities at the local and national levels; e.g., determine who designs and implements health programs?

Do men’s and women’s roles within the community lead to gender inequalities in access http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/200/201.pdf to emergency medical and other health care, and exposure to health education and information? (For more illustrative questions, see Appendix 3)

The second question calls for another level of analysis in which the anticipated programming results are: 1) fully examined to discern the possible different effects on women and men; and

2) the design is adjusted as necessary to ensure equitable and sustainable program or project impact (see ADS 203.6.1). For example, programming for women’s income generation may have the unintended consequence of domestic violence as power shifts from men to women.

This potential negative effect could be mitigated by working with men to anticipate change and be more supportive of their partners. USAID’s programs and activities must take into account not only the different roles of men and women, but also the relationship between and among men and women as well as the broader institutional and social structures that support them.

Sex-disaggregated quantitative and qualitative data can provide the empirical foundation for the analysis. Data can be collected through:

• Desk study or literature review;

• Qualitative methods such as focus group discussions or stakeholder interviews; and

• Quantitative methods such as surveys.

Identification of differential access to and control over resources (e.g., land, labor, capital, social networks) is an essential component of the analysis, as is investigation of the comparative participation of men and women in exercising power and decision-making within the household, in the community, and within other relevant institutions.

Box 2: Sample Questions to Respond To: “How will the anticipated results of the work affect women and men differently?”

Will promoting men’s participation in the project (family planning/reproductive health and maternal health interventions) undermine or support women’s empowerment and autonomy?

How have similar projects in the past affected gender dynamics within the household and community?

Will women’s expanded knowledge of and access to reproductive health and family planning methods increase their risk of domestic violence? Will men’s engagement in family planning and women’s reproductive health mitigate this risk?

Will income-generating activities for women impact the household’s power dynamics and allocation of resources for health? Could there be any unintended negative consequences?

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Components of a Gender Analysis

Below are simplified components of a gender analysis:

1. Analysis of sex-disaggregated data and information

2. Assessment of roles and responsibilities/division of labor

3. Consideration of access to and control over resources

4. Examination of patterns of decision-making

5. Examination of the data using a gender perspective (i.e., in the context of women and men’s gender roles and relationships)

The United Nations Development Programme synthesizes the steps of gender analysis in this way:

(1) Sex-Disaggregated Data + (2) Analysis + (3) A Gender Perspective = Gender Analysis

In general, all gender analysis approaches should examine representation of men and women in a particular sector (e.g., education, health, or economic growth), how resources are distributed, and why these differences exist. It may also be useful to examine the historical and contemporary social context relevant to the specific sector to understand gender differences.

1. Analysis of Sex-Disaggregated Data and Information

Review any sex-disaggregated data relevant to the specific technical sector’s proposed project or activity. This data can be found in published sources from the World Bank and other international agencies, from gender experts, stakeholder consultations, or collected through other vehicles such as surveys or focus groups.

Box 3: Example of the importance of sex-disaggregated data to provide a gender perspective

Compare the following data from a hypothetical project that aims to increase economic activity through small-business development. Note how sex-disaggregated data gives a clearer picture of one of the problems to be addressed.

1. “In Kaliningrad, 64% of the working age population is unemployed.”

2. “In Kaliningrad, 74% of the registered unemployed are women and 26% are men.

However, men are less likely to officially register with employment services as they tend to use informal channels to find work. Therefore, real unemployment rates for men may be higher. At the same time, because women remain unemployed for longer periods than men they tend to seek assistance through employment services.”

2. Assessment of Roles and Responsibilities/Division of Labor

Consider men’s and women’s roles and responsibilities in relation to formal and informal employment, community participation, local/community politics, family and household roles, etc.

Where is there greater participation of women or men? What are the reasons for this?

What are the barriers to an equitable division of labor and equal opportunity?

Where do opportunities or entry points exist to encourage an equitable division of labor and equal opportunity?

What different roles do boys and girls play within the household and community?

How might this affect their access to education, health care, etc.?

Box 4: Example of analysis of roles and responsibilities

Pay attention to the different responsibilities of men and women in the following examples, and ask how these differences could be addressed in each project.

1. Health: In designing a program that improves care for HIV-positive people, it is important to note that women assume the greater burden of care for family members affected by HIV/AIDS. Even outside the family setting, women make up a disproportionate number of caregivers in nursing and hospice settings. Consideration should be given to how the program might further burden women caregivers, the social impact of such a program, and also whether the lack of male caregivers could negatively impact the care of people living with HIV.

2. Conflict Mitigation: A program that works in a post-conflict region, such as the North Caucasus, should include a detailed analysis of the impact of conflict on the roles of men and women. A program design for a post-conflict setting should outline a clear approach to the roles that women and men may play in perpetuating conflict, in preventing conflict and in peace-building as well as the different ways in which men and women may have been impacted by the conflict.

3. Consideration of Access to and Control over Resources

Who has access to and control of resources and services?

It is important to distinguish between the concepts of access and control when examining how resources are allocated between women and men. Access means a person or group can use a resource (e.g., land to grow crops), while control means that a person or group can make decisions about who uses or disposes of a resource (e.g., selling land and gaining the profits).

Look at the assets that men and women have, including human capital assets (e.g., education), financial assets, natural assets (e.g., land), and social assets (e.g., social networks, time).

Box 5: Example of analysis of access to and control over resources

Pay attention to how resources are distributed and whether this could impact programming.

Local Governance: In designing a program to improve local governance, the intervention must encourage policy makers to consider the distinct needs of male and female citizens as well as the potential differential impact of seemingly gender-neutral policies. Gender-sensitive budgeting is an example of a tool that is used to build awareness of how budget allocations benefit some groups more than others and also to document women’s informal economic contributions. Gender-sensitive budgeting could be included in a program on local governance.

4. Examination of Decision-Making Patterns

In what decision-making do men and women participate? Analysis can include the national, community, and household level.

Look at any constraints to decision-making. In some contexts, there may be formal constraints on women to participate in decision-making, while in others, the impediments may be de facto. Analyze and discuss how women and men are actually participating in decision-making. Such an analysis should include not only who is present when decisions are made but also who has actual power over the outcomes of the decision-making process.

Box 6: Example of analysis of decision-making

1. Political Process: In designing a program that would encourage citizen participation in political parties and elections and monitor how elections are managed, examine patterns of men and women holding elected office. For example, studies by Russian experts show that women are generally placed low on national party lists making it less likely they will actually obtain seats in the federal government (there are more Russian women in local office than at the federal level). Part of an election-monitoring program should therefore include analysis of barriers to women and men to being elected and taking public office.

In particular, this program might work with male party members at the federal level to encourage them to see women candidates as assets who are able to reach out to new constituencies, as well as help women build the skills to campaign effectively.

2. Rule of Law: In designing a program that aims to improve the rule of law in Russia by targeting judges, program planners should consider gender and the judiciary from several perspectives. First, ascertain whether men and women are equally represented in the judiciary. In Russia, many justices of the peace are women, but most chief judges, who direct court administration, are male. A second consideration in such a program would be the capacity of judges to integrate principles of gender equality into their judgments and to apply the law equitably. A third consideration would be whether there are differences between men and women in accessing the court system, that is, do women have a harder time bringing cases to court?

3. Health: In designing a program to affect policy and legal changes on such topics as

HIV/AIDS or maternal health, women’s under-representation in the state legislature

5. Examination of the Data Using a Gender Perspective

The use of a gender perspective means not simply presenting sex-disaggregated data but interpreting the data by considering the differences between men’s and women’s needs, priorities, responsibilities, status, perspectives, strengths, activities, opportunities, and constraints, among many other factors, over both the short and long term. Using all of the information collected from steps 1-4, it becomes possible to compile a comprehensive picture of the gender roles, responsibilities, and relations in a particular country, community, or project.

Within the context of any particular development problem, such gender-related data is essential to defining linkages between cause and effect and deciding how specific development goals will be achieved. The gender analysis conducted at the country strategic plan level may require further refinement, including the gathering of more data, as USAID technical officers transform the strategic plan into Assistance Objectives, Intermediate Results, projects, and activities.

Conclusion

Integrating gender issues into USAID’s development and humanitarian assistance work is critical to realizing transformational, sustainable development. Everyone at USAID has a role to play in this process. If you need additional assistance in complying with ADS requirements, consult your USAID Bureau/Independent Office or Mission gender specialist or the Office of Women in Development (WID) in the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT).

APPENDIX 1: RESOURCES FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE

A wide spectrum of development organizations such as USAID, UNDP, the World Bank, and Oxfam offer numerous Web-based resources focusing on the integration of gender into development programs. Listed below is a small sample of on-line resources that also include sector-specific guidelines and information, as these are probably more useful than broad analytical tools. Each is linked to the site where you can find more information.

1. Office of Women in Development The Office of Women in Development’s Web page contains a section on Gender Analysis work. Project examples are provided from Business Development, Environment, Health Care, and Local Governance activities, which highlight some of the issues that arise in a gender analysis. The Web page has over 40 USAID gender analyses that have been conducted worldwide and can serve as examples to Operating Units that need to conduct a gender analysis. In addition, the Web page provides the publication, Tips for Gender Integration in USAID Education Sector Solicitations to help USAID officers comply with ADS

302.3.5.15 and 303.3.6.3.

2. Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance The DCHA Bureau’s Web page contains resources for gender integration and analysis organized into broad categories, including, USAID Policy and Requirements, Operationally- Focused Tools, Country Assessments, Current Research, and Sector-Specific Resources in areas such as conflict management and mitigation, humanitarian assistance, governance, and crisis response.

3. Bureau for Europe and Eurasia The E&E Bureau’s Web page contains a comprehensive set of resources on gender and related issues. This material is clustered into three over-arching categories: basic gender information, domestic violence, and trafficking in persons. Basic resources on gender include those on gender analysis and gender mainstreaming as well as a lengthy list of E&E country-specific gender analyses, assessments, reports, and program descriptions. The section of the Web site dedicated to Trafficking in Persons (TIP) includes hundreds of documents designed to provide general and regional information about TIP, but also provides concrete resources for USAID employees who wish to design or evaluate trafficking programs in any region. Also on this site are numerous documents produced by the Social Transition Team in E&E on gender, domestic violence, and

TIP.

See: http://inside.usaid.gov/EE/dgst/st/index.php?q=node/158 [Note: This page is only available on the USAID intranet.]

4. Bureau for Global Health: The GH Bureau’s Web page includes a link to the Interagency Gender Working Group (IGWG). The IGWG is a health network of NGOs, USAID, and other USG agencies and donors, whose goal is to foster sustainable development, improve reproductive health, and reduce HIV/AIDS. The site offers a number of tools for integrating gender into specific health programs (such as gender-based violence, reproductive health, HIV/ AIDS, and approaches to http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/ http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/gender/gender_analysis.html http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/gender/gender_analysis_bd.html http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/gender/gender_analysis_environment.html http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/gender/gender_analysis_health.html http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/gender/gender_analysis_governance.html http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADM805.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADM805.pdf http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/302.pdf http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/302.pdf http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/303.pdf http://communities.usaid.gov/dcha/index.php?q=gender http://www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/ http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/ http://www.igwg.org/ working with men), resources on interrelations between health and gender issues, as well as training materials for USG staff and partners. Additional information and resources are also available on the GH/Family Planning (http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/pop/techareas/gender/) and

GH/HIV

(http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/aids/TechAreas/prevention/gend er.html) Web pages.

5. Gender Mainstreaming in Practice: A Toolkit (UNDP, 2007). Part 1 of this kit describes ten steps to gender mainstreaming and includes basic principles of gender equality and a guide for conducting gender analysis. Part 2 of the kit consists of sectoral briefs on gender issues relevant to Private Sector Development, Health, Governance and Participation, Human Rights and Justice, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, and HIV/ AIDS.

6. Tools for Mainstreaming Gender (Gender Equality Division, World Bank). This

Web page includes links to several resources including operational tools/development resources on gender. The site has links to sectoral toolkits on gender analysis and “how to” strategies for gender integration into specific programs. The following topics may be of relevance: Governance, HIV/AIDS and Gender, Social Protection, Gender-Based Violence, Conflict. Tools on private sector development may also be useful in the exploration and development of partnerships with private entities.

7. Gender Tip Sheets (Organization for Economic Co-operation and

Development/Development Assistance Committee). This Web page hosts a large number of tip sheets designed to provide staff with background information that is useful to integrating a gender perspective into development activities. The tip sheets were developed in collaboration with the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Note that there are tip sheets on specific subject areas (e.g. Electoral support, Health, Housing programs, Human rights, Micro-credit, Post-conflict initiatives), on topics that relate to managing programs (Evaluation, Implementation and monitoring, Gender mainstreaming), and on making activities used in programming more gender sensitive (Gender budgeting, Participation, Training).

8. Eldis Gender Resources: Eldis is a clearinghouse site for materials on development policy, practice, and research. The site includes extensive information related to gender mainstreaming, gender in a number of subtopics such as the media, local governance, conflict, HIV/AIDS, youth, and human trafficking, and links to manuals and toolkits.

Other Publications

A User’s Guide to Measuring Gender-Sensitive Basic Service Delivery, United Nations Development Programme, 2009.

See:http://www.unifem.org/attachments/products/UsersGuide2MeasuringGenderSensi tiveBasicDeliveryService_en.pdf

UNDP Learning and Information Pack on Gender Analysis See: http://www.undp.org/women/mainstream/docs/GenderAnalysis1.pdf http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/pop/techareas/gender/ http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/aids/TechAreas/prevention/gender.html http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/aids/TechAreas/prevention/gender.html http://europeandcis.undp.org/home/show/6D8DE77F-F203-1EE9-B2E5652990E8B4B9 http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTGENDER/0,,contentMDK:21358556%7EmenuPK:3851633%7EpagePK:210058%7EpiPK:210062%7EtheSitePK:336868,00.html http://www.oecd.org/document/34/0,3343,en_2649_34541_1896290_1_1_1_1,00.html http://www.eldis.org/go/topics/resource-guides/gender http://www.unifem.org/attachments/products/UsersGuide2MeasuringGenderSensitiveBasicDeliveryService_en.pdf http://www.unifem.org/attachments/products/UsersGuide2MeasuringGenderSensitiveBasicDeliveryService_en.pdf http://www.undp.org/women/mainstream/docs/GenderAnalysis1.pdf

APPENDIX 2: KEY TERMS IN GENDER ANALYSIS

SEX AND GENDER

Sex is a biological construct that defines males and females according to physical characteristics and reproductive capabilities. USAID policy calls for the collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated data (male vs. female) for individual-level indicators and targets. Gender and sex are not synonyms.

Gender is a social construct that refers to relations between and among the sexes, based on their relative roles. It encompasses the economic, political, and socio-cultural attributes, constraints, and opportunities associated with being male or female. As a social construct, gender varies across cultures, is dynamic and open to change over time. Because of the variation in gender across cultures and over time, gender roles should not be assumed but investigated. Note that “gender” is not interchangeable with “women” or "sex."

GENDER ANALYSIS AND GENDER ASSESSMENT

Gender analysis refers to the identification and interpretation of gender differences and relations and their impact on achieving development objectives. Gender analysis also gauges the implications of development interventions that may shift the power dynamic between women and men. A gender analysis is required to inform the design of country strategic plans, Assistance Objectives, and projects/activities.

Gender assessment involves carrying out a gender analysis of an organization’s programs and of the organization’s ability to monitor and respond to gender issues throughout the program cycle. USAID Missions often carry out a gender assessment of their portfolio to determine whether gender issues are being effectively addressed in Mission-supported programs and projects. Findings from a gender assessment can be used, for example, to inform a Mission Gender Plan of Action.

GENDER EQUALITY AND EQUITY

Gender equality is a broad concept and a development goal. It is achieved when men and women have equal rights, freedoms, conditions, and opportunities for realizing their full potential and for contributing to and benefiting from economic, social, cultural, and political development. Equality does not mean that women and men become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities, and opportunities do not depend on whether they are born male or female. It means society values men and women equally for their similarities and differences and the diverse roles they play. Gender equality is not a “women’s issue” but should concern and fully engage men as well as women. It signifies the results of gender equity strategies and processes.

Gender equity is the process of being fair to women and men. To ensure fairness, measures must often be available to compensate for historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from otherwise operating on an equitable basis, or a “level playing field.”

Equity leads to equality.

GENDER INTEGRATION

Gender integration involves identifying and then addressing gender differences and inequalities during program and project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

Since the roles and relations of power between men and women affect how an activity is implemented, it is essential that project and activity planners address these issues on an ongoing basis. USAID uses the term gender integration in planning and programming.

APPENDIX 3: SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR INTEGRATING GENDER

INTO USAID PROGRAMMING

USAID teams must answer two key gender-related questions when designing programs and activities:

1. How will the different roles and status of women and men within the community, political sphere, workplace, and household (for example, roles in decision-making and different access to and control over resources and services) affect the work to be undertaken?

2. How will the anticipated results of the work affect women and men differently?

A sector-specific gender analysis will pose more focused questions as part of the program/activity planning phase. Below are two sets of sample questions from the health sector that you can use in formulating your own sector-specific gender analysis.

Sample Questions: “How will the different roles and status of women and men within the community, political sphere, workplace, and household (for example, roles in decision-making and different access to and control over resources and services) affect the work to be undertaken?”

Gender Roles and Responsibilities

Do men’s and women’s different roles within the household influence how decisions are made; e.g., who within the household will seek health services and when they will seek them?

Do men’s and women’s different responsibilities within the household make them more or less susceptible to infectious disease (e.g., contact with waste water, fumes from indoor cooking fires, bodily fluids, or animal meat)?

Do differences in men’s and women’s position within the community influence their participation in leadership positions and in community activities at the local and national levels; e.g., in the design and implementation of health programs?

Do men’s and women’s roles within the community lead to gender inequalities in access to emergency medical and other healthcare and health education and information?

Gender Norms and Expectations

Do expectations of women’s and men’s behaviors alter their vulnerability to infectious disease and/or stigma associated with being HIV-positive?

Do cultural norms about “acceptable” behavior for men limit their knowledge and positive involvement in family planning/reproductive health and maternal health?

Do perceived differences in men’s and women’s knowledge, decision-making processes, and behaviors influence how healthcare providers communicate with male and female patients?

Access to Resources, Information, and Power

Do boys/men and girls/women at health and education facilities have access to separate, on-site latrines and clean water? How does this affect men’s and women’s vulnerability to violence and disease?

Are there differences in men’s and women’s ability to negotiate the terms of their sexual encounters?

Do inequalities in men’s and women’s access to household income create differences in vulnerability to disease and in the ability to use family planning, maternal health, and HIV services?

Are there different obstacles that men and women face when seeking health care services in rural areas?

Do women’s and men’s differential access to productive resources and land rights affect their ability to cope with the adverse affects of HIV/AIDS in their lives and community?

Sample Questions: “How will the anticipated results of the work affect women and men differently?

Will promoting men’s participation in the project (family planning/reproductive health interventions) undermine or support women’s empowerment and autonomy?

How have similar projects in the past affected gender dynamics within the household and community?

Will women’s expanded knowledge of and access to reproductive health and family planning methods intensify their risk of domestic violence? Will men’s engagement in family planning and women’s reproductive health help to mitigate this risk?

When a family is compensated for continuing their daughter’s education in lieu of arranging her marriage, how does it change the gender dynamics within the household?

Are these differences consistent across generations?

Will income-generating activities for women impact the household’s power dynamics and allocation of resources for health? Could there be any unintended negative consequences?

Will proposed reproductive health policies intended to improve reproductive health services address barriers related to gender norms and inequalities?

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