ADS CHAPTER 205 -Integrating Gender Equality In USAID’s Program Cycle

Nudrat Mufti

Gender Defintion

• 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. (Chapters 200-203)

Gender Analysis

• *Gender analysis refers to the systematic gathering and analysis of information on gender differences and social relations to identify and understand the different roles, divisions of labor, resources, constraints, needs, Opportunities/capacities, and interests of men and women (and girls and boys) in a given context.

• USAID requires that the findings of a gender analysis are used to inform the design of country strategic plans, 02/10/2012 Partial Revision

Gender Assessment

• *Gender assessment involves carrying out a review, from a gender

perspective, of an organization’s programs and its ability to monitor and respond to gender issues in both technical programming and institutional policies and practices. A gender assessment is a flexible tool, based on the needs of the Mission, and may also include a gender analysis at the country level.

• If a gender analysis is included in a gender assessment, this meets the ADS requirements. Findings from a gender assessment may be used, for example, to inform a country strategic plan or a Development Objective and/or develop a Mission Gender Plan of Action or a Mission Order on gender. (Chapters 200-203)

Gender Equality

• A broad concept and a goal for development. 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.

• It means society values men and women equally for their similarities and the diverse roles they play. It signifies the outcomes that result from gender equity strategies and processes. (Chapters 200-203)

Gender Equity

• 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 a level playing field. Equity leads to equality.

• (Chapters 200-203)

Gender Integration

• *Involves identifying and then addressing gender differences during strategic planning, project design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.

• Since the roles and relations of power between men and women affect how a project is implemented, it is essential that USAID staff address these issues on an ongoing basis. USAID uses the term gender integration in planning and programming. (Chapters 200-203)

USAID’s Criteria For Assessing Performance Indicators Include:

• Direct (valid) : Closely represents the result it is intended to measure.

• Objective: Unambiguous about what is being measured; has a precise operational definition that ensures comparability over time.

• Practical :Data can be collected on a timely basis and at reasonable cost.

• Adequate : Only the minimum number of indicators necessary to ensure that key dimensions of a result are sufficiently captured.

• Reliable: Data are of sufficient quality for confident decision-making.

• Disaggregated where possible: By characteristics such as sex, age, economic status, and location,

Policy Stance On Gender Equality

• To advance women’s equal participation with men as decision-makers in shaping the sustainable development of their societies

• To support women and girls in the realization of their full human rights

• To reduce gender inequalities in access and control over the resources and benefits of development

ADS Chapter 205 -Integrating Gender Equality and Female Empowerment in USAID’s Program Cycle

In 2012, USAID adopted several comprehensive and interlinked policies and strategies to reduce gender inequality and to enable girls and women to realize their rights, determine their life outcomes, influence decision-making and become change agents in households, communities, and societies. These policies and strategies include:

The Gender Equality and

Female Empowerme

nt Policy,

The U.S. National

Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security,

The U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to

Gender-Based

Violence Globally,

The USAID Vision for

Ending Child Marriage

and Meeting the Needs of

Married Children,

and

The USAID Counter-

Trafficking in Persons Policy

Gender Analysis Is A Subset Of Socio-economic Analysis.

Socially Relevant Category

Households, Communities, And Countries

Age, Income, Ethnicity, Race, Disability Status, Location, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And

Transgender

Country, Geographic, Cultural, Institutional, Economic

Education, Health, Political participation, Economic

activity and earnings, Time use, Violence, and Other

relevant domains.

Access To Assets, Resources, Opportunities And Services

Domains Of Analysis To Include In Gender Analysis:

Cultural Norms and Beliefs

Domains of Analysis to include in gender analysis:

Gender Roles, Responsibilities, and Time Used

Access to and Control over Assets and Resources

Patterns of Power and Decision-making

Gender Integration and the Program Cycle

• Agency Level Policy And Strategy Formulation;• Country Development Cooperation Strategies• Technical Components Of The Solicitation• Statements Of Work, Statements Of Objective And

Performance Work Statements • Project Design And Implementation

• Spelled Out In The Problem Statement• Reflected In Project Design

• Monitoring, Evaluation, And Learning• Tracked By Qualitative Or Quantitative Indicators In Performance Monitoring• Addressed In The Evaluation Plan And Reporting Requirements.

Understanding Will Result

Gaps Between Males And Females Reduced

Economic, Political, And Social Resources Controlled

Prevalence Of Gender-based Violence Reduced

Reductions In Constraints That Prevent Women And Girls,

Influence made in Decisions In Their Societies

Gender Key Issue • In Operational Plans (OPs) and Performance Plan and Reports

(PPRs), the Gender Key Issue is comprised of four sub-key issues

Gender Equality/Women’s Empowerment (GE/WE) – Primary

Gender Equality/Women’s Empowerment (GE/WE) – Secondary

Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

Women, Peace, and Security (WPS)

Outcomes

Three Outcomes Specified In The Gender Equality And Female Empowerment Policy:

• Reductions In Gaps Between Males And Females In Access To/Control Over Economic, Political, And Social Resources;

• Reductions In The Prevalence Of Gender-based Violence;• Reductions In Constraints That Prevent Women And Girls

From Leading, Participating Fully In, And Influencing Decisions In Their Societies

Additional Reference

• Gender 101 Online Training Course (course code G101GEUSAID) • Gender and Health Resources • Guide on How to Integrate Disability into Gender Assessments and • Analyses • Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GenDev) • Tips for Integrating Gender Into USAID Agricultural Sector Solicitations • Tips for Integrating Gender Into USAID Education Sector Solicitations • Toward Gender Equality in Europe and Eurasia: A Toolkit for Analysis