International Association for Impact Assessment

Gender Impact Assessment

Edited By: Bridget

Overview & History

Policies as well as other interventions and the way they are designed and implemented by organizations and through projects are not gender-neutral, they are a crucial part of gendering of our societies. The problem of gender inequality is a problem of power relations, mainly evolving around the organization of labor, intimacy and participation/citizenship. Material and discursive mechanisms often hinder equality and autonomy of marginalized people, such as women, girls and other disenfranchised groups (disabled, older, indigenous people, gays, lesbians, transgender or intersex people).

Gender impact assessment aims to intervene and redirect policies and other interventions, so that they work towards gender equality rather than perpetuate unequal power relations (Verloo 2006). As an assessment form, it can be extended to diversity or equality assessment, comprising and analyzing diverse intersectional factors of discrimination and exclusion. Gender is also a vital element of many forms of Health Impact Assessment.

The new IAIA Gender and Gender Impact Assessment Key Citations, compiled by Prof. Frank Vanclay and Arn Sauer, M.A. will give you some scientific guidance in when and where gender matters how.

If gendered interventions in project design and/or policy making are to be successful, they have to be done in the early stages. All forms of Social Impact Assessment can and should be conducted in a gender sensitive way. Here you find a list of tools (work in progress) that might give you a better idea of how gender can be taken into consideration in your particular line and field of work. Please feel encouraged to add tools and information you come across which is not yet included (write to: arn.sauer@gmx.net).

References

 

  • Aboriginal Women’s Healing and Health Research Group 2007. Gender-based Analysis: the Framework. Kahnwake: AWHHRG.
  • Asian Development Bank 2003. Gender Checklist Resettlement. Mandaluyong City: ADB. URL: http://www.adb.org/Documents/Manuals/Gender_Checklists/Resettlement/resettlement.pdf (2011-04-28)
  • Asian Development Bank 2003. Gender Checklist Urban Development and Housing. Mandaluyong City: ADB. URL http://www.adb.org/Documents/Manuals/Gender_Checklists/Urban/urban2.pdf (2011-04-28)
  • Assembly of First Nations 2009. Gender Balanced Analysis Framework. Ottawa: Assembly of First Nations.
  • Burke, M. A. & Eichler, M. 2006. The bias free framework. Geneva: Global Forum for Health Research.
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research 2006. Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in Health Research: A Guide for CIHR Researchers and Reviewers. Ottawa: CHIR.
  • Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2008. Gender-Based Analysis at CIC: A Working Guide. Ottawa: CIC.
  • Department of Justice Canada 1998. Diversity and Justice: Gender Perspectives: A Guide to Gender Equality Analysis. Ottawa: Office of the Senior Advisor on Gender Equality.
  • Department of Justice & Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group on Diversity, & Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group on Diversity, E. a. J. 2008. Ideas: Integrated Diversity and Equality Analysis Screening. Ottawa: Department of Justice.´
  • European Commission 1998. A Guide to Gender Impact Assessment. Luxembourg: European Commission. URL: ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=4376&langId=en (2011-04-28).
  • European Commission 2003. Evaluating Socio Economic Development, Sourcebook 2. Brussels: European Union.
  • Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada 2007. Steps in Gender-Based Analysis. Ottawa: DFAIT.
  • Germany; Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth BMFSFJ 2007. Working Aid Gender Impact Assessment - “Gender Mainstreaming in the Preparation of Legislation”. Berlin: Druck Vogt.
  • Indian and Northern Affairs Canada 2006. Gender-Based Analysis: Toolkit. Gatineau: INAC.
  • Niemanis, A. 2007. Gender Mainstreaming In Practice: A Toolkit Part I + II), New York: UNDP. URL: http://europeandcis.undp.org/gender/show/6D8DE77F-F203-1EE9-B2E5652990E8B4B9 (2011-04-28).
  • Status of Women Canada 2007. An Integrated Approach to Gender-based Analysis 2007 Edition. Ottawa: Status of Women Canada. URL: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/pol/gba-acs/guide/2007/index-pdf-eng.html (2011-04-28).
  • European Commission & Directorate-General for Employment 2008. Manual for Gender Mainstreaming. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. URL: http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=2045&langId=en (2011-04-28).