Integrating Gender into Evaluations

June 2014

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Overview

• Defining concepts • Addressing gender considerations in

evaluations–Why, when, how– Common challenges– Case: The Innotech Foundation

• Discussion

KEY CONCEPTS

Gender Equality, Human Rights, Gender as ‘Smart Economics’

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Gender equality?

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Gender Equality

• Equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women, men, girls, boys

• Means that rights & responsibilities and opportunities don’t depend on sex at birth

• Does not mean women and men will become the same

• Not a “women’s issue”: concerns & should fully engage men & women

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Gender Equality as a Human Right

• Human rights are the civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of one’s nationality, place of residence, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, colour, disability, religion, language etc.

• Human rights are expressed in, guaranteed by normative frameworks & laws that lay down the obligations of States to freedoms of individuals or groups.

• Important terms: “Duty bearers” (=obligations of the state) and “Rights holders” (=all individuals in the concerned state).

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Gender Equality as the Smart Thing to do

• Many actors, including the World Bank, emphasize that GE is not only the ‘right’ thing to do, but also the smart thing to do: Gender equality is smart economics.

• Evidence shows that increased women’s labor force participation are associated with reduced poverty and faster growth.

• Equality between women and men therefore is both a precondition for, and an indicator of, sustainable people-centered development

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GENDER & EVALUATION

Why, when, and how to (try to) address gender concerns into evaluations

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UNICEF Equity-focused evaluation

• Equity :all persons have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism

• Evaluation of program concerned with achieving equitable development results

• Broad umbrella for integrating human-rights-based approach (including gender equality)

• www.mymande.org/?q=content/how-design-and-manage-equity-focused-evaluations

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Glossary for today’s session

• Gender- equality evaluation– Evaluation of a program that seeks to

achieve gender equality– Focuses on end result (gender equality)

• Gender-sensitive (responsive) evaluation– Considers gender equality across

evaluation methodology– Focuses on process

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Clarifying terminology

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When to Address Gender in Evaluations?

Planning

Inception/

Workplan

Data Collectio

n

Data Analysis

Reporting

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Preparing for an Evaluation

• All evaluations should be gender-sensitive • An evaluability assessment can help identify

whether and to what extent an intervention has taken gender considerations into account, and what related data is available

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Possible Findings of an Evaluability Assessment

Evaluability

Intervention Characteristics Possible Evaluation Approaches

Low Gender dimensions have not been considered in the intervention’s design or implementation.

Explore unintended effects of the intervention, and areas where it could have addressed GE. Explore if/how gender considerations are addressed in the intervention’s governance and management cycles.Highlight gaps in evaluation report.

Medium Gender dimensions considered in intervention design and implementation to some extent.

Understand reasons for limitations. Pay special attention to stakeholder analysis to decide whom to involve.

High Gender considerations clearly defined in intervention design (e.g. objectives, results, indicators) and implementation. Related monitoring data available.

Ensure that evaluation Terms of Reference take full advantage of existing information and participation mechanisms

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Evaluation Planning

• Evaluation Terms of Reference set the stage for whether and how gender concerns will be addressed by:– Deciding the purpose, scope and focus of the

evaluation. – Determining the degree of stakeholder participation in

the evaluation, and respective implications e.g. on budget and time

– Framing (draft) Evaluation Questions– Conducting a Stakeholder Analysis, acknowledging that

different groups may have been affected by an intervention in different ways

– Reflecting on how to apply the evaluation criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, impact

– Identifying ethical considerations

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Defining target groups

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Evaluation Criteria

• Relevance – Was intervention equally relevant in view of existing

needs and priorities of men & women alike? – Was it aligned with international agreements and

commitments around HR and GE?

• Sustainability – Is the existing degree of support for gender equality in

the respective context a supporting or hindering factor influencing the sustainability of results?

– Has intervention had an influence on changing institutional or organizational environments (also) for GE?

– Contributed to establishing oversight systems?17IPDET © 2014

Evaluation Criteria (2)• Effectiveness

– Extent to which stated development intervention benefitted women and men, boys and girls

– Unintended effects on women and men, boys and girls

• Efficiency – Extent to which intervention design took differences in

needs of women and men into account– Extent to which responsibilities clear for integrating

gender considerations – Extent to which resources adequate for integrating

gender in intervention planning, management & monitoring processes

– Costs of not providing resources for integrating  gender18IPDET © 2014

Gender Sensitive Indicators

• Measures that help indicate progress (or lack thereof) towards a target over time– Gender-sensitive (GS) indicators measure gender-

related progress over time

• Ideal context: GS indicators exist & used• Usual context: No GS indicators &/or not

used Develop targeted questions and related indicators in

planning Deliberately collect and report data with gender

perspective19IPDET © 2014

Evaluation Team

• Gender balanced team can have benefits• All team members should have basic

awareness of relevant GE issues• Conduct data collection in contextually

appropriate, culturally & gender sensitive ways

• “Do no harm” principle applies in all evaluations

• Beware of gender “myopia” & blindness 20IPDET © 2014

Implementing the Evaluation

• Principles guiding gender sensitive evaluations: – Inclusion - pay attention to which groups

benefit from, and contribute to the intervention under review

– Participation – consult stakeholders about what is to be evaluated, and how. Assess if and how stakeholders have been consulted for design and implementation of intervention under review.

– Approaches – be sensitive to time, cultural and other considerations during data collection

– Mixed methods for collecting and analyzing data, using both quantitative and qualitative information

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Reporting

• Reflect on the evaluation methodology and whether/how it has taken gender issues into account. What, if any, were limitations?

• Reflect on extent to which gender has (or has not) been taken into consideration in design of intervention

• Discuss how gender has been addressed during the implementation of the intervention – Using evaluation criteria of Relevance,

Effectiveness, Efficiency, Sustainability and Impact

• Comment on gender-related issues in evaluation conclusions, recommendations and lessons learned 22IPDET © 2014

Evaluation Challenges

• Limited or no data on gender considerations

• Gender considerations seen as an ‘add on’ to evaluation, or as mere donor requirement.

• Evaluation timeframe and budget do not allow for truly participatory approach

• Short timeframe of interventions does not allow capturing possible longer term effects on gender relations

• Others?23IPDET © 2014

Innotech Foundation• Goals– Increase the growth & viability of technology

enabled businesses– Support marginalized groups, people living in

extreme poverty

• Foundation Profile– Five offices, rural and urban– Services: loans, training, advisory services– Board : 10 individuals– Staff: 50 business advisors and loan officers

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Scenario

• You have been recently hired by the InfoTech Foundation as evaluator

• Upcoming evaluation planned, late 2014

• Task: Write down 2 evaluation questions that should be included as part of the TOR that address gender considerations

• Challenge: Be creative-go beyond the obvious!

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DISCUSSION

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Selected Resources

• Integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality in Evaluation - Towards UNEG Guidance: http://www.unevaluation.org/HRGE_Guidance

• World Bank: World Development Report 2012 (Gender Equality): http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2012/Resources/7778105-1299699968583/7786210-1315936222006/Complete-Report.pdf

• Gender equality and Human Rights Responsive Evaluation:

http://mymande.org/human_rights_front?q=gender_equality_and_human_rights_responsive_evaluations

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THANK YOU

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