How to identify and develop your gender analysis skills and confidence

Aim

Reflecting on your current gender analysis knowledge, skills and confidence will help you know where to start gender analysis, why it is important to your work, and how to use Empowering Change more effectively.

Question.

Why use gender analysis in my work?
What do I already know about gender analysis?
How can I build my knowledge, skills and confidence?

Understand.

Before starting it's important to reflect on gender, and the many ideas and beliefs we hold that may impact our policy approaches. This could include how we prioritise gender in our work, what we include, and what we exclude in our analysis.

Key Tools and Links.

Why use gender analysis in my work?

Research shows using gender analysis to improve gender-responsive approaches - in accordance with applicable domestic laws and policies – supports inclusive, sustainable and equitable economic growth and long-term development across the Asia Pacific.

By applying gender analysis to all policy, not only that directly impacting women, policy professionals can challenge “taken for granted” assumptions and strive for gender equality in their work.

Using gender analysis will ensure your policy better reflects the needs of your population – particularly those with the least opportunities or access to resources. It helps you consider,

Access

Who has access to and control over resources and opportunities.

Impact

Who is likely to benefit or lose from a policy.

Complexities

What barriers and opportunities exist for different groups.

Equality

What roles and responsibilities exist that shape equality.

Strategy

What strategies will have the biggest impact on gender equality.

Gender equality is good for the whole economy. It supports economic growth, innovation and skills, higher levels of health and wellbeing, and more targeted and effective use of government spending.

What do I already know about gender analysis?

Building an understanding of your skills, knowledge and beliefs about gender will help you understand where to start, what you know, what you think about gender, and where there might be opportunities for you to expand your skills and perspectives.

A tool such as the Gender Analysis Competency Framework can help you think about your current level of skill and knowledge in gender analysis, and how you interpret some concepts that are required for gender analysis work.

Using the tool you can ask yourself,

Why is gender analysis important to my work?
Where can I use gender analysis in my work?
Who in my team is responsible for gender analysis?
What gender concepts do I understand and will I use for my economy?

The framework helps you work out where you can build skills, and where you may need further gender expertise.

Like most policy work, a broad range of hard and soft skills is necessary for gender analysis. In particular, good gender analysis focuses on soft skills that,

Build relationships and empathy – connecting with people and seeing the world from their perspective
Develop critical thinking and reflection – asking questions and exploring new opportunities
Learn as you go – building a culture of learning and improvement as you incorporate gender into your work.

How can I build my knowledge, skills and confidence?

Gender analysis is a learning process that involves commitment, and developing certain knowledge and skills. However, each time you use gender analysis in your policy work, you improve your skills, knowledge and competencies.

Research shows that the existence of government-level policy commitment to gender mainstreaming and an organizational strategic approach is most effective to support strong gender analysis and gender equality outcomes. This includes ensuring expert and appropriate training and support for policy professionals.

However, at an individual level there are many reputable online publications and free training modules to learn more about gender analysis. Some examples you could access include,

Or online courses provided by the UN Women Training Centre. For example,

Free online course. UN Women Training Centre

There are gender specialists that also write and teach extensively on gender, gender analysis and gender equality. Ask gender experts in your economy or access the work of others online. Networking and meeting with gender experts and practitioners in the field will also challenge and build core skills.

Sweden: building gender competency improves equality in the courts

In Sweden, a survey was conducted with key authorities within the Swedish Courts. The aim of the survey was to obtain a detailed assessment of people’s awareness of gender equality policy objectives. It also covered issues around gender-sensitive language and gender equality among judicial officers.

Following the survey, an action plan was developed to raise employee awareness on gender equality priorities in the courts. Based on the survey results, activities to raise employee awareness on gender equality priorities within the Swedish Courts were prioritised. These activities targeted court managers, as their knowledge, understanding and dedication to gender equality were seen as crucial to delivering the desired results.

From OECD Toolkit for Mainstreaming and Implementing Gender Equality

Choose your activity.