Concepts and Tools of

Gender Analysis

Jeanne Frances I. Illo

5 July 2007
Gender analysis-planning flow
Development and
Situation analysis
implementation of
•ID gender issues
strategy
•Investigation of
•Addressing gender
causes of the
gender issues and
issues
their causes
•Creating opportunities

GAD goals and targets

(gender equality and women’s empowerment)
•Monitoring performance and results
•Assessment of intervention strategies

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 2

 Figure 1. Embeddedness of “Development”

Political system
--Human rights

Culture Development Social

systems

Health Projects
and Programs
Belief systems
--Faith Economy

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 3

 Key concepts
Gender norms as part of cultural norms
Gender as system of social relations
– For instance, as embedded in kinship
– Asymmetries and inequalities that in male-female
relations: unequal and subordinate; different but equal

Gender norms shaping roles, privilege,

entitlement, and the question of control
– Notion of “place” (private/public)
– Value and prestige
– Rights
Gender relations as shaping and shaped by
economic and political factors
Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 4
 Gender Analysis—What It Is

 The systematic gathering and

examination of information on gender
differences (gaps) and social relations
in order to identify, understand, and
redress inequities and inequalities
based on gender

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 5

Conceptual Building Blocks
Gender roles and valuation of
labor
Productive
Reproductive
Community management
Leisure

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 6

Conceptual Building Blocks
Gender needs and interests
Practical gender needs (PGN):
improvement of material condition of women
and men; unequal structure of gender
relations or division of labor remains
unchallenged
– May arise from women’s special needs
Strategic gender interests (SGI): actions
and strategies required to bring about
structural changes and empowerment of
women

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 7

Conceptual Building Blocks
Gender discrimination/bias
Differential treatment given to
individuals on the basis of their gender
Involves systemic and structural bias
against women in valuation/reward,
access to resources, participation and
control

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 8

Conceptual Building Blocks
Access to resources,
opportunities and benefits
Being able to avail oneself of an
opportunity, or to utilize a particular
resource, facility, etc.

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 9

Conceptual Building Blocks
Control of resources,
opportunities and benefits
Being able to exert power or authority
to decide about the acquisition, use,
allocation or disposal of a resource,
facility or opportunity

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 10

Conceptual Building Blocks
Constraints to participation,
access, and control exist at
different levels
Individual ‘preferences’
Social norms and conventions
Institutional (legal, market, faith)
Program/project impositions

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 11

Conceptual Building Blocks
Gender issues and gender gaps
Where gender division of labor brings with it
inequalities in amount of work inputs or
benefits received
Where women and men face different
opportunities to access, participate in, and
control resources and benefits
Where women and men are conceived or
thought of as different and, thus, unequal
Where there is systemic or structural bias,
resulting in differential treatment (e.g.,
valuation/reward, access) given to individuals
on the basis of their gender

Concepts and Tools of Gender Analysis 12

Levels of gender equality and
women’s empowerment
Level Concern or Issue

Control Inequality in power relations so that increased

women’s access or productivity may not
translate to improved welfare of women
Participation Inequality in involvement of women and men
in bodies that make decisions or policies
affecting them; treatment of women solely as
passive beneficiaries
Conscientization Notional or belief gap re the nature of gender
differences and relations

Access Gender gap in the amount and quality of

resources women and men can have access to
Welfare Inequality in the material and physical well-
being of women and men
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Gender gaps analysis and
strategies to address gaps
Level Gender gap Strategy to address
gender gap
Control—
governance
Participation
Conscientization
Access
Welfare
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 Buzz Group Instructions
Discuss the Bulolakaw case.
What did the project assume as gender roles in the
community?
What did the project assume as the situation re
access and control of resources?
Organize your analysis by using the GEWEF
tool:
What gender-related issues are evident in the case?
Go through the different levels of gender equality.
How were these issues addressed in the case?

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 Gender analysis of constraints and
opportunities re access and
participation
Cultural/ Economic State Policies/programs
Item Social situation policies relevant to the
project

Constraints

Opportunities

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