Gender-sensitive Monitoring and Evaluation

For Training Course on “Gender Equitable development Projects”APMASS & WAP, AIT: Vietnam

Karabi Baruah-Ph.DGender, HIV & Development Specialist27th June 2012 Danang, Vietnam

Session Objectives

•Identify critical considerations of a gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation framework.

•Identify the necessary components of a gender-sensitive evaluation.

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A quick check…

True or false?1.Men and women have different development priorities, needs and constraints and are affected differently by development programs2. Conventional M&E systems often capture gender differences in access and impact3. Efficiency/ equity enhanced when gender differences are taken into account.4. Most people assumed in “gender neutrality” of M&E methods & processes

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Why a gendered M&E process?

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?Do you believe that ….

Having a gender-neutral M&E (with no reference to any sex), including the use of gender-neutral language, is the correct way of conducting M&E?

Gender-neutral M&E, in most societies ends up reflecting men’s priorities

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For Monitoring and Evaluation to be Gender-sensitive…• Requires gender issues to be monitored at each

stage of the project cycle

• Assess differences between women and men in terms of project performance and results

• Reflect the needs and experience of women and men

Overall a Gender sensitive M&E Improves development outcomes by ensuring target populations are better served by projects

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Gender Sensitive M&E Measures…

Not just the what, when and where, but •Change in the division of labor•Access to and control over resources•Practical and strategic gender

needs/interests•Participation (within projects, and in

household/community)•Change in decision-making•Changes in gender gap

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Adapt monitoring program to:

•Acknowledge differing,▫Roles (currently accomplished, division of

labor)▫Responsibilities (who makes decisions on

specific tasks, i.e. water fetching, market access)

▫Capacities (able to do; based on knowledge, assets, etc.)

▫Constraints (time, social skills, double burden, etc.)

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Shift from WID to GAD affects GDD

•Women and development approach (WID), focus on women as a homogenous group

•Gender and development approach (GAD) focus on gender relation (women in relation to men), gender equality.

•Gender Disaggregated Data GDD should reflect this by shifting from women only activities, to activities where women and men are involved, and measuring relational aspects (division of labor, change in intra-household decision-making level)

Example- A gender sensitive M&E ensures the capture of women’s contribution to agricultural* production

Because….•Women’s Role in staple and secondary

crops (underestimated in the first case, undervalued in the second case)

•Greater role in subsistence agriculture is explained by lack of access to agricultural service and inputs, less assets (not a simple division of labor)

•Women may be involved in low yield complex production systems that ensure stability and resilience, so a yield-based assessment would underestimate women’s contribution.

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Invisibility of women’s work in survey and other data collection tools

Tend to be more true of a quantitative approach

Surveys are often based on the assumption that the heads of household are men.

Data tend to focus on visible, formal or paid work or task (underestimating unpaid work, the informal sector or home-based work)

Survey design tend to be done by men and it reflects their experience and interests

Often assume static gender roles*

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Are women economically active?

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What in your experience/ perception are the issues & challenges in Gender sensitive M&E?

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Components of a gender-sensitive M&E system…

Lack of gender data can lead to incorrect conclusions

Lack of knowledge may• lead to overlooking or underestimating gaps in

access to and control over resources and benefits

•underestimate roles in and contributions of women in unpaid work and also in remunerated work

Lack of understanding on work task, phases and specialization•May lead to wrong associations or incomplete

findings (income with men, etc)

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Lack of gender data leads to poor management

• Users of resources are misunderstood or misidentified, leading to poor project design, offering wrong solutions and potentially affecting project outcomes

• Lead to wrong intervention, and a waste of expertise (as with women and fisheries)

• Lack of knowledge of participation barriers undermines participatory approaches

• M&E does not provide proper feedback

Components of a gender-sensitive M&E system…

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Gendered baseline data

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Monitoring Gender Sensitive Participation in Project Cycle

Identifi-cation

Implemen-tationDesign Evaluation

Project management: Women <—> Men

Women <—> Men Project target groups

* Monitor and evaluate ‘within’ processes at each stage, including evaluation (hence gender M&E)

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Key issues to consider at different stages in a gender sensitive M/E system…

Stage-I: Identification

Key issues to considerAre the project’s goals and objectives gender-sensitive: do they adequately reflect women’s and men’s needs?

What is the level of input from men and women stakeholders, local women’s NGOs, community based organizations, etc., in setting goals and objectives?

Is baseline information, against which results can be measured, being collected through gender analysis and/or social assessment (covering social-cultural, political and economic aspects)?

Does the client (country, state, district) have the policy and institutional framework to promote gender equality in development activities?

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Stage-II: DesignKey issues to consider

•Do the activities planned reflect the project’s gender-sensitive goals and objectives?

•Is there a credible implementation plan that links courses of action and intermediate targets to expected final outcomes which benefit both men and women?

•Are gender-sensitive target and M&E indicators identified in consultation with female & male stakeholders?

•Have the male & female beneficiaries identified performance indicators they would like to monitor?

•Does the project design take into account how the information will be used and by whom, and are these needs being assessed in light of budgetary and time constraints?

Stage-III: ImplementationKey Issues to consider

•Are gender-sensitive and sex-disaggregated data being collected to keep track of inputs and outputs, and to measure outcomes? From what sources?

•Is the same information as the baseline data being collected for the indicators at one or several times during the life of the project in order to measure and evaluate impact?

•Are there specific and adequately detailed references to gender in progress/supervision reports?

•Are the data fed back to project personnel and beneficiaries on a timely basis to allow for project adjustments?

•Are local women’s organizations, NGOs, research institutes, etc., involved in monitoring the progress of the project’s gender integration?

•Do the tools and methods reflect gender outcomes and impacts?

•Are there male and female data collectors, and have they received gender sensitivity training?

•Are standard data collection and analysis methods complemented with qualitative methods such are PRA, focus groups, etc?

•Is gender analysis being integrated into these?

Stage-IV: EvaluationKey issues to considerHow has integrating the gender perspective changed project implementation and results?How have men and women benefitted from or been harmed by the project?

Derive and share lessons that can feed into the overall Rural Development goals and objectives

Input Process Output Outcome Impact

A FRAMEWORK for Monitoring and Evaluation

Peoplemoney

equipmentpolicies

etc. Implemen-tation

TrainingLogistics

Managementetc.

Results:Activities or

Servicesdone

BehaviourPractices

Knowledge(target

population)

LivelihoodsEmpowerment

Health

Source: Adapted from www.who.int/hiv/strategic/me/en/me_of_aids_overview.ppt

DATA COLLECTION for Monitoring and Evaluation

Sustainable Livelihood Framework

Gender analysisHousehold

Surveys

Qualitative methods

Programme Monitoring

Source: Adapted from www.who.int/hiv/strategic/me/en/me_of_aids_overview.ppt

Gender integrationLow Common Some Some Low

Input Process Output Outcome Impact

Checklist for Assessing gender sensitivity data collection

Situations /Issues to AvoidActions to ensure methods adequately address gender issues

• Sex disaggregated data is available but not used

• Information is not collected from the right people

• Household surveys are not the appropriate data collection method

• Inadequate analysis of gender differences in control of resources within the household

•Assess the availability of gender-responsive data before considering the need to collect new data. •Include additional questions on

gender-specific topics•Use special methods to analyze

gender differences in household decision-making and control of resources.

•Use special methods to study domestic and public violence

•Budget time and resources for follow-up field visits to interpret and further explore statistical findings.

“Engendering” the Project Logical Framework

Engendering the Logical Framework (LF)

•Engendering the logical framework is particularly about identifying and accounting for the gender issues implicit in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects, i.e. ensuring it is conscious of social equity issues such as gender relations (FAO)

•You can use the following 4 slides as a tool to ensure the LF is engendered

Goal checklistNarrative summary

Objectively verified indicators

Means of verification

Important assumptions

Do gender relations affect the project goal?

What measures can verify achievement of the gender-sensitive goal?

Are data for verifying the goal sex-disaggregated and analysed in terms of gender?

What gender analysis tools will be used (e.g., in impact assessment)?

What are the important external factors necessary for sustaining the gender sensitive goal?

Source: FAO/WFP, SEAGA for Emergency and Rehabilitation Programmes: Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis, 2008.

Purpose objectives checklistNarrative summary

Objectively verified

indicators

Means of verification

Important assumptions

Does the project have gender responsive objective(s)?

What measures can verify achievement of the gender responsive objective(s)?

Is data for verifying the project purpose sex-disaggregated and analysed in terms of gender? What gender analysis tools will be used (e.g., in Rapid Rural Appraisal)?

What are the important external factors necessary for sustaining the gender-responsive objective(s)?

Source: FAO/WFP, SEAGA for Emergency and Rehabilitation Programmes: Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis, 2008.

Outputs checklistNarrative summary

Objectively verified

indicators

Means of verification

Important assumptions

Is the distribution of benefits taking gender roles and relations into account?

What measures can verify project benefits accrue to women and men, and different types of women engaged in or affected by the project?

Is data for verifying project outputs sex-disaggregated and analysed in terms of gender?

What gender analysis tools will be used (e.g., participatory field evaluations)?

What are the important external factors necessary for achieving project benefits (specifically for women)?

Source: FAO/WFP, SEAGA for Emergency and Rehabilitation Programmes: Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis, 2008.

Activities checklistNarrative summary Objectively

verified indicatorsMeans of verification

Important assumptions

Are gender issues clarified in the implementation of the project, e.g. workplan?

Which goods and services are provided by the beneficiaries to the project?

Are contributions from women and men accounted for?

Are external inputs accounting for women’s access to and control over these inputs?

Is data for verifying project activities sex-disaggregated and analyzed in terms of gender?

What gender analysis tools will be used (e.g. monitoring the activities)? 

What are the important external factors necessary for achieving the activities and especially ensuring the continued involvement of men and women participants in the project?

Source: FAO/WFP, SEAGA for Emergency and Rehabilitation Programmes: Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis, 2008.

Engendering the LF is NOT just about adding gender components

•It can be in ensuring GDD for all indicators•It can be about including women or men in

activities where they are usually not engaged but where their participation is important, i.e including women in agricultural training, including men in nutrition training, or reducing gaps in participation or benefits.

•It can also be about within-project processes, like project staff trained, number of women managers or women enumerators.

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???

•How do the issues raised in the presentations relate to your work

•Did any ideas emerge on how the issue or concern might be addressed at your work

•(eg WAP= annual workplan or IFAD- LF?)•After the next session on GDD you will get

a chance to practice engendering a LF