Gender-Responsive Strategy
Below is a five-step plan on how to set up and implement a gender-responsive strategy.
| Developing a Gender-Responsive Vision and Mission |
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Setting Gender-Responsive Objectives |
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Crafting a Gender-Responsive Strategy to Achieve the Objectives |
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Implementing and Executing the Strategy through Gender-Responsive Activities and Programmes |
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Evaluating Performance, Monitoring New Developments, and Initiating Corrective Adjustments |
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<============ | Source: Linda Pennells |
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Step 1: Developing Gender-Responsive Vision and Mission
The Dakar Framework calls for vision, innovation and perseverance by all concerned partners in advancing gender-equal education. Vision determines long-term direction of an organization, programme, or task force and mission represents what is currently guiding or driving an organization and its activities. Vision and mission also act as a significant entry point for advancing gender equality and form the framework for gender-responsive objectives, strategy, programmes, activities, monitoring and evaluation. All employees and other stakeholders should be familiar with the vision and mission so their focus is clear and united. The commitment of Goal 5 is "Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls full and equal access to, and achievement, in basic education."
Step 2: Setting Gender-Responsive Objectives
The purpose of setting up objectives is to convert statements of vision and mission into specific performance targets. Objectives should be grounded in comprehensive gender analysis, which is part of the needs assessment, and situation analysis. The objectives can be measured in terms of the improvement of enrollment rate, completion rate and transition rate from primary to secondary education, or the reduction of girls' dropout rate. It depends on the issues that can be identified by answering several critical questions when conducting a situational analysis.
Step 3: Creating Gender-Responsive Strategy to Achieve the Objectives
The strategic approach must be determined before starting to identify tasks and activities. A gender-responsive strategy is designed to harness 'do-ability'. It aims to maximize the unique openings identified in the gender analysis and the existing comparative advantages of stakeholders.
Step 4: Implementing and Executing the Strategy through Gender-Responsive Activities and Programmes
A step-by-step implementaton is necessary after a gender responsive strategy is in place, so men and women (boys and girls, where appropriate) participate in setting the agenda and making decisions. It is essential that all key stakeholders explore and understand the gender issues that could help or hinder their collective ability to achieve objectives. This awareness is fundamental in generating the commitment, energy, allies and profile to ensure each implementation task is undertaken in a gender-responsive manner.
Step 5: Evaluating Performance, Monitoring New Developments, and Initiating Corrective Adjustments to Ensure Gender Mainstreaming
Systematic monitoring requires gender-sensitive indicators that collect sex-disaggregated data, which is both quantitative and qualitative. This prompts policy-makers, programmers and other stakeholders to ensure there is gender progress.
