Gender-based Monitoring and Evaluation

All policies and programs require a strategy for monitoring and evaluation to ensure they are relevant and effective. Gender-based monitoring and evaluation enables policy and program developers to identify the different impacts of a policy or program on women and men, measure whether it is effective for both, and make use of evaluation findings to continuously improve and change policies and programs as required.  Gender-based monitoring and evaluation is aligned with a rights-based, people-centred approach to development, based on participative and transparent decision-making. If gender inequities are to be clearly identified and addressed, then women and men need to be involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and programs. On a practical level, gender-based monitoring and evaluation ensures that development is targeted, accountable and effective. 

According to UNIFEM, a gender-based evaluation should be empowering to all participants, particularly women; involves quality time and the building of trust with and between stakeholders; is attentive to diversity; participatory; explores avenues for social change; uses a rights perspective as a basis for analysis and follows strict adherence to ethical standards in the collection and interpretation of data.  The realities of men and women’s lives should form the centre of evaluation planning and analysis and it should be a process that is useful to women as well as all stakeholders and adds value in terms of expanding knowledge and contributing to the goal of gender equality. Lastly, gender-based monitoring and evaluation should be informed by gender analysis, with particular attention to the structural inequalities and power relations between men and women. 

Tools and methods used in gender-based monitoring and evaluation are typically qualitative and accessible, allowing participants to define and discuss positive and negative impacts of policies or programs that affect them and create knowledge that reflects their own realities and experiences.  The evaluation should be designed to assess whether a program has resulted in positive changes, transformation or learning amongst participants, such as the ability to make choices and decisions or gain access to resources. The identification of gender-sensitive quantitative and qualitative indicators is vital for ongoing monitoring and evaluation and to assess whether a program or policy has met its objectives. The formulation of qualitative indicators in particular should be a participative process, based on local men’s and women’s experience and understanding.  The GEM Tool (Gender Evaluation Methodology) developed by the Association for Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP) provides an example of how to conduct a gender-based program evaluation, including participative methods of data collection that can be used, such as storytelling and journal keeping (http://www.apcwomen.org/gemkit/en/gem_tool/index.htm).

Sources and online resources:

Africa Evaluation Association (AFREA), 2004 Annual Conference Proceedings and Papers, (Accessed 22 Nov. 07) http://www.afrea.org/content/index.cfm?navID=18&itemID=847

‘Annotated Bibliography on Gender Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Indicators’ (2001), Washington, DC: The World Bank, (Accessed 20 Feb. 08) http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/ssatp/Resources/HTML/Gender-RG/Source%20%20documents/Reference%20Lists/Monitoring%20&%20Evaluation/REFM&E1%20M&ELiteratureReviewOct01.pdf

Association for Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP), ‘The GEM Tool: Gender Evaluation Methodology for Internet and ICTs – A Learning Tool for Change and Empowerment’, (Accessed 22 Nov. 07) http://www.apcwomen.org/gemkit/en/gem_tool/index.htm

Office of the Status of Women Canada, ‘Reference Guide to Monitoring and Evaluation’, (Accessed 22 Nov. 07) http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/pubs/gbabib/gbabib_6_e.html