Ways to Integrate Gender into Social Assessment Tools

A. Stakeholder Workshops:
Provides an open forum to discuss and build consensus and ownership of the field findings and recommendations and thus arrives at an agreement on the next steps. This is a powerful tool for reaching a consensus when there are contradictions among the information gathered from different sources.
1. Include male and female population in the sample
2. Ensure that discussions address gender relations when asking the following questions:

• Who are the target populations?
• What are their interests in the project or policy?
• What are the power differentials among the various categories of the target population?
• What relative influence do they have on operations?
• Do recommendations address both equity and efficiency?

B. Focus Group Discussion (FGD):

Facilitates open discussions to build consensus on the perceptions, attitudes, and views of the primary stakeholders on the objective and strategy of the proposed project. It also aims to ensure whether the proposed changes are acceptable to them.

• Use men and women facilitators.
• Identify sample needs, priorities, and constraints of both male and female populations.
• Perform additional exercises with men and women in separate groups.
• Schedule focus group meetings, paying attention to men’s and women’s different work schedules.
• Identify and address other constraints to women’s participation, such as childcare, domestic duties, distance, and cultural constraints.

C. Social Mapping Exercise:

Provides a visual display of community members’ perceptions of the physical dimension of their community in social and economic terms. This could be carried out as part of a Focus Group Discussion.

• Use men and women facilitators.
• Gather gender disaggregated data.
• Perform additional exercises with men and women in separate groups.
• Schedule exercises paying attention to work schedules of both men and women.
• Identify perceptions for both men and women of the availability and access to various services within the community.

D. Direct Observation:

Allows an opportunity to perceive the existing situation in a selected locality. Specifically, while in the field, the participant observer looks, listens, asks questions, and documents detailed notes on his/her observations.

• Use men and women participant observers.
• Ensure observations and analysis of existing situation provides a clear insight into gender based differences of all topics covered.

E. Desk Review:

Gathers the existing documented information on the specific topic. This tool is very relevant in getting background information on the specific topic. Specifically when implementing Gender Analysis, this tool specifically aims to understand the extent of gender disaggregated data available in the country.

• Identify availability of data disaggregated by gender.
• If yes, identify areas covered.
• Identify major gaps in the information.
• Gather gender disaggregated data.

F. Semi-structured Interviews:

Provides a forum for one-to-one discussion in a relaxed atmosphere on specific topics with direct beneficiaries and secondary informants. Specifically, it aims to provide an opportunity for self-expression to the part of the population which is shy or otherwise resistant to opening up in front of others.

• Include male and female population in the sample.
• Ensure men and women interviewers.
• Gather gender desegregated data.
• Interview men and women separately.
• Schedule interviews paying attention to men’s and women’s different work schedules.
• Identify and address constraints to women’s participation, such as childcare, domestic duties, distance, and cultural constraints.

The above table is developed from information provided in the following document: Moser Caroline, Annika Tornqvist, and Bernice van Bronkhorst. 1997. Draft of "Mainstreaming Gender into Social Assessments." Washington, DC: World Bank.

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