Gender-responsive evaluation for a sustainable future for all
Step 4: Designing indicators
After formulating gender-responsive evaluation questions, the evaluation team needs to design appropriate indicators.
Impact assessments and ex- ante evaluations of EU spending programmes typically define a set of indicators for monitoring and evaluating their performance in achieving their intended objectives.[1] Although these indicators often form the basis for the ex-post evaluation, you can add other indicators to ensure that a gender perspective is adopted in the context of the European Green Deal.
Depending on the context, objectives and requirements of the intervention’s evaluation, you can use different types of indicators,[2] including:
output indicators (what the intervention produced);
outcome indicators (what the delivery of these outputs has achieved);
impact indicators (how the intervention has contributed to higher-level goals).
Other indicators are also often used in evaluations (i.e. context, process and input indicators) and can be effective in measuring how your intervention addresses gender equality and environmental sustainability.[3]
Click below to see examples of gender-responsive indicators for each type of indicator. These should be tailored to your specific intervention.
Evaluation objective. Measure the extent to which the intervention’s objectives were achieved with regard to promoting gender equality in the green transition.
Output
Number of gender training sessions held within green transition interventions.
Number of women participants in green energy workshops or conferences.
Outcome
Increase in the number of women employed in green energy sectors after training.
Rise in women-led green projects after participating in green transition initiatives.
Impact
Change in women’s representation in green energy leadership roles from last year
Reduction in the gender pay gap within the green energy sector over a set period
Evaluation objective. Evaluate the outputs relative to the inputs in promoting gender equality in the green transition.
Output
Total funds allocated for gender-targeted green transition interventions.
Number of gender equality resources (guidance notes, toolkits) developed for green initiatives.
Outcome
Cost per female participant successfully trained and placed in a green sector job.
Cost-effectiveness of campaigns promoting women’s involvement in the green transition.
Impact
Long-term economic benefits resulting from enhanced participation of women in the green sector.
Evaluation objective. Assess the alignment of gender-targeted green interventions with other policies or actions.
Output
Number of gender and green transition policies that reference or complement the EU’s gender equality strategy and the European Green Deal
Impact
Long-term alignment of EU and national gender and environmental policies
Integration of gender perspectives in overarching green transition goals and strategies
Evaluation objective. Measure whether or not the intervention addresses the actual needs and priorities related to gender equality in the green transition.
Output
Percentage of green transition interventions with a clear gender-equality component.
Number of stakeholder consultations, including women in green transition planning.
Outcome
Feedback from women and girl participants on the relevance of gender-targeted green training programmes.
Rate of adoption of gender equality tools by relevant environmental organisations.
Impact
Long-term alignment of green policies with gender equality needs.
Evaluation objective. Understand the unique contributions or benefits realised thanks to EU involvement in gender equality within the green transition.
Output
Number of EU-funded gender-targeted green transition projects.
EU funding allocated specifically for gender equality in green initiatives.
Outcome
Demonstrated advancements in gender equality in Member States following. EU-funded green projects.
Rise in awareness of gender issues in green sectors as a result of EU campaigns.
Impact
Broader societal shift towards gender equality within the green transition in Member States due to EU intervention.
Long-term economic and social benefits connected to the EU’s intervention in gender equality in the green sector.
The Commission has developed specific indicators to monitor progress towards the SDGs in the context of the EU.[4] Gender equality is a cross-cutting objective in the SDGs, so all SDGs are relevant to gender equality. Some of the indicators in the EU SDG indicator set are disaggregated by sex and can be useful when developing your evaluation matrix and in informing your assessment of gender impacts in different areas.
In addition, a long list of gender-responsive indicators on a wide range of topics can be found in:
EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database,[5] a comprehensive knowledge centre for gender statistics and indicators on various aspects of (in)equalities between women and men in the EU;
EIGE‘s Gender Equality Index,[6] a composite indicator tool to measure the progress of gender equality in the EU;
the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs 'Portal on minimum set of gender indicators';[7]
the Asian Development Bank and Australia Aid’s 'Toolkit on gender equality results and indicators';[8]
the Green Climate Fund and UN Women’s Mainstreaming Gender in Green Climate Fund Projects;[9]
the OECD’s Gender and the Environment: Building evidence and policies to achieve the SDGs;[10]
the European Environment Agency’s environmental indicators.[11]