Define

In this phase, it’s recommended that information is gathered on the situation of women and men in a particular area. This means looking for sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics, as well as checking for the existence of studies, programme or project reports, and/or evaluations from previous periods.

Did you know that EIGE has a Gender Statistics Database? Check whether there are relevant statistics to feed into your analysis.

Examples of gender and health statistics

Examples of studies, research, reports

One of the first steps to take when defining your policy/project/programme is to gather information and analyse the situation of women and men in the respective policy area. The information and data you collect will allow an understanding of the reality and assist you in designing your policy, programme or project. Specific methods that can be used in this phase are gender analysis and gender impact assessment.

Examples of gender analysis

Did you know that EIGE has a resource and documentation centre? Check whether there is relevant information to feed into your analysis.

Examples of gender impact assessments

Consider consulting stakeholders (e.g. gender experts, civil society organisations) on the topic at hand, to share and validate your findings and to improve your policy or programme proposal. This will enhance the learning process on the subject for all those involved and will improve the quality of the work done at EU level. The stakeholders consultation process will start in this phase, but could also be considered as an important method to be applied along all the policy cycle’s phases.

Examples of stakeholder involvement

For a more detailed description of how gender can be mainstreamed in this phase of the policy cycle,visit the EIGE's Gender Mainstreaming Platform.

Plan

In this phase, it’s appropriate to analyse budgets from a gender perspective. Gender budgeting is used to identify how budget allocations contribute to promoting gender equality. Gender budgeting brings visibility to how much public money is spent for women and men respectively. Thus, gender budgeting ensures that public funds are fairly distributed between women and men. It also contributes to accountability and transparency about how public funds are being spent.

Example of gender budgeting in health

When planning, don’t forget to establish monitoring and evaluation systems, and indicators that will allow measurement and compare the impact of the policy or programme on women and men over the timeframe of its implementation. Remember to define the appropriate times to monitor and evaluate your policy.

Examples of indicators for monitoring gender and health

When preparing calls for proposals in the framework of funding programmes, or terms of reference in the context of public procurement procedures (notably for contractors to be hired for policy support services), don’t forget to formalise gender-related requirements. This will ensure the projects and services which the European Commission will fund are not gender blind or gender-biased.

Example of procurement

For a more detailed description of how gender can be mainstreamed in this phase of the policy cycle,visit the EIGE's Gender Mainstreaming Platform.

Act

In the implementation phase of a policy or programme, ensure that all who are involved are sufficiently aware about the relevant gender objectives and plans. If not, set up briefings and capacity-building initiatives according to staff needs. Think about researchers, proposal evaluators, monitoring and evaluation experts, scientific officers, programme committee members, etc.

Examples of capacity-building initiatives about gender and health

Example of gender language in health

For a more detailed description of how gender can be mainstreamed in this phase of the policy cycle,visit the EIGE's Gender Mainstreaming Platform.

Check

A policy cycle or programme should be checked both during – monitoring, and at the end – evaluation, of its implementation.

Monitoring the ongoing work allows for the follow-up of progress and remedying unforeseen difficulties. This exercise should take into account the indicators delineated in the planning phase and realign data collection based on those indicators.

At the end of a policy cycle or programme, a gender-sensitive evaluation should take place. Make your evaluation publicly accessible and strategically disseminate its results to promote its learning potential.

Examples of gender monitoring and evaluation on health

For a more detailed description of how gender can be mainstreamed in this phase of the policy cycle,visit the EIGE's Gender Mainstreaming Platform.