Navigating gender : a framework and a tool for participatory development

There is significant evidence that participation can in many circumstances improve the quality, effectiveness and sustainability of projects and strengthen ownership and commitment of governments and stakeholders. In development co-operation, gender analysis guarantees that both women and men have equal opportunities to participate in development, to influence and to benefit. This on-line manual aims at helping development professionals to apply the often theoretical understanding of gender issues into practical development work. Tools included in the manual are : definitions of key concepts and terminology; suggestions on how to carry out gender analysis and descriptions of alternative gender analysis frameworks; and examples of policies that have been developed by various organisations to ensure gender equality of their development interventions.

A case study is included to illustrate step-by step how to use a gender analysis framework and to provide the practitioner with pointers for analysing programmes with which they are involved, be that at the planning, implementation or evaluation stage. Rapid Gender Analysis Framework, FAO frameworks, and Gender Analysis Matrix are discussed and the way to use each of the frameworks explained.

Appendices include Beijing Platform for Action, ideas for gender sensitive Terms of Reference, and examples of completed gender analyses. The manual can be used either as an individual study guide or as a basis for group discussion. It will be of interest to project planners/implementers, participants in development interventions, policy developers and researchers