Understanding the Gender Dimensions of Development

Purpose of Session

• Introduction to gender and development

• A brief introduction to the Independent Evaluation Group and its work

• Raise awareness on monitoring and evaluating the gender-related dimensions through explaining methodology, limitations, and findings of IEG’s 2009 Gender Evaluation

2

Gender or Sex!!

3

Gender Matters for Development• Women constitute

– two-thirds of the world’s 1 billion plus illiterate adults,

– 75 percent of the world's 27 million refugees,

– more than 55 percent of all food producers in developing countries but do twice the unpaid work that men do, and

– more than half a million women die every year from problems related to child birth.

– (http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/women96.htm)

“YES, IT’S GENDER” OR “NO, IT’S SEX” (UN Training Manual)

• Women breast feed, men do not

• Little girls are gentle, boys are tough

• Women do 67% of the work, because they are more suited for it and love it in any case

• Women are ‘sluts’ if they have sex before marriage, while men need to be experienced.

• Women are less corrupt than men.

• Women should stay at home as they breast feed.

5

Gender Implications

• Men and women have different roles, responsibilities, and resources

• Development interventions, therefore, have different impact

• Bangladesh – Aquaculture development

6

“ We measure what we value, and value what we measure” (UN 2001)

• Conventional M&E often do not capture these differences in access and impact.

• Informs managers and other stakeholders whether the intervention is meeting its objectives and leads to better planning

• Accountability – particularly where there is a policy

• Demonstration of results and learning of lessons

7

• Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development

• How did IEG undertake its evaluation?

Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender 2002-2006

World Bank’s Gender Policy

1977

• First multilateral to appoint a WID Advisor

1984

• WID policy was issued

1993• Project-level approach evolved into a strategic

country-level approach 2001

• Gender Strategy Issued with 4-step process for implementation2003

• Issued Bank Policy Statements reflecting 2001 Strategy

The country director oversees the preparation of gender assessments for all countries where the Bank is active.

The country director ensures that the results of the gender assessment are incorporated in the country dialogue and reflected in the CASs.

In sectors and thematic areas where the CAS has identified the need for priority gender-responsive actions, the relevant sector managers ensure that Bank-financed projects and other Bank activities are gender responsive.

The Regional Vice President reports annually to the managing director concerned on the implementation of this policy.

Four-Step Process for Gender Integration at the Country-Level

EVALUATION METHODOLOGYEvaluation of Bank Support For Gender and Development

Evaluation Questions

• Relevance and appropriateness of the Bank’s gender policy

• Integration of gender into Bank support

• Results of the policy

Results Framework For Gender Equality

Enhanced Human

Development

Equal Access to Economic Aspects

and Opportunit

ies

IEG Evaluatio

n Framewor

kEqual

Voice and Participati

on in Developm

ent Planning

and Implement

ation

Results Framework

14

Sustained Poverty Reduction

Contribute to Expanded

Opportunities for Both Men and

Women

Reduced Gender

disparity in secondary

school completion

rates reduced

from xx% to xx% by

2015

Contribute to Increased Security for Both Men and

Women

Maternal mortality

reduced by 75% in 2015

Contribute to Accountable and

Responsive Institutions

Equal representation for men

and women in all project decision making

committees

Institutional Goal

Strategic Outcomes

Intermediate Results

Evaluation Methods

Desk Review of all relevant documents

Interviews with Bank and donor

Staff and Stakeholders

Field Assessments

Participatory Assessments

Self-Evaluations of Bank Support

GENERAL EVALUATION FINDINGS

Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development

Evaluation Findings

Bank’s Gender Policy is Relevant

• Overall, Gender Policy is Relevant

– Consistent with the Bank’s mandate

– Allows tailoring support to country-specific context

– Well-defined 4-step process for integration

– Envisages a strong accountability framework

• However:

– A stronger results framework is necessary

– Limited mainstreaming approach at the project-level decreases relevance

• GAP has been very relevant in addressing this issue

Gender Integration Improved over Evaluation Period

• Gender integration into Bank support improved over the 2000s as opposed to 1990s

• Integration broadened in scope and extent beyond the traditional HD sectors

• Some evidence that Bank shifted its focus toward countries with higher levels of gender disparity

However, Need for Strengthening

A results framework is essential

Implementation of gender policy weakened during latter period of the evaluation

Accountability framework, including monitoring framework, needs institutionalization

Timely and Regular Resources as well as Incentives need to be provided

Gender Integration Delivered Results

• About half of the closed projects contributed significantly to gender-related outcomes in the three strategic outcome areas

• Out of 12 countries, where results were analyzed in depth, Bank support generated good results in 4, modest results in 6, and weak results in 2

– Bank support generated better outcomes when gender was integrated into Bank Support

– Bank support was more successful in countries where demand for gender work by the client was greater, such as Ghana and Bangladesh

– Bank support would have been more sustainable if it better addressed institutional and policy reform aspects

Substan-tial

Modest Weak

Better Integration Could Improve Results

• Bank Support increased girls’ enrollments but could not significantly handle second-generation gender issues in education

• Better analysis and multi-sectoral approach could strengthen results in reducing maternal mortality

• Support for microfinance, provided in a culturally appropriate manner, empowered women and improved status

• Support has delivered results in a range of economic sectors from transport to land, but needs to do so consistently – 2007 GAP is a relevant response in this regard

• Support encouraged participation of women in CDD activities, but sometimes reinforced traditional roles

• Enhanced support for country-level institutional and policy reform could further improve results on the ground including integrating gender in support for local governments

Some Key recommendations

• Establish a Results Framework to Facilitate Consistent and Systematic Integration

• Institutionalize Policy by Making Country Directors (CD) Accountable and Empowering Existing Country Gender Coordinators (CGCs)

– Provide resources to update diagnostics before new CAS

– Hold CGCs responsible for supporting CDs in reviewing gender integration in CASs and operational documents

– Make CGCs responsible for reporting to CD on a semi-annual basis and CDs for reporting to VP

• Establish Monitoring Framework