Step 2 - Gathering information
Effective gender analysis
Now you have an understanding of gender inequality, it is time to gather the right information to better assess how your work may impact people of different genders.
Effective gender analysis starts with the right information. This step helps you understand how your policy, program or service may impact people of different genders by using data, research, and community insights.
In this step you will:
- Reflect on how assumptions and biases can influence decisions.
- Use research and data to identify potential gendered impacts.
- Learn why collecting gender-disaggregated data is crucial for tracking and improving outcomes.
- Discover how community and stakeholder input can reveal real-life experiences and guide more inclusive strategies.
Each focus area in this step offers practical ways to assess the gendered impacts of your work. By recognising assumptions, analysing data, monitoring outcomes, and engaging communities, you can make more informed and inclusive decisions.
Assumptions and biases
We all have biases (often unconscious) that shape how we see the world. These are influenced by upbringing and cultural norms and can lead to assumptions about others.
Even unintentional assumptions can result in discrimination. It is important to reflect on your own biases and those of key stakeholders: the people who interact with, influence, or approve your work.
Identifying and addressing these biases helps support fairer, more inclusive decisions.
Case studies
Cardiac arrest
A study showed that while both men and women were both likely to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from a bystander, women were less likely to receive bystander defibrillation. In fact, this gender disparity had increased since 2010. From interviews, the reasons appear to be that bystanders have concerns about exposing a woman's chest in public to attach automatic external defibrillator (AED) pads, worry about causing injury and a misunderstanding of female cardiac arrest. Changing these statistics is likely to require actions such as recruiting more women volunteers for CPR training and using female mannequins with visible female anatomy rather than using default male mannequins.
Reference: Paratz, E. D., et al. (2023). Sex disparities in bystander defibrillation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation Plus, 15, 100532.
Blind auditions
In the 1950s, many symphony orchestras changed their hiring practices in an attempt to overcome gender-based hiring. Up until this point, orchestras were dominated by men and often players were handpicked by the conductor. To change this, they implemented blind auditions, where a screen was placed between the musician and the selection panel thereby concealing the identity of the musician. In the following years, the percentage of female musicians in the five highest-ranked orchestras increased from six per cent in 1970 to 21 per cent in 1993.
Reference: Goldin, C., Rouse, C. (2000). Orchestrating impartiality: The impact of "blind" auditions on female musicians. American Economic Review, 90(4), 715-741.
Data and research
Existing sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), research from similar projects, and relevant policies and strategies can support gender analysis.
Desktop research can also uncover gender-specific insights related to your policy, program or service. These help you understand how impacts may differ across genders.
Food insecurity
A desktop review to inform the development of the Tasmanian Food Relief to Food Resilience Action Plan 2023-2025 revealed that women are more likely to experience food insecurity than men and tend to access food relief at a much higher rate.
Events that make women susceptible to food stress are also different to those for men. Women are significantly more likely at some time in their lives to have experienced domestic violence or financial abuse or to have raised children on their own for an extended time. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to have been unable to find a job for a lengthy period.
The desktop research also revealed the strong links between food insecurity and breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates, which in turn have significant impacts on child and maternal health.
References:
Foodbank Australia. (2019). Foodbank Hunger Report 2019.
Frazier, C. M., Dharod, J., Labban, J., Raynor, A. N., Villasenor, M., Hernandez, M., Ramos-Castillo, I. (2023). Breastfeeding: How is it related to food insecurity and other factors among low-income mothers? Health Care for Women International.
Data analysis
In step 1, you were introduced to gender indicators. These are quantitative measures that show how gender affects people’s experiences.
For large or complex projects, you may need to collect additional data. Apply a gender lens by seeking gender-disaggregated data for relevant indicators. This helps highlight different impacts across genders.
Disaggregated data also reveals how gender intersects with other factors such as race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, and socio-economic background.
If such data is unavailable, use other methods like stakeholder engagement to better understand gendered impacts.
Gender data sources
Gender indicators
The Australian Bureau of Statistics uses economic and social indicators to measure gender equality. This includes the gender pay gap and life expectancy.
Women's health and wellbeing
The Tasmanian Population Health Survey collects information about the health and wellbeing of Tasmanians. The report on the Tasmanian Population Health Survey 2022 contains disaggregated data analysis by sex (male and female).
Employment by occupation, industry and gender
Jobs and Skills Australia has employment dynamics across different genders, industries, occupations, and regions. You can find information on the differences in working patterns and opportunities between genders.
The 2019 employment by industry resource by Parliament of Australia provides a snapshot of employment across industries. This includes gender breakdowns of employment.
Workplace gender equality
This Workplace Gender Equality Agency fact sheet shows the latest workplace gender statistics. It uses the latest data from Australian government sources and includes workforce participation, economic security, educational attainment, paid parental leave, women in leadership.
Gender pay gap statistics
The gender wage gap guide by Parliament of Australia shows an overview of gender wage gap statistics. This includes sample data sources and links to further information.
This gender pay gap resource by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows the gender pay gap broken down by states and territories.
Crime, justice and safety
This people with disability in Australia resource from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows the rates of violence against people with disabilities and different genders in Australia. The Australia Bureau of Statistics' personal safety survey 2021-22 reports on women's and men's experiences of violence, abuse, and harassment.
The 2021 National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey shows community understanding and attitudes towards violence against women and gender equality. This information includes influential factors and trends over time.
Our Watch provides an introduction to understanding violence against women. This resource provides key statistics and explains the impacts and costs of violence against women. It also highlights the relationship between gender inequality and intersectionality.
Monitoring and evaluation
To assess progress on gender equality, include it in your monitoring, evaluation, and reporting processes.
Collecting and analysing gender-disaggregated data is essential. At a minimum, reporting on differences in access and participation between women and men can uncover impacts that might otherwise be missed.
When collecting personal data, make sure privacy is protected. Follow the Australian Privacy Principles and Digital Transformation Agency guidance. Only collect what is necessary, keep data secure, and de-identify information where possible. Dispose of datasets when they are no longer required. Let people know how their information will be used and build privacy into your data processes from the start.
Measurement, evaluation and learning (MEL)
Putting in place strong evaluation practices contributes to evidence-based decision making and helps promote a culture of continuous improvement. Ideally, you will start thinking about MEL early in your project cycle, but it is still useful to apply MEL throughout all stages of your project.
There are a range of resources available to help you implement a MEL framework that is right for your project, including different evaluation methodologies. A good place to start is Better Evaluation and Australian Evaluation Society.
Community and stakeholder engagement
In step 1 you explored the stories of Tasmanian women and how gender has shaped their lives.
Depending on the scope of your work, you may need to consult with community members and stakeholders to guide your approach.
Applying a gender lens to engagement means actively seeking diverse perspectives from women, men, and gender-diverse people. Inclusive engagement builds more equitable and responsive outcomes.
Barriers to participation such as caring responsibilities, work schedules, accessibility needs, or the lack of culturally safe spaces may need to be addressed. You might adjust timing, format or location to ensure all voices can be heard.
Supporting resources
Are there avenues to gather perspectives directly from women and diverse communities to build your understanding of the context, such as research made by and for community groups?
For example, Women's Health Tasmania has written reports, articles and submissions which collate the views of women with different social identities such as women on temporary visas, women living in rural and remote Tasmania, across several different health and wellbeing-related topic areas.
Gender stakeholder consultation advice from the European Institute for Gender Equality also provides advice on conducting gender stakeholder consultation.