Applying a Gender Lens to SRHR: A How To Guide

"Gender norms and patriarchal structures are pervasive and negatively affect SRHR [sexual and reproductive health and rights] of women and girls and other vulnerable groups disproportionately."

This guide is designed to help International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Secretariat and Member Association staff and volunteers adopt a gender-transformative process to their work, with the ultimate goal to help bring about the changes needed for gender equality to be realised around the world. A key part of this process is starting to see the world through a gender lens to recognise where and how things are currently unequal and whether certain actions are supporting the status quo or acting to bring about transformation towards gender equality. The guide covers key theory needed to understand gender equality and a gender-transformative approach, and it provides checklists and tips for staff at all levels of an organisation to support the incorporation of a gender-transformative approach into their work.   

As explained in the guide, "Gender inequalities remain a significant barrier to addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). To ensure SRHR for all and to prevent sexual and gender-based violence, harmful gender norms must be transformed into positive ones. In order to do this, it is important to start viewing the world through a gender lens. In other words, critically looking at how different policies, programmes or activities affect current gender norms, and ensuring that they reduce power imbalances among genders, bring about greater inclusion, and follow an intersectional approach."

The guide is divided into two sections:

Part 1: Key Theory on Gender Equality and Gender Transformative Approach - provides an introduction to key principles and theory needed to understand gender equality and a gender-transformative approach (GTA), including power, rights, gender norms, and intersectionality. Each section contains links to further information for readers who are interested in exploring this information in more depth. It answers the following questions: 
 

• What do I need to know?
• How do I know when something is gender transformative or not?
• Diverse yet specific: Whom should we work with as part of a GTA?
• How does gender equality link with key elements of SRHR?

Part 2: Incorporating a Gender Transformative Approach into My Every Day Work - includes tips and checklists for incorporating a gender transformative approach into the everyday work of all staff members - ranging from the director to staff in service delivery to the receptionist. It contains advice for different roles and functions, including: (i) advocacy and communications; (ii) programme design and implementation; (iii) programme implementation and service provision; and (iv) organisational and institutional levels. The section ends with a brief overview on how to measure progress in gender equality work and how to ensure research that supports gender equality. It answers the following questions: 
 

• How can I ensure advocacy and communications support (and don't hinder) gender equality outcomes?
• How can I ensure projects and programmes are designed in a gender-transformative way when preparing funding proposals?
• How can I ensure that programme implementation and service provision is gender transformative?
• How can I ensure that my organisation institutionally supports gender equality? (management, human resources, finance, etc.)?
• How can I measure progress towards gender equality and conduct research?

Conclusion: What Now? What Should I Do Differently? - features a call to action and suggestions on what staff can do differently in their work in order to contribute to realising gender equality.

Annex I: Common Misconceptions - outlines a number of misconceptions around adopting a GTA in the context of SRHR.