Concepts: Considering gender issues in the project cycle (2)

Evaluation of sustainability and paying attention to the consequences

In the previous issue of the Civic World we talked about including gender aspects in managing the project cycle, so that the effects and contributions from an intervention (project) to cover equally both men and women. Some of the basic issues, which are to be set in the phase of planning and problems identification were stated. In this issue we are going to discuss the formulation and financing phases.

Formulation phase

During the formulation phase, all the details of the project are specified, using the references from the feasibility study. Indicators for main achievements are established and the budget is prepared. While formulating the project-proposal, sustainability is evaluated and the consequences are taken into consideration. During the evaluation, the way of fitting the project in the working policy of the sector is checked. Focusing on the target group, the following questions can be asked:

·        Has an evaluation study of the gender issue been carried out and which instruments have been used?
·        What are the results of the study in terms of labour division: activity profile and/or resources and gains profile?
·        Which factors influence women’s participation and what can be done in order to impel their participation and to strengthen them?
·        Is attention paid to practical and/or strategic needs and what are the consequences?
·        What are the assumptions for men and women participation and gains from the projects?
·        Have the planned indicators been formulated in a gender-sensitive way?
·        Has collecting these (or other) data been concretely formulated as one of the projects’ activities?
·        What was the result of the gender influence analysis?
·        Has an external analysis been carried out for identifying opportunities and threats? If it has been carried out, what will the effects from the project be, short-term and long-term? Is it possible for the project to have negative consequences for women?
·        Has there been an identification of the possible limitations (literacy, training time etc.) for women participation? What measures have been proposed for overcoming these limitations and what conditions are to be created to strengthen women’s position in the area treated by the project?
·        If a gender issues analysis has not been carried out, what can be the reasons for not paying enough attention to gender issues? What can be proposed for overcoming this lack of information?
·        Are the planned interventions in accordance with the working policy of the organization that implements the project, with the national/sector working policy (degree of consistency between the objectives, strategy, activities, invested assets and expected results)?

In terms of the organizational and institutional aspect, the following questions can be asked:
·        Has an internal analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization been carried out?
·        If it has been carried out, is the organization capable of implementing the activities for gender strengthening? Does it have a capacity for implementing the proposed gender activities (staff, a way of work, number of personnel, professionalism, gender awareness, methods of training and learning? Is there a specialized gender expert or steps have been made for providing such expertise?
·        Are there any appropriate opportunities for women participation at managerial positions in project management? If there are not any, why is it so? Are there any opportunities for doing it?
·        Does the organization have enough flexibility to adapt its structures and activities of the changed or new situation for women?
·        Has there been an external analysis carried out for identification of the opportunities and threats and has it been used for establishing the shareholders’ opinion in relation to the gender equality and their readiness and capacity to deal with gender issues?

Financing phase

This phase consists of preparing draft-proposals for financing; examinations by the financial committee; a decision by the donator and preparation and signing the financial contract. A budget analysis can be carried out in order to establish the percentage of assets purposed for special gender interventions. The following questions could be asked:
·        Are reserved assets projected by the budget, in case of undertaking extra activities if concluded that there is gender disproportion?
·        Is the privileged approach to the resources by any of the genders avoided, e.g. credit opportunities and conditions for obtaining it?