| Sumario: | The inclusion of gender mainstreaming and multisectoral frameworks in agricultural planning can
be extremely helpful in understanding and measuring how development interventions impact
women and men, girls and boys differently. The case study of gender mainstreaming in the
health sector i.e. gender and HIV/AIDS, provides a useful example of how a gender analysis can
serve as a critical tool for social change. Not only does a gender mainstreaming approach help to
measure empowerment differentials between the sexes, it is also useful for assessing stakeholder
assets and needs. This, in itself, provides a practical starting point in the program planning
process.
Gender assessment tools and indicators measure the impact of gender on performance and
productivity and are transferable from one sector to another e.g. from health to agriculture. This
paper addresses the lessons learned from the impact of HIV/AIDS on sustainable livelihoods in
agriculture, with particular focus on the factors which place women and girls at greater risk of
HIV infection. The paper also identifies gender and human rights indicators from the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which are relevant
to agricultural research.
National system wide gender “mainstreaming” strategies provide practical approaches for
integrating gender objectives into planning areas and expected outcomes. Additionally,
monitoring and evaluation processes which integrate gender indicators into multisectoral policy
and program reviews provide clear measures of citizen engagement and participation. These
measures help planners to target resources and program interventions to specific audiences. They
also reflect the extent to which women are empowered and the degree to which women’s and
men’s contributions are recognized and valued in their respective societies.
This paper provides an overview of strategic approaches for impact assessment of multisectoral
approaches for gender mainstreaming in agriculture. Examples and illustrations of gender audit
guidelines, checklists, and program interventions have been shared and transferred from Gender
and HIV/AIDS and CEDAW to the agriculture sector.
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