Checklist for Building Gender Equity into
Project Design and Implementation

Project Design And Preparation

Preparation

• Which population groups are served by the project (women only, men only, men and women, other groups)?
• What information is already available about each population group and women in particular?
• Has information on women and men’s work in the household and community been used to design the project?
• Has there been consultation with people whose lives will be affected by the project, and what attention has been given to women in this process?
• Are women involved at all levels in the planning and implementation of the project?

Objectives

• Have both men’s and women’s opinions been sought in the identification of activities and outcomes?
• Are women’s and men’s roles reflected in the project’s objectives?
• How do the objectives address the needs and concerns of women and men?
• How will the inclusion of women help to achieve the objectives?
• How will the activities include women’s participation?
• In what ways will the activities benefit women?
• How will women have access to the opportunities, which the project provides (training, agricultural extension, new allocation of land rights, credit arrangements, membership in cooperatives, employment during construction and operation)?
• Is the project likely to have adverse effects for women?
• What social, legal and cultural obstacles could prevent women from participating in the project?
• What plans have been developed to address these obstacles?
• Through what organization(s) will the women be involved?

Project Implementation

Project Stakeholders

• Are project stakeholders familiar with gender issues?
• Are project stakeholders willing to seek women’s participation in implementing the project?
• To what extent are female Volunteers prepared to provide assistance to men?
• To what extent are male Volunteers prepared to provide assistance to women?
• If approach by male Volunteers is not culturally acceptable, will the project make provision for female intervention?

Operation and Maintenance

• How will the project ensure that women have equitable access to, and control of, material and technical resources and technologies?
• How will women participate in, and contribute to, the maintenance of equipment? Will training be provided?
• How will the project affect women’s time?
  • Will their workload increase/decrease as a result of innovation or changes (mechanization, new agricultural inputs and cropping patterns, withdrawals of labor by other household members, changes in distance to farms, workplaces, water supply, firewood supply)?
  • If their workload is decreased, does this involve loss of income for women?
• Do the technologies introduced by the project require changes in women’s work pattern?

Institutional Framework

• Does the partner agency demonstrate gender sensitivity?
• Does the partner agency have adequate power to obtain resources from its own and other institutions to enhance women’s participation in the project activities?

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Are separate data collected on women and men?
• Does the project have a functioning M&E system that distinguishes outcomes for men and women?

Adapted from The Center for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA)(1996) Gender and Development: The CEDPA Training Manual Series Volume III: The Center for Development and Popultion Activites. ICE Number WD 133, pages 66-68.

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