Gender-based analysis is a process for incorporating insights about gender and other intersecting identities to create inclusive investments, products, services, and policies. By uncovering novel insights derived from addressing the needs of previously overlooked and marginalized groups, intersectional gender-based analysis offers substantial benefits to organizations, industries, and sectors.
The Institute for Gender and the Economy coined the term “Gender Analytics” to capture the qualitative and quantitative analytical and design processes required to do this kind of work. At the same time, the Criterion Institute has focused its attention on the application of gender-based analysis into the emerging field of gender-lens investing, which is the integration of gender analysis into investment systems. In doing so, they have called out the systems of power that underlie marginalization. Criterion aims to build capacity to analyze patterns of power dynamics, thereby uncovering potentially undervalued or unrecognized risks and opportunities in finance and beyond.
This report brings together these two bodies of thinking to share 4 case studies of what Gender Analytics can look like and, also importantly, to highlight the skills needed to implement the ideas. In other words, it seeks to support a “translation” capability to bring intersectional gender-based analysis together with the design of investments, products, services and policies. Typically, investment and design experts are not gender experts and vice versa. To do this work, you need both. “Translation” is the capacity to do both.
Doing Gender Analytics effectively requires translation. And, through the translation process, organizations can benefit by creating exciting new innovations as well as avoiding unintended downside risks. At the same time, engaging in this work will also have an impact beyond individual organizations. Changing power structures will require changing systems. Inclusive innovations can also create new pathways for action. Translation is about transformational innovation within and across organizations.