Foundations for Planning and Preparation

What is Gender Analysis? 

For CARE’s work, a solid understanding of gender and power is critical to adapt programs to local realities. Solid gender analyses can build a firm and grounded understanding of the diverse needs, priorities, perceptions and interests among members of a community.

• Good Practices Framework: Gender analysis considerations, frameworks and applications.
• Power: Characteristics, dimensions and relationship to women's empowerment.

Designing Rights-Based, Ethical Research

As an organization committed to human rights-based approaches, a number of ethical considerations must be taken into account for gender analysis. In line with CARE’s principles, research should be conducted in a way that considers and works to minimize potential risks in the analysis process. Beyond that, the research process itself should be empowering for the men and women participating in the study as well as for the staff involved in the research.

Preparing Staff for Research on Gender and Power

Undertaking gender analysis requires certain levels of comfort, confidence and experience in designing research, facilitating sessions with community members – particularly in ways that effectively engage poorer marginalized groups. In addition, this type of work requires sensitivity to and awareness of gender, diversity and power dynamics within a given context. Reaching this level requires that staff and partners reflect critically on their own embedded values and perceptions concerning gender, power and their own positions within these structures. In addition, this work requires teams to hone skills in critical exploration, communication, negotiation, facilitation and analysis skills to enable effective discussion on sometimes sensitive social issues.

Research Planning and Design

To help teams formulate research questions, and design an inquiry around practical realities in terms of time, resources, organizational commitment and staff capacity.

Selection - Where to Go and Who to Talk With

Planning for where to go and when, as well as how participants will be selected, is an essential component of research design. This section offers key considerations and tips, based on past experiences.