What is gender analysis?

Gender analysis is an important component of the APEC approach to the integration of women in the mainstream of APEC activities and processes. It is a methodology to:

• Identify and understand the differences in the lives of women and men, and the diversity among women themselves, i.e. in their varied circumstances, responsibilities, social relationships and status within existing economic, social, cultural, environmental, institutional and political structures in any community, or economy.
• Assess how policies, programs or projects may impact differently on women and men, girls and boys;
• Compare how and why women and men are affected differently through the collection and utilization of sex-disaggregated data, both qualitative and quantitative;
• Integrate gender considerations throughout the planning, design, implementation and evaluation processes.

What is the added value of gender analysis?

• More comprehensive knowledge and awareness of the different realities of the lives of women and men.
• Informed decision-making leading to the achievement of the goals of APEC and gender equality.
• Increased effectiveness and improved design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and communication of policies and projects.
• Recognition that different strategies and measures may be necessary to achieve intended results and equitable outcomes for women and men.
• More effective APEC processes and mechanisms for coordinating, implementing and monitoring the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC.

How do you implement gender analysis?

Gender analysis may be applied at the policy or project level. In both cases, the outcomes of the policies or projects can strengthen equal economic opportunities for and participation of both women and men in future growth and prosperity of APEC economies, as well as change gender relations. To assist in the implementation of gender analysis, an APEC Guide for Gender Analysis is available.

What is Sex-Disaggregated Data?

Sex-disaggregated data means any data that is cross-classified by sex, presenting information separately for women and men, girls and boys. Sex disaggregated data is collected on the basis of concepts and methods that take into account women's and men's roles, realities, conditions and situations in all spheres and aspects of society, such as literacy, education levels, business ownership, employment, wage differences, dependants, home and land ownership, loans and credit, debts.

Why Collect Sex-Disaggregated Data?

The lack of sex-disaggregated data hides the actual, as well as the potential contributions of half the population to our economies and may hinder effective policy development. We recommend that APEC identify the gaps in data collection methodologies and processes and take steps to address these gaps in the most cost-effective way. Each member economy is encouraged to build its own sex-disaggregated database in a format comparable to internationally recognised standards, where available.
(APEC Ministerial Meeting on Women, Manila, 1998)

Sex disaggregated data is an essential input into gender analysis and the understanding of the different economic contributions, circumstances and realities of women and men. Sex-disaggregated data can provide information about how much women contribute to all aspects of society and economic activity in both their paid and unpaid capacities. Using sex-disaggregated data can help APEC fora to decide on and carry out activities that are effective, equitable and beneficial for women and men, as well as their economies, and so gain the most benefit from their work.

Sex-disaggregated data can be used to:

• identify the different situation of women and men, including changes over time;
• consider the impact APEC activities will have on both women and men, and track the impact they do have;
• identify and define problems, develop options and choose the option which will be most effective and beneficial for both women and men;
• more fully understand the impact of events such as the regional economic crisis on women, and hence assist in formulating activities in response to the events;
• allocate resources and effort in a more equitable fashion;
• evaluate and monitor results and outcomes by sex.
• show progress or lack thereof of women using indicators and regular data publications.

More equitable results are likely when gender analysis using sex-disaggregated data is carried out. Economies, businesses and people all benefit when the range of women's and men's current and potential input to economic progress is known and used in economic decision making.

How can the collection and use of sex-disaggregated data for APEC Fora be improved?

Member economies and some APEC fora are currently collecting and using some sex-disaggregated data in a range of areas. In addition to the statistics and information collected by individual economies there are many possible sources of data such as international agencies, research or study centres, businesses and non-government agencies.

International initiatives, such as those led by the United Nations and the World Bank are already in place to assist economies to improve their collection of sex specific data standards and best practices for data collection are well document. The APEC Guide on Collection and Use of Sex-Disaggregated Data gives information on resources available to assist economies as well as provides sources and examples of sex-disaggregated data that may be useful to support the APEC priorities.

Some work on the collection and use of sex-disaggregated data is already underway in priority areas through a number of APEC fora.

Increasing the collection and use of sex-disaggregated data in other areas could enhance APEC's opportunities to promote economic development. APEC fora can use data in many different forms to analyse situations for women and men. Qualitative data or research studies as well as quantitative statistics can provide useful insights for APEC fora. It would be appropriate for APEC fora to individually and collectively consider what data should be collected as they are developing and reviewing specific projects and policies. Extending disaggregated data to include other factors such as ethnicity and age could further add to APEC's information base. One example of data that could be collected by APEC are the participation rates of men and women in APEC fora and APEC leadership roles. Further examples are provided in the APEC Guide on the Collection and Use of Sex-Disaggregated Data.

Why involve women in APEC?

The 1998 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Women recommended the promotion and encouragement of the involvement of women in all APEC fora. Special mention was made of women's involvement in decision-making.

Data on the participation of women and men in APEC fora are incomplete and difficult to access. Most participant lists, for instance, are not sex-disaggregated. However, attendance lists of a number of APEC meetings and activities suggest that women constitute only about a quarter of the participants1. This is roughly the same magnitude reported by a "stocktaking" of Human Resource Development Working Group (HRDWG) projects and activities.

In 1998 and 1999, among committee chairs, Lead Shepherds, convenors, and other leaders, the participation rate of women varied between 17-28 percent. These figures provide an approximate reference point for monitoring participation of women in APEC.

How can women be more involved in APEC?

Involvement of women refers to the participation of women in APEC fora, activities and projects. Women can participate as decision-makers, Leaders, heads of committees, working groups, or other APEC bodies that formulate and implement policies and programs; as leaders or key members of research teams and conference delegations; and as partners or experts, who are consulted by APEC and member-economies either in individual capacities or as organisations (such as the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and the Women Leaders' Network (WLN)).

Women's participation in APEC fora could be improved as follows (see APEC Guide on the Involvement of Women):

• Encouraging economies and all APEC fora to increase women's presence and participation in activities and projects, especially as decision-makers; and to include more women in their delegations to meetings and other fora, particularly to high level meetings such as Senior Officials, Ministers and Leaders.
• Through analysis of the current involvement of women in APEC and by addressing factors that may constrain women's participation.
• Through the promotion of an environment within APEC and its member-economies that will be conducive to greater women's participation by the implementation of the Framework.