Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning | A Guide for NHRIs in the Asia Pacific Module 1: Understanding MEAL Gender Mainstreaming your MEAL Framework and Plan A Gender Mainstreamed MEAL Framework and process includes gender-sensitive monitoring, evaluation and learning processes to help your NHRI: • assess whether progress is being made towards gender equality outcomes, • inform how activities affect diverse genders, if possible disaggregated by age, ethnicity, caste, education, employment and geographical location, • measure and evaluate gender-related changes over time. The guidelines relating to gender also relate to other sectors where inequities need to be addressed such as people with disabilities, people living in poverty, children, indigenous peoples, SOGIESC, migrant workers etc Use this checklist as a guide to gender mainstream your MEAL Framework and MEAL Plan, also known as applying a ‘gender lens’. If you do not have gender expertise within your NHRI, seek the support of external experts who know your context and understand the mandate of an NHRI. CHECKLIST: GENDER MAINSTREAMING MEAL Do we have a gender perspective included in our MEAL Framework, MEAL Plan and MEAL process? Is there commitment from the NHRI leadership and across the organisation to ensure all our MEAL processes are gender inclusive? Is there appropriate and intersectional gender composition, expertise and experience of staff developing the MEAL Framework and MEAL Plan? Have we included the views and preferences of diverse genders in the planning and design of the MEAL Framework and MEAL Plan and carrying out the MEAL process? Do we have the expertise within our NHRI to apply a gender lens to building the MEAL Framework, the MEAL Plan and carrying out the MEAL process or do we need to seek external support? Do the MEAL Framework, MEAL Plan and MEAL processes use gender-responsive methodologies, tools and data analysis and include gender disaggregated information? Does the MEAL Framework and MEAL Plan include measures and indicators to monitor your NHRI’s contribution towards gender equality internally? Does the MEAL Framework and MEAL Plan include measures and indicators to monitor your NHRI’s contribution towards gender equality in its external work? Does MEAL reporting include a gender analysis (an analysis of the situation for different genders)? Does it identify gender inequalities and propose recommendations to reduce them? 20