2.4 Develop long-term outcomes and indicators4 A Long-Term Outcome is the broad, measurable change that you want to see. A High-level Indicator is the measure you will use to understand whether you are progressing, or not, toward your long-term outcome. Your Long-term Outcomes Now that you have identified your 3 – 5 strategic priorities, the areas you wish to focus your efforts over the period of your gender strategy, it is important to understand the change towards which you are working. Outcomes-based planning is different from other planning in that it focuses on results and measuring those results. The focus is not on what your NHRI will do (activity) or produce (output) but what it is aiming to achieve (outcome). Outcomes define what the situation will be if the gender strategy is successful. They answer the question: What does ‘good’ look like? What change/s do you want to see over the time period of the strategy? Outcomes also provide a target to work toward and a benchmark against which success will be measured. The best outcomes are those that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound and Aligned (Figure 5). Your Strategic Framework includes long-term outcomes which guide your strategic planning and form the core of what your NHRI does. Smarta Outcomes S SPECIFIC M MEASURABLE A ACHIEVABLE R RELEVANT T TIME-BOUND A AGREED / ALIGNED The outcome is clearly defined, focusing on a single result. There are clear indicators or metrics to track progress and confirm when the outcome is achieved. The outcome is realistic given the available time, resources and capabilities. The outcome aligns with strategic priorities, purpose and broader organisational goals. There's a clear timeframe or deadline for achieving the outcome. Stakeholders have discussed, endorsed, and committed to the outcome, ensuring shared ownership. 4 The APF Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Guide (2021) goes into more detail. Gender Strategy Toolkit 2026 39