APF Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines for Trainers and Developers of APF Training Material 3. What is a gender analysis? Gender analysis involves analysing men and women’s, girls’ and boys’ circumstances, recognising the biological, physiological as well as socially and culturally constructed differences for women and men, boys and girls, and identifying the areas of consequent disadvantage and inequality across genders. The concept of equality means much more than treating all persons in the same way. For example, providing women with equal opportunities could lead to an equal outcome in some situations but it may also not have that result. This is because the equal treatment of persons in unequal situations will generally operate to perpetuate, rather than eradicate, injustice. Genuine, or ‘substantive’ equality usually only results from efforts that seek to address these situational disadvantages. It is this broader view of equality which has become the underlying principle and the ultimate goal in the struggle for the recognition and acceptance of the human rights of women and girls. Substantive equality is multi-dimensional and includes redressing disadvantage; addressing stigma and stereotypes; acknowledging the structures of society that entrench women’s disadvantage and enhancing women’s agency and voice.4 It is important to understand that not all women and girls are equally disadvantaged. Due to intersectional discrimination, women and girls can face different levels and areas of disadvantage as a result of their race, disability, age, class, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics, or as a result of being an Indigenous woman/girl or a migrant or refugee woman/girl, or a female migrant worker. To ensure that the full range of disadvantages are identified and addressed, it is important to include an intersectional analysis within a gender analysis. Ensuring training program does not perpetuate or reinforce any gender discrimination, inequality or negative gender stereotypes, through its content, methodology and processes is important. Men and women must have equal opportunities to access training, as well as benefit equally from the training activities, including addressing any historical and systemic disadvantage women may face. The APF recognises that it is not realistic to expect trainers will be expert on gender analysis or issues. Nonetheless, given the priority the APF has given to gender mainstreaming and equality it will require trainers to consider the social structures and the vulnerabilities that face women and girls in relation to the content of their courses. Independent UN reports such as publicly available CEDAW and Universal Periodical Review reports of participating countries in the training are useful for trainers to access to gain a gender assessment. In addition, NGOs expert in a specific area could also be sought for expert advice and opinion. Trainers may also wish to seek advice from the APF secretariat. To assist trainers in the consideration of gender into training activities and resources, see the Resources section for a sample checklist for gender mainstreaming and evaluating. Trainers and content developers can use this template to check that they have considered gender and demonstrate that this work has been undertaken. 7