Section 2: Developing an NHRI gender mainstreaming strategy12 By engaging with this section, NHRIs will understand the three key steps involved in developing a gender mainstreaming strategy: • Planning and design • Implementation • Monitoring and evaluation. Addressing gender equality within an NHRI, and becoming an institution that comprehensively understands and practices gender equality, requires a planned strategic and systematic approach. Gender equality is achieved by combining both gender mainstreaming and gender specialisation strategies. 2.1. PHASES OF A GENDER MAINSTREAMING STRATEGY Processes of change and development generally go through three broad stages: • Planning and design • Implementation • Evaluation. Monitoring progress occurs concurrently and throughout the three stages. The figure below shows these three stages in a cycle sequence. However, there will be times when an NHRI may need to go back to a previous step. If, for example, in the ‘implementation’ stage a review of progress shows that the activities need adjusting, it will be necessary to return to the ‘plan and design’ stage. If in the ‘evaluation’ stage it is decided that an outcome has not yet been reached, it will be necessary to return to the ‘plan and design’ and ‘implementation’ stage. 15