Not all people will be impacted by policies in the same way because of their gender. Gender inequality is experienced differently by different people. It can be compounded by other social factors and identities including characteristics or circumstances of age, disability, race, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation. These inequalities can result in overlapping and interdependent discrimination or disadvantage for a person or community.
An intersectional approach (see Glossary) recognises that a person’s experience of exclusion or disadvantage is shaped by the interaction of multiple characteristics and circumstances. It also provides insight into the systemic and cultural causes of inequality, which then provide the basis for solutions. An intersectional approach enables the complexity of people’s experiences of discrimination and disadvantage to be understood, for example, through disaggregated data that highlights differences of experiences which can then be addressed.
Gender analysis must not be undertaken in isolation. In addition to assessing the gender impacts of a policy, it is important to assess the impacts of relevant intersectional characteristics and circumstances. When all intersectional considerations are meaningfully incorporated into policy design it ensures that the diverse experiences of all people, groups and communities are included, supported and empowered.
Incorporating a First Nations gendered perspective into impact assessment
Policy makers can refer to the following sources and considerations when undertaking an intersectional assessment of First Nations and gender impacts. This approach supports policy design that is understanding of people’s lives and appreciates the intersectional impacts of policy and systems.
The Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) Report (2020) is the first national report in more than 3 decades where First Nations women and girls have been heard as a collective on the issues that matter to them. The report is a rich source of evidence that captures the diverse voices and aspirations of women and girls, and is an important resource to inform policy across all portfolios, at all levels of government.
The 4 Priority Reforms under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap are all relevant to First Nations women. The reforms are: formal partnerships and shared decision making; building the community-controlled sector; transforming government organisations; and shared access to data and information at a regional level.
Key considerations in designing policy that incorporates a First Nations gendered perspective include:
- use strengths based language and seek to incorporate First Nations women’s knowledge, skills and expertise
- engage in deep listening and respectful communication to understand multiple points of view from First Nations women
- capture the voices of First Nations people from all relevant intersectional perspectives
- consider the historical and contemporary contexts of the issue and how the policy will interact with other policies and programs in place
- ensure the policy is healing-informed by considering the structural drivers and root causes of harms and inequalities and ensuring the proposal is culturally-safe and trauma-informed
- consider how the policy outcomes will be sustained and how it will maximise the contribution of First Nations women and communities, and build capacity in First Nations organisations and businesses
- consider the long-term vision of the policy, including how it provides employment or business development opportunities for First Nations women or uses First Nations organisations in the supply chain.
Key data sources include: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, Indigenous Data Network (IDN).
For further guidance and information on First Nations Impact Assessments please contact NIAA at womenspolicy@niaa.gov.au or FirstNationsImpacts@niaa.gov.au.
Collection of data that captures a wide range of a person or community’s circumstances and characteristics is a priority for an intersectional approach to gender analysis. Stakeholder feedback and qualitative evidence are also valuable and can inform gender analysis, particularly where data is limited.
Why is the use of intersectional data important?
Data analysis should go beyond looking at just gender in aggregate, as gendered experiences vary by many factors including socio-economic status, geography and age, which intersect with gender. Different characteristics and backgrounds, such as migration status, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, cultural background and First Nations status may also interact with gender (and with each other), the combination of which may mean that people experience and are affected by policies in different ways. For this reason, it is critical, throughout the policy making process, to consider the needs of different cohorts within gender data and evidence where possible.
Using data to support intersectional gender analysis in practice
The use of appropriately disaggregated data helps to draw out evidence to support an intersectional approach to gender analysis. The use of such data gives us a clearer picture of how different characteristics affect people throughout their lives, including any inequalities or gaps between different groups. For example, housing costs as a proportion of disposable income have increased over the last 20 years, with women experiencing disproportionate impacts of high housing costs due to the gender pay and earning gaps, the high proportion of single parent households headed by women, and family and domestic violence. These housing challenges are particularly acute for older women and women fleeing violence who are more vulnerable to homelessness, First Nations women (39% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander renting householders were in rental stress[1]), women with disabilities (11.2% of Australians with disability are living in unaffordable housing[2]), and single mothers (who experienced homelessness and marginal housing at almost 4 times the national average[3]).
- Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices): Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future Report (2020). Return to footnote 1↩
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022) People with disability in Australia 2022, catalogue number DIS 72, AIHW, Australian Government. Return to footnote 2 ↩
- csmc.org.au/2023/11/21/csmc-launches-report-on-largest-survey-of-single-mothers/ Return to footnote 3 ↩