The Gender Impact Assessment Template helps guide policy makers and support decision makers by ensuring that Gender Impact Assessments are consistent in their approach and include sufficient information to support decision making.
The completed Gender Impact Assessment Template must be included as an attachment to the Cabinet Submission when circulated for each stage of consultation (Exposure Draft, Coordination Final and Final) as it is a key source of information for decision makers.
Important information about a Gender Impact Assessment
Departments are responsible for assessing Cabinet Submissions and NPPs against the criteria to identify if a Gender Impact Assessment is required (see Appendix A).
Where a Cabinet Submission or NPP meets the criteria outlined in Part 2.3, a Gender Impact Assessment and a Gender Analysis Summary must be completed.
The Gender Impact Assessment Template
The Gender Impact Assessment Template has the following sections and guidance questions to assist policy makers to undertake a gender analysis and complete the Gender Impact Assessment Template. The Template is available at Gender Impact Assessment Template.
Criteria Checkbox
In this initial section of the Template, tick all criteria that apply to the proposal.
1. Outcomes of the Gender Impact Assessment
In this section of the Template, provide a high-level overview of the Gender Impact Assessment outcome. This section should be included as the Gender Analysis Summary in the NPP.
Guidance questions:
- Does the proposal have a gendered impact and what is the nature of that impact (is it a positive, negative or neutral impact)? Include gender disaggregated data, research evidence and/or stakeholder views to support the identified impact.
- Has this proposal been designed or adapted so that it contributes to gender equality? Or does the policy create risks for gender equality and what mitigations have been included?
- How will the gender equality outcomes be measured? Are there targets, implementation milestones or progress commitments?
Hint: If the gender analysis shows limited or no gender impact, further analysis may not be required. If so, this should be set out in sections 1 and 2 of the Gender Impact Assessment Template. Completing sections 3 and 4 is optional in this case.
2. Findings of the gender analysis
In this section, provide findings from the gender analysis to inform assessment of gender equality impacts.
Guidance questions:
- Will the proposal have a positive, negative or neutral impact on gender equality? What is this impact?
- If the proposal presents multiple options with different gendered impacts, detail these.
- If the proposal has no gendered impact, explain how this conclusion was reached.
- What were the key findings of the gender analysis conducted for this proposal? Include any stakeholder consultations undertaken.
- What were the key data and evidence sources (including quantitative and/or qualitative)? Note if data availability has limited the analysis.
Gender analysis should consider how economic and social factors, characteristics and circumstances, including age, disability, socioeconomic status, geographic location, First Nations status, migration status, cultural, language and religious background, and sexual orientation and gender identity can compound or intersect with people’s experience of gender inequality.
3. Policy responses to the gender analysis
In this section detail how the gender analysis has informed the policy development process; include any adaptations or mitigations made to the proposal to advance gender equality.
Guidance questions:
- Was the proposal originally intended to positively impact gender equality or was the proposal changed or adapted in order to improve gender equality?
- If yes, explain how.
- If the proposal was found to have a negative impact on gender equality or to worsen existing inequalities:
- Is it possible to mitigate these impacts? Are any steps proposed or recommended to mitigate these impacts?
- If not, why not?
4. Actions to support gender equality
In this section identify any concrete actions to support gender equality included in the policy design, implementation and monitoring stages.
Guidance questions:
- How will the gender equality commitments of the proposal be implemented?
- How will the monitoring and evaluation plan incorporate reporting and analysis of gender equality outcomes or other gender-related aspects of the proposal?
- Where the gender analysis has identified a neutral or negative impact and there are limited or no options to improve gender equality within the scope and authority of the proposal, are there other actions that could be taken to support gender equality the next time this proposal is considered by decision makers? For example:
- Improving gender disaggregated data, monitoring outcomes, stakeholder engagement to identify issues.
- Revisiting the assessment at a later date (for example, when the process is more mature or when there is more data at a future review point)?
- Investing through a separate program.
Example responses to the Gender Impact Assessment Template
Include clear and specific targets, implementation milestones and/or progress commitments, using the table provided (below).
The table includes examples of the types of targets, implementation milestones and/or progress commitments that could be considered.
| Commitment to gender equality | How this will be achieved | Risks and mitigation | Timeframe for implementing action towards gender equality | Monitoring and Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increase employment opportunities for women in Early Childhood Education and Care | Targets for increased workforce participation. | Risk – Lack of uplift in rural and remote areas. Mitigation – Targeted support to regional and remote services in a variety of measures. | Five percent increase over five years of rural women in the workforce. | Surveys of the workforce, students, providers and other key stakeholders will be undertaken to determine the benefits of the targets and provide a baseline understanding of the workforce and their particular circumstances. |
| Build evidence base of the effects endometriosis has on women in Australia | Improved data collection on number of women affected, ages and underlying health concerns and research the impacts of endometriosis on productivity and barriers to diagnosis. | Risk – Lack of funding available for research and data collection. Mitigation – grant funding available to target researching endometriosis with identified outcomes (for example the cost of lost productivity to economy). | In two years the grants will:
| Yearly review of grant funding to determine if the grant outcomes are being reached and to review any issues with the grant guidelines. Publish research and data publicly each year. |
| Gender equality will be included in the Terms of Reference of the Board | Selection criteria for the board will include experience with gender equality/diversity. The board must be 40 per cent women. The board’s Terms of Reference will direct it to consider gender equality in the exercise of its duties. | Risk – Lack of appropriate candidates applying for the position who meet the criteria, purposefully designed selection criteria and processes. Mitigation – Consultation with peak bodies and community groups to canvas for applicants, poorly designed selection process. | By 2025, the board has a gender representation of 40 per cent women. Board decisions and reporting reflect consideration of gender equality, such as annual reports, meeting minutes or work plans. | Provide a report to the Minister on gender representation of candidates at each stage of the selection process. Gender equality clear in the work plan and reporting framework. |
| Expanding gender disaggregated data collection to understand how energy costs affects lower-income earners, who are disproportionately women | This will be achieved through conducting surveys and consultations with energy retailers and peak body groups. | Risk – There is limited existing data of how women may experience disadvantage from rising energy costs and limited ability to ensure policies are targeted to address those inequalities. Mitigation – Collect data on women’s experiences of rising energy costs and engagement with relevant Government programs. | Over the four years of the proposal, collect sufficient gender disaggregated data to determine if the fund targets the intended cohorts, and to identify opportunities to improve access to subsidies for lower-income women. | Annual reports to the Minister of disaggregated data to illustrate progress findings of the data collection being conducted, including identification of any difficulties and limitations with the data collection. |