Gender analysis involves exploring the relationships between men and women and identifying the division of labour, productive and reproductive roles, unpaid care, economic status, decision-making power, patterns of violence, and harmful practices that violate rights.

Participatory tools for gender analysis

• Daily activity chart - A daily activity chart can be used to look at the daily chores of men and women, and boys and girls.
• Access and control matrix - An access and control matrix can be used to look at who has access to, control over and use of different resources and who is denied access, etc.
• Body map - A body map can be used to analyse issues relating to health, sexuality etc.

Key questions for gender analysis

• What is the division of labour between men and women in respect of productive, reproductive and social roles?
• What violations do women experience in the private space (household), public space (community etc.) and what is the impact of this on women’s self-perception?
• What values and beliefs underpin women rights violations and which values (laws, traditional & religious norms and practices) could be taken advantage of by actors to help promote women rights? 
• Which institutions and actors are custodians of culture and tradition? What is their position on women’s rights?
• Is there a difference between women’s and men’s access to and control over different resources?
• Are there differences in women’s levels of awareness / capacity / organisation / education that affect their ability to demand and secure their rights?
• Do powerful institutions (and allies) treat women differently from men?
• How are women are perceived in the community and how do they perceive themselves and their aspirations?
• Based on your analysis, what needs to change for women to enjoy their rights?

References

• Communication & Power, ActionAid, 2003.
• People’s Action in Practice, ActionAid, 2012, p. 215.