Stephens, Anne, Lewis, Ellen D., and Reddy, Shravanti (2018) Inclusive systemic evaluation for gender equality, environments and marginalized voices (ISE4GEMs): a new approach for the SDG era. External Commissioned Report. United Nations: UN Women, New York, NY, USA.

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Abstract

The UN Women Independent Evaluation Office has been promoting the integration of gender equality in evaluations since its inception. However, guidance and practice on how to implement gender-responsive approaches based on local cultural priorities or context has proven challenging. With the advent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) there is a recognized need for more concrete guidance and tools and the development and testing of different methods and approaches to address this challenge. UN Women Independent Evaluation Office along with Australian and American researchers have responded to this challenge by developing a Guidance for Evaluators for the SDG Era. Introducing the Inclusive Systemic Evaluation (ISE) approach and the Gender Equality, Environments, and voices from the Margins (GEMs) Framework.

Shortened to the #ISE4GEMs, this Guidance is an original piece of work that brings together trans-disciplinary evaluation methods through a systemic evaluation approach. The Guide is written in two parts. Important concepts from systems thinking including boundary analysis, emergence, and the difference between systemic and systematic thinking, are introduced in Part A. So too is the importance of the intersectional relationships between each of the GEMs Framework dimensions Gender Equality, Environments, and voices from the Margins. The Guidance encourages evaluation strategies that can co-account for coupled environmental and social changes. 'Environment' is a catch-all terms for ecological systems from pristine to human-made. Gender accounts for the more traditional category of 'man' and 'woman' but opens up the meanings to account for transgender and multiple identities. The 'voices from the Margins' encourages practitioners to look for and include those who might not normally be heard due to discriminating and oppressive practices.

Part B provides practical steps to walk through the planning, conduct and analysis phases of an evaluation. The process is participatory and contributes to capacity development, learning and empowerment of participants and stakeholders alike to produce outcomes with a lasting impact. The Guide is being utilized by UN Women and NGO's globally and will be published on the UN Women website at the end of 2017. Contact the authors to discuss training and support.

Item ID:	54715
Item Type:	Report (External Commissioned Report)
ISBN:	978-1-63214-125-5
Keywords:	systemic evaluation; gender equity; program evaluaiton: international development; capacity development; environmental evaluation
Related URLs:	Publisher
Copyright Information:	© 2018 UN Women. All rights reserved. The report is publicly available via the publisher's website.
Funders:	Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), UN Women's Office of Independent Evaluation
Date Deposited:	09 Oct 2018 23:08
FoR Codes:	44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4410 Sociology > 441001 Applied sociology, program evaluation and social impact assessment @ 100%
SEO Codes:	94 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 9403 International Relations > 940302 International Aid and Development @ 100%
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