The Auditor General Reports on Gender-Based Analysis

In April 2008, the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women recommended, in its ninth report, that the Auditor General's Office examine the implementation of gender-based analysis in the federal government.

In its 2009 Spring Report, the Auditor General's Office reported on gender-based analysis and its full implementation across federal departments. The AG's Office looked at a sample of 68 initiatives to determine whether gender-based analysis had been carried out in seven different departments, and whether the information gathered was used to inform policy-development.

The report outlines how gender-based analysis was only adequately integrated into policy development for 4 of the 68 initiatives.In April 2008, the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women recommended, in its ninth report, that the Auditor General's Office examine the implementation of gender-based analysis in the federal government.

Gender-based analysis (GBA) is an analytical tool that can be used to assess how the impact of policies and programs on women might differ from their impact on men. GBA is intended to allow for gender differences to be integrated in the policy analysis process. Coinciding with the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, the federal government committed to implement gender-based analysis throughout its departments and agencies. Such analysis was to guide decision makers by informing them about any potential impact that policies, programs, or proposals might have on people because of their gender. Since then, the government has reiterated in a number of announcements that it intends to implement GBA.

In its 2009 Spring Report, the Auditor General's Office reported on gender-based analysis and its full implementation across federal departments. The AG's Office looked at a sample of 68 initiatives to determine whether gender-based analysis had been carried out in seven different departments, and whether the information gathered was used to inform policy-development.

The report outlines how gender-based analysis was only adequately integrated into policy development for 4 of the 68 initiatives.

To read the full report of the Auditor General, click here.

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