Canada has a strong tradition of supporting gender equality through constitutional protections and government policies. The government is taking a whole-of-government approach to gender mainstreaming and conducting gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) on all policies and programs. Challenges include improving GBA+ quality, monitoring, and access to gender data. An OECD review helped articulate a systems approach to gender mainstreaming. Budget 2018 integrated GBA+ by establishing a gender results framework and directing initiatives toward gender equality objectives. Moving forward, the government aims to legislate gender budgeting and the status of women's department, engage Canadians through roundtables, and invest in gender data and research.

1. Canada’s Approach to
Gender Equality
Canada’s Gender Review June 2018

2. Outline
• Key features of the Canadian context and approach to gender
equality
• OECD gender review
• Future directions for Canada

3. Canadian context
Strong tradition of support for gender equality
Enshrined in the constitution, support of successive governments
Current high level political commitment a catalyst
Canada’s first ever gender parity Cabinet, Feminist Foreign assistance policy
Women’s equality seen as path to economic growth
Some features of the Canadian approach / situation:
Whole-of-government approach to gender mainstreaming
Inclusive approach to GBA+
Status of Women Canada responsible for issues affecting women and girls
Westminster model of government – budget making governed by
convention, not laws

4. GBA+ is an evolving concept.
“Gender” has evolved from being
synonymous with “sex” to a more inclusive
concept that focuses on the roles, behaviours,
activities, and attributes that a given society
may construct or consider appropriate for
men and women.
Shifting away from binary gender concept
means :
Gender is not the only entry point
It is about gender equality and equity, but
also broader concepts such as inclusion
and diversity

5. History of GBA+ in the federal government
Cabinet
Commitment to
GBA+
The Government of
Canada committed
to conducting
GBA+ on all future
legislation, policies
and programs.
GBA+ Action Plan
2016-2020
Detailed actions to
support the
implementation of
GBA+ across
government under the
themes of identifying
barriers, building GBA+
capacity, strengthening
monitoring and
accountability, and
reporting on outcomes.
Departmental
Action Plan on
GBA+
Defining the roles
and responsibilities
of departments and
agencies in
implementing
frameworks to
support the
sustainable use
of GBA+ across
government.
Auditor General
Audit of GBA+
Recommended
that SWC, PCO and
TBS work with all
federal departments
and agencies to
identify the barriers
to implementing
GBA+, and to
periodically assess
and report on
progress.
Moving forward with
a bolder approach
GBA+ begins to be
integrated into the
broader policy cycle
including results and
evaluation. Feminist
foreign policy launched.
The Federal budget 2017
was accompanied by a
Gender Budgeting
Statement.
1995 2009 2015 2016 2017

6. Challenges in advancing GBA+
Improving the quality of GBA+.
Improving monitoring and reporting on results and GBA+ impacts.
Improving the availability and access to gender-sensitive data.
Enhancing the understanding of GBA+ in the context of Canada’s Diversity and
Inclusion Agenda.

7. The OECD’s Gender Governance Review of
Canada
Helped articulate a systems approach to mainstreaming
Played an “honest broker” role, where the views of various
organizations were integrated for a holistic picture.
Provided a guiding framework for internal discussions
Highlighted best practices that were applicable

8. Road to Budget 2018
Fromhigh-levelcommitmenttointegratedbudgetpractice
2016 Fall Economic Statement
Public Commitment to GBA+ for Future
Budgets:
“(…) submit Budget 2017, and all
future budgets, to more rigorous
analysis by completing and
publishing a gender-based analysis
of budgetary measures”.
• Previously, GBA+ was part of the
internal budget briefing process,
with little-to-no public exposure
Budget 2017 Gender Statement
First public assessment of the budget
from a gender perspective
• Concise picture of gender in Canada
today: Presented key socio-economic
trends and challenges remaining in
Canada
• High-level GBA+ of Budget 2017
Measures: Content informed almost
exclusively by departmental gender-
based analysis
Approach to Budget 2018
Gender equality as a central focus of the
budget
• Focus on Results: Drive gender
equality objectives in budget priority-
setting
• More Transparency: Consider further
steps to open analysis and data to the
public
• Improved analysis: Ongoing
institutional (and cultural) shift
towards gender mainstreaming in
policy

9. New Gender Results Framework
• Whole of Government. Common set of goals to
support all Government action on gender equality
• Evidence-Based. Clear Indicators that are relevant to
the key challenges around equality in Canada and the
world.
• Transparent. Encourages thoughtful dialogue with
Canadians and enhances accountability for results.
Education
and Skills
Development
Economic
Participation
and Prosperity
Gender Based
Violence and Access
to Justice
Poverty Reduction,
Health and Well
Being
Gender Equality
Around the World
Leadership and
Democratic
Participation
Canada’s economic future depends on people having equal opportunity to reach
their full potential, regardless of gender.

10. Budget 2018 initiatives under the GRF
Building on the initiatives to address gender inequality since 2015, Budget 2018 added:
Expanded Gender Based Violence Strategy
Proactive Pay Equity regime
Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy, Women in Trades Initiative
EI Parental Sharing Benefit (5 wks second parent parental leave)
Diversity in Science Initiative
Centre for Diversity and Inclusion Statistics, Evidence-based policy
Dialogue on gender equality, increased funding for the Women’s Program
New resources for Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy
Legislating Status of Women Canada, legislating gender budgeting

11. Looking forward
New legislation to enshrine gender budgeting in the federal government’s
budgetary and financial management processes.
Legislation to make Status of Women Canada an official department of the
Government of Canada
Funding for engaging Canadians, including hosting a National GBA+ Roundtable in
2018
New investments in data and research to support GBA+ and the framework
including a new Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics
Public GBA+ in 2019 Budget

12. Annex A: National GBA+ Roundtable – November 2018
Strong Middle
Class
Jobs and
Innovation
Exports and
Investment
Environment &
Climate Change
Sustainable
Infrastructure
Healthy
Canadians
Indigenous
Peoples
Fair and Open
Government
Safety and
Security
Canada and the
World
Gov’t Services
& Operations
Diverse &
Inclusive
Canada
National GBA+ Roundtable Objectives:
• Strengthen awareness of GBA+ through a
national dialogue on its importance
• Strengthen analytical capacity across the
country by providing new GBA+ content and
sharing results and best practices
• Promote gender equality and support the
Government’s gender equality results
framework by promoting the use of GBA+ by
other levels of government
• Promote the federal government as a leader
in the implementation of GBA+ in Canada
and around the world
Government of Canada’s 12 Policy Priorities
GBA+
Advances
Gov’t
Priorities

13. Reflections
Gender budgeting and gender based analysis plus can help underpin a more
deliberative, comprehensive approach to policy and budget decision making
GBA+ as more than a lens – a more inclusive way of doing policy
Challenge is to make it meaningful, not perfunctory
Address capacity, data constraints, increase engagement – a work in progress
Position as core, not peripheral, element of policy process
Overall framework or strategy can link to results and help drive decision making
Political commitment to gender equality a catalyst, but institutional buy-in also essential
Embedding into institutional structures as important as legislative instruments