Gender is a social and cultural concept. It is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience as a man, woman or non-binary person. Non-binary is an umbrella term describing gender identities that are not exclusively male or female (ABS, Standard for Sex Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables, 2020).

A process using data and evidence to assess whether a policy or budget proposal has gendered impacts (i.e. will affect women and men differently). This includes implications for gender equality, or differentiated or disproportionate impacts based on gender and intersectional considerations. Gender analysis is targeted and proportional, ensuring the effort in conducting analysis is proportional to the potential impact, value and scope of the policy.

An overview of the gender analysis and/or Gender Impact Assessment outcomes that is recorded in the Impacts Table of the New Policy Proposal or Cabinet Submission. The Gender Equality Summary informs decision-makers of the gendered impacts of the proposal and how it relates to gender equality.

A Gender Impact Assessment requires detailed gender analysis to advise on the gendered impacts of a proposal. The findings inform the design of actions included as part of the proposal to progress gender equality and mitigate differentiated or disproportionate gendered impacts. The gender analysis findings and actions inform an on-balance assessment of the overall impact of the proposal on gender equality – that is, weighing the benefits and risks of the proposal against each other to determine the gendered impact of the proposal as a whole. A Gender Impact Assessment is required for proposals that meet one or more of 4 criteria, and is completed using the Gender Impact Assessment Template.

Gender disaggregated data refers to data that is broken down by gender. This gives us a clearer picture of how women, men, and gender diverse people experience their lives, including any inequalities and gaps between these groups. Population data can be collected or presented as an aggregate (an undifferentiated whole). Differences between groups of people are hidden when this data is not broken down or ‘disaggregated’ to reveal those groups.

Gender stereotypes are simplistic assumptions and generalisations about the attributes, skills, behaviours, preferences and roles that people should have or demonstrate based on their gender. These attributes are often perceived as natural or innate, but are actually the result of people of different genders being socialised in different ways. The socialisation is determined by a society or social group in relation to the types of roles, interests, behaviours and contributions expected from girls and boys, men and women. Gender attitudes and stereotypes are not necessarily negative assumptions or generalisations.

Gender responsive budgeting weaves consideration of gendered impacts through the Cabinet and Budget process and is a key way governments can identify and fund measures that close gender gaps and avoid measures that inadvertently exacerbate gender inequality. It helps shine a light on the distributional impacts of government actions so that decision-makers can make choices based on the best information available about how potential budget measures support gender equality along with other priorities like boosting economic growth.

Intersectional analysis can provide insights into the causes of inequalities through the identification of compounding and interlocking advantages and disadvantages faced by diverse communities. The term ‘intersectionality’ was first coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how race and gender interact to shape black women’s employment experiences in the United States. It refers to the interconnected nature of different characteristics and circumstances such as race, income, class, disability, sexuality and gender as they apply to a given individual or group. These characteristics and circumstances overlap and create an interdependent system of discrimination or disadvantage. Intersectionality is sometimes applied to acknowledge both the ways in which intersecting identities can lead to the suffering of oppression and discrimination but that can also enrich individuals' lives (UNICEF; scholarship by Crenshaw, OECD Gender budgeting and intersectionality).

A division within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. OFW works across government to place women and gender equality at the center of policy and decision making, including through gender responsive budgeting and gender impact assessment.

A person’s sex is based upon their sex characteristics, such as their chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs. While typically based upon the sex characteristics observed and recorded at birth or infancy, a person’s reported sex can change over the course of their lifetime and may differ from their sex recorded at birth (ABS, Standard for Sex Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables, 2020).