All Cabinet Submissions and NPPs brought forward to Cabinet and its Committees must be assessed against the Gender Impact Assessment criteria (refer to Appendix A). Proposals that meet one or more of the 4 criteria must complete the Gender Impact Assessment Template (refer to Part 3).

The Gender Impact Assessment Template provides guidance on the considerations and steps for conducting intersectional gender analysis, designing gender equality actions, and assessing the overall impact of the proposal on gender equality.

Following completion of a Gender Impact Assessment, the Gender Equality Summary section of the Template must be included in the relevant section of the Impacts Table of the Cabinet Submission or NPP. Refer to Part 4 for more information.

Steps for completing a Gender Impact Assessment

1. Conduct initial intersectional gender analysis to self-assess whether the Cabinet Submission or NPP meets any of the 4 criteria for Gender Impact Assessment (refer to Appendix A). If so, complete a standalone Gender Impact Assessment using the Template for each NPP that meets the criteria. Use Working for Women as the strategic framework for the assessment.
2. Undertake more detailed intersectional gender analysis to assess the implications of the proposal for gender equality, and the differentiated or disproportionate gendered impacts. Refer to Part 2 for guidance on conducting gender analysis.
   • If the analysis finds no implications for gender equality, or no differentiated or disproportionate gendered impacts, an abbreviated Gender Impact Assessment can be completed following the directions in the Template. Remember to challenge assumptions of gender neutrality.
3. Use the analysis findings to inform the design of actions to progress gender equality and mitigate differentiated or disproportionate gendered impacts. The gender equality actions form part of the proposal and must be in scope of the policy authority.
4. Based on the findings of the analysis and the gender equality actions that will be included in the proposal, assess whether overall the proposal progresses or does not progress gender equality, and why. Outline this assessment in the Gender Equality Summary section of the Template.
5. Lodge the Gender Impact Assessment as a standalone attachment to the Cabinet Submission.
   • Include key Gender Impact Assessment analysis and outcomes in the Recommendations, Reasons, Risks and Implementation sections of the Cabinet Submission or NPP. The Template provides direction on the information to include in each section.
   • Include the Gender Equality Summary in the relevant section of the Impacts Table of the Cabinet Submission or NPP.

Designing gender equality actions

The findings of intersectional gender analysis can be used to design actions to progress gender equality, or mitigate differentiated or disproportionate gendered impacts. This involves policy design and adaptation to improve outcomes for gender equality. The gender equality actions form part of the proposal and must be in scope of the policy authority.

Consider opportunities to take action across all stages of the policy life-cycle (development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation). Gender equality can be advanced through:

• targets or quotas
• legislation, strategies and action plans
• procurement, grant, program or research guidelines
• terms of reference, negotiation mandates and investment mandates
• targeted funding
• participation in, or access to, services, resources, opportunities and decision making
• diverse representation and gender balance in governance and leadership, such as selection and advisory committees, panels and other working groups
• consultation with women’s groups, peak bodies, gender experts, academics, people with lived experience, economists, non-government organisations, civil society, unions, and businesses
• evaluation and monitoring
• improved evidence base and gender-disaggregated data collection and analysis.

If the analysis finds the proposal will have a positive gendered impact there may be opportunity to design actions that will further improve gender equality outcomes as part of the proposal. This may be achieved by targeting support for people with diverse and intersecting experiences. For example, a proposal related to improving the quality and accessibility of ECEC services may include an action around ensuring equitable access for people of diverse backgrounds or living in different geographical areas.

Where analysis finds the proposal may have unintended differentiated or disproportionate gendered impacts, consider actions to mitigate these impacts. If there are no opportunities within the policy authority for mitigations, or if the impacts will be addressed in a separate or future proposal, explain this in the Gender Impact Assessment.

In designing actions, consider how to incorporate all relevant intersectional considerations and ensure that the diverse experiences of all people, groups and communities are included, supported and empowered. Consider the safety by design principles and what steps can be taken to prevent and address gender-based violence being perpetrated through Australian Government services and systems (see section 2.2 of this Guide for information on safety by design).

Assessing gender equality impact

Determining the overall impact of a proposal on gender equality requires an on-balance assessment – that is, weighing the benefits and risks of the proposal against each other to determine the gendered impact of the proposal as a whole. Use the intersectional gender analysis findings to consider the gendered impacts of the proposal alongside the gender equality actions or mitigations that were designed in response. The assessment requires judgement to weigh the significance and consequences of the different elements.

In some instances the assessment will be straightforward. For example, if gender analysis found a proposal will have positive gender equality impacts, or if gender equality actions were designed and included in the proposal to boost positive outcomes, it is likely that overall the proposal progresses gender equality.

In many instances, the assessment will require more consideration, particularly where there are mixed impacts. Some elements of the proposal may improve equality (such as increasing flexible work options) while other elements may unintentionally reinforce gaps (such as relying on unpaid care work, which is more likely to be undertaken by women). An on-balance assessment requires you to weigh those mixed impacts against each other to form an overall judgement. For example, a proposal may invest a significant amount of funding into a male-dominated industry, which risks reinforcing existing gender gaps. Following gender analysis, an action could be included in the proposal to address barriers and support women’s participation and leadership in the industry. The proposal could also target specific employment support for women with disability. While this would help mitigate the disproportionate gendered impacts of the proposal, these actions alone are unlikely to achieve gender-balance in the industry or significantly narrow gender gaps. As such, an appropriate assessment may be that overall the proposal does not progress gender equality and it seeks to partially address the gendered impacts through a mitigating action.

If gender analysis identified unintended gendered impacts, but no mitigating gender equality actions were included, then it is likely that overall the proposal will not progress gender equality. If there are no opportunities within the policy authority for mitigations, or if the impacts will be addressed in a separate or future proposal, explain this in the gender equality actions section of the Gender Impact Assessment.

A finding that a proposal does not progress gender equality, based on an on-balance assessment, does not in itself mean that proposal is viewed as negative or will not be agreed. Rather, the assessment is intended to promote transparency, acknowledge potential risks and support informed and accountable decision-making.