Strengthening policy through gender analysis and Gender Impact Assessment

Welcome

Acknowledgement of country

Welcome

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing spiritual, social and cultural relationship with the land, waters, skies and community.

We pay our respect to Elders past, present and to their community leaders, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Welcome to the first video in our 3-part series: Including Gender: An Australian Public Service Guide to Gender Analysis and Gender Impact Assessment.

As a policy maker, you play an important role in advancing gender equality by considering gender impacts in policy design and applying gender responsive budgeting requirements through your work.

Did you know that on average, women in Australia have historically earned less per week than men? Understanding inequalities like this is one of the reasons gender responsive budgeting is so important.

The Australian Government uses gender responsive budgeting to shape policy solutions that help close these gaps and promote gender equality.

As a public servant you will contribute to this effort by conducting gender analysis and applying gender responsive budgeting requirements to Cabinet Submissions and New Policy Proposals. Key levers the Government uses to drive real and lasting change.

Working towards a gender equal Australia

Gender equality is a fundamental human right. It expands choices and opportunities, helping everyone reach their full potential.

Gender equal societies benefit all of us. They’re stronger, more cohesive, and research shows that gender equality boosts economic growth and improves productivity.

The Cabinet Handbook sets out the government’s commitment to embedding gender equality in policy design and ensuring it informs decision-making. This commitment to gender equality is a shared priority for the entire Australian Public Service.

Working for Women priority areas for action:

• Gender-based violence
• Unpaid and paid care
• Economic equality and security
• Health
• Leadership, representation and decision making.

In 2024, the Minister for Women launched Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality. It sets out a long-term vision for an Australia where all people are safe, treated with respect, have choices and have access to resources and equal outcomes no matter their gender.

Working for Women focuses on these 5 priority areas to drive action in closing gender gaps and creating a more equal society.

Addressing inequalities and improving outcomes

Australia has made progress on gender equality, but inequalities still persist across many areas of life.

Gender norms and inequalities experienced across our society, communities and the economy mean that even policies that appear gender neutral can lead to unintended or different impacts for different groups of people.

For example, at first glance, reforms to reduce tax rates since 2024 might seem gender-neutral because they apply the same rates to everyone.

But when we take a closer look, analysis shows that these change have benefited lower paid workers in particular – the majority of which are women.

Gender analysis helps uncover these kinds of impacts and informs the way we design policies so that they support more equitable outcomes.

The importance of an intersectional approach

Gender inequality doesn’t affect everyone in the same way. People experience inequality differently depending on their individual characteristics and circumstances.

Working for Women recognises that age, race, disability, income, sexual orientation, gender identity and location can all shape how people experience inequality. These characteristics can intersect, creating overlapping and interconnected forms of discrimination or disadvantage.

For example, women can experience economic disadvantage due to the gender pay gap, unpaid caregiving roles, and the impacts of gender-based violence. But these impacts can be even more pronounced for some groups - including older women, First Nations women, women with disabilities, and single mothers – groups that have historically faced greater levels of disadvantage.

This is why applying an intersectional approach is so important. It helps identify the systemic and cultural drivers of inequality. Intersectional analysis supports you to develop evidence-based policy responses that consider different impacts on different groups of people.

Using budgeting to drive gender equality

• Gender analysis
• Gender Impact Assessment

Using budgeting to drive gender equality

Gender Responsive Budgeting is a key for ensuring the Government support gender equality through its policies and investments.

It helps reveal the gendered impacts of budget and policy proposals and makes these impacts transparent to decision-makers. Informed by evidence and analysis, these decisions help reduce inequality and improve gender equality outcomes.

There are 2 main components of Gender Responsive Budgeting:

• Gender analysis: a process that uses data and evidence to assess whether a proposal has gendered impacts. This process is required for all Cabinet Submissions and New Policy Proposals.
• Gender Impact Assessment: a tool that provides a more in-depth level of analysis, required for proposals that meet specific criteria.

Gender Impact Assessment criteria:

• Gender equality
• Cohorts
• Workforce
• Value

To determine whether a Gender Impact Assessment is required, a proposal must meet one or more of 4 criteria. This includes:

• Gender equality -for proposal that relate to gender inequality, discrimination, bias and/or gender-based violence.
• Cohorts - covering proposals aimed at groups of people who are typically more likely to experience disadvantage.
• Workforce - for proposals affecting industries, sectors or occupations that are gender segregated.
• Value - where the proposal has actual or potential financial implications of $250 million or more.

These criteria help identify proposals that are likely to have significant impacts on gender equality, or areas where substantial investment could drive meaningful progress.

The findings of your gender analysis and Gender Impact Assessment are then captured in the Gender Equality Summary. This forms part of the impacts table in Cabinet Submissions and New Policy Proposals, and helps decision-makers understand the gendered impacts of the proposal.

All policy makers share responsibility for applying Gender Responsive Budgeting, as outlined in the Cabinet Handbook and Budget Process Operational Rules.

If you would like to know more, you can:

• Explore Including Gender: An APS Guide to Gender Analysis and Gender Impact Assessment
• Join the Gender Analysis Community of Practice on GovTeams

Welcome

Acknowledgement of country

Welcome

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing spiritual, social and cultural relationship with the land, waters, skies and community.

We pay our respect to Elders past, present and to their community leaders, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Video 2: Gender analysis: what it is, and how to conduct it

This is the second video in our three-part series: Including Gender: An APS Guide to Gender Analysis and Gender Impact Assessment.

In this video, we’ll explain what gender analysis is and how it supports you to provide high quality policy advice to decision makers.

Did you know, women historically spend more on GP services than men? This reflects women’s unique health needs, gender specific barriers to accessing care, and the fact that men are generally less likely to seek healthcare. Gender analysis helps us identify these different experiences and consider how proposals can be designed to reduce barriers and allow more equal access for everyone.

What is gender analysis?

Gender analysis is a process using data and evidence to assess whether a policy or budget proposal has gendered impacts – that is, whether it may affect women and men differently.

It prompts you to consider whether different groups may participate in, access, or benefit from a proposal in different ways.

By making these gendered impacts visible, gender analysis supports better policy design and helps government make informed decisions.

This matters because gendered impacts are not always obvious. Economic, social and structural inequalities can unintentionally reinforce disadvantage, and policies developed without considering these impacts can further marginalise people or widen existing gaps.

Take the Australian labour market, for example. Many industries are strongly gender segregated such as manufacturing, which is predominately male-dominated, and aged care, which is predominately female-dominated. An investment in a segregated industry might appear gender-neutral, but in practice it is likely to benefit one group more than another. This can influence gender inequality, including the gender pay gap.

Gender analysis can help:

• identify risks to equality
• improve effectiveness of policy design
• reflect diverse needs.

How can gender analysis help?
Gender analysis can help identify barriers that may prevent a proposal from achieving its intended outcomes. It strengthens policy design and ensures proposals reflect the diverse needs of the people they are intended to serve.

As a policy maker, it is important to remember that identifying gendered or negative impacts does not mean a proposal will not be supported. The purpose of gender analysis is to use evidence to improve transparency of the potential gender impacts of a policy, to acknowledge and mitigate any risks of reinforcing inequality, and to support informed and accountable decision making.

When is gender analysis required?

Under the Budget Process Operational Rules, gender analysis is required for all Cabinet Submissions and New Policy Proposals (NPP) considered by Cabinet and its Committees. The agency drafting the Submission or NPP is also responsible for completing gender analysis.

The findings from your gender analysis will help you determine whether a Gender Impact Assessment is required, and they will inform the Gender Equality Summary in the NPP. You can learn more about Gender Impact Assessment in the third video in this series.

Where to start when conducting gender analysis?

Intersectional approach considers:

• age
• race
• disability
• income
• sexual orientation
• gender identity or
• geographic location.

Where to start when conducting gender analysis?

Gender analysis involves examining data, considering research, and exploring stakeholder perspectives to understand how a proposal may affect people differently based on gender and intersectional considerations.

Gender analysis should take an intersectional approach, using data and evidence to understand the complexity and diversity of people’s experiences. This helps uncover the systemic and cultural drivers of inequality, and provides the foundation for policy solutions that are culturally appropriate, accessible, equitable, evidence-based and targeted to need.

Intersectional gender analysis is most effective when done early in policy design process, so it can shape the proposal from the very beginning.

Gender analysis should be targeted and proportional.

Effort should match:

• potential impact
• value
• policy scope.

Data and evidence help:

• identify impacts
• support informed decision-making
• strengthen policy development.

Why is it important to use data and evidence?

High-quality gender-disaggregated data and evidence provide a strong foundation for gender analysis.

They help identify impacts, supports evidence-based decisions, and strengthen policy development.

Access data through:

• internal sources
• publicly available sources
• academic research reports
• expert insights
• stakeholder feedback
• consultation.

Did you know that Australia has the world’s longest running survey capturing community attitudes towards violence against women? We also have a world leading dataset on workplace gender equality.

There are many sources of data, from internal sources such as service data or evaluation reports, to publicly available datasets from agencies like the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Research reports can also provide valuable insights.

It is important to remember that a lack of data does not mean there is no policy problem, particularly when stakeholders or subject-matter experts have identified one.

If gender specific data isn’t available, policy makers can draw on qualitative evidence, expert insights, stakeholder feedback, or consultation to ensure the experiences of all people are considered.

Key questions to guide your analysis:

1. Are there existing gaps or inequalities between women and men in this policy area?
2. Will the proposal affect women and men differently?
3. Could the proposal unintentionally reinforce existing gender norms or widen gaps?
4. Will some groups be excluded or impacted differently?
5. Does the proposal support the Government’s commitment to gender equality?

Key questions to guide your analysis

When you begin your gender analysis, these key questions can help you think through the full range of potential gendered impacts.

Start by checking whether there are existing gaps or inequalities in the policy area.

Consider whether women, men or gender‑diverse people might participate in, access or benefit from the proposal differently.

Look for any unintended impacts or ways the proposal could reinforce existing gender norms.

Think about whether some groups may be excluded or affected differently, using an intersectional lens.

And finally, consider whether the proposal aligns with the Government’s broader commitment to gender equality and the priorities set out in Working for Women.

Tip: To determine if a proposal benefits or poses risks to gender equality, ask if it improves outcomes or reinforces gaps in areas like:

• gender stereotypes and traditional roles
• gender based violence
• unpaid work and care
• economic equality and security
• health
• leadership, representation and decision making.

Considering gender equality in universal systems

Even when systems are designed to be universally accessible, they may not benefit everyone equally. Equal access does not always mean equitable outcomes.

People can experience services like health, education, payments, or transport differently because of gendered barriers.

For example, public transport is available to everyone, but women are more likely to rely on it to travel to work.

And while men face higher risk of some health conditions, like heart disease, they are less likely to seek health care.

So rather than looking only at the system overall, think about who will use it and how their experiences might vary. Differences in usage and outcomes are important to consider when assessing gendered impacts.

Embedding safety by design

Policymakers should assess whether a proposal, or its flow-on effects, could unintentionally cause harm to users.

This includes unintended impacts and the deliberate misuse of system. For example, perpetrators of family and domestic violence have previously used Government systems, such as the tax system and child support payments, to control, threaten or harass victim-survivors.

This is why it’s essential to design proposals with safety front of mind and take steps to reduce the risk that Government systems could be used to cause harm.

The Including Gender Guide provides further guidance on how to embed safety by design into proposals.

What’s next?

If you would like more information, you can:

• Explore Including Gender: An APS Guide to Gender Analysis and Gender Impact Assessment
• Join the Gender Analysis Community of Practice on GovTeams

What’s next?

Now that you’ve learned how to conduct gender analysis, the third video in this series will take you through the next steps – completing a Gender Impact Assessment and drafting the Gender Equality Summary.

If you’d like more information on gender responsive budgeting, you can explore these resources.

Welcome

Acknowledgement of country

Welcome

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing spiritual, social and cultural relationship with the land, waters, skies and community.

We pay our respect to Elders past, present and to their community leaders, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This is the third video in our 3 part series, Including Gender: An APS Guide to Gender Analysis and Gender Impact Assessment.

In this video, we’ll explain what a Gender Impact Assessment is and guide you through how to complete a Gender Impact Assessment and draft a Gender Equality Summary.

Did you know the majority of Australians work in occupations that are either female or male dominated? Reducing industry and occupational gender segregation strengthens the labour market and advances economic equality for women. Gender segregation also affects the economy more broadly and contributes to skills shortages in some industries. Gender impact assessment can help identify actions that address these issues and reduce workforce gender segregation.

What is Gender Impact Assessment? 

A Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) is a standalone assessment undertaken when the initial gender analysis shows that a proposal meets the GIA criteria. It is required for all Cabinet Submissions and New Policy Proposals that meet the criteria.

It helps policy makers reduce unintended gendered impacts, strengthen actions that progress gender equality and assess the proposal’s overall impact on gender equality. 

How to compete a Gender Impact Assessment (GIA)

1. Conduct intersectional gender analysis to determine whether the proposal meets the GIA criteria
2. Undertake more detailed analysis to assess gender impacts
3. Design gender equality actions
4. Assess the overall impact on gender equality
5. Lodge the GIA

As a policy officer, you’ll complete a Gender Impact Assessment by following 5 key steps.

• First, conduct intersectional gender analysis to check whether the proposal meets the GIA criteria.
• Second, undertake more detailed intersectional analysis to understand the proposal’s gendered impacts.
• Third, design gender equality actions that progress equality or mitigate risks.
• Fourth, assess the overall impact on gender equality by weighing the benefits and risks.
• And finally, lodge the completed Gender Impact Assessment as part of your Cabinet Submission.

Let’s take a closer look at each step.

Step 1 - Conduct gender analysis

[Screenshare Gender Impact Assessment Template]
 

Step 1 - Conduct gender analysis 

Begin by conducting research to identify any possible gendered impacts of the proposal. Then, use this analysis to self-assess whether the proposal meets any of the 4 Gender Impact Assessment criteria -gender equality, cohorts, workforce and value. The first video in this series explains the criteria in more detail.

If none of the 4 criteria are met, a Gender Impact Assessment isn’t required. 

But, if one or more criteria are met, a Gender Impact Assessment is required, and you should move on to step 2.  

Step 2 - Deepen the analysis

[Screenshare Gender Impact Assessment Template]

Step 2 - Deepen the analysis

Next, deepen your analysis by conducting more detailed gender analysis to assess the proposal’s implications for gender equality. Consider whether any groups may experience different gendered impacts. This is called intersectional analysis. For more on intersectional gendered analysis, you can refer to the second video in this series.

Summarise your findings in the Gender Impact Assessment template and be sure to reference to the data and evidence that informed your analysis. This helps strengthen the rigour of your analysis and gives decision makers confidence in your assessment.

If no gendered impacts are identified, you can complete an abbreviated Gender Impact Assessment, following the directions provided in the template.

And remember - always challenge assumptions of gender neutrality

Step 3 - Design gender equality actions

[Screenshare Gender Impact Assessment Template]

Step 3 - Design gender equality actions 

Use the findings from your gender analysis to design actions that progress gender equality and mitigate any negative gendered impacts. These actions must be within the scope of the proposal and should be considered across the full policy lifecycle: Development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Actions could include: targets, program or legislative changes, targeted funding, improved access, diverse leadership, consultation, monitoring, and improving gender disaggregated data.

If your analysis finds the proposal progresses equality, consider how to build on this – such as by targeting support to people with diverse and intersecting experiences. 

If you identify unintended impacts that reinforce inequality, consider actions to mitigate these impacts. If mitigation is not possible or will be addressed separately, explain this in the Gender Impact Assessment. 

Ensure actions reflect intersectional needs and incorporate Safety by Design to prevent misuse of government systems. You can refer to the Including Gender Guide for more information. 

Finally, summarise all identified actions in the template, including how and when they will be implemented and evaluated. 

Step 4 - Assess overall impact

[Screenshare Gender Impact Assessment Template]

Step 4 Assess overall impact 

To assess the overall impact of the proposal, review your analysis and the gender equality actions you’ve applied. Consider whether the proposal does or doesn’t progress gender equality and why.  

Weigh the benefits and risks together to understand the gendered impact as a whole, while also taking into account your intersectional gender analysis findings as well as any mitigating actions.

In some cases, the assessment will be straightforward. 

In other cases, the impacts may be less clear. For example. a proposal might expand flexible work options, which supports equality, but also rely on unpaid care work, which disproportionately affects women. An on-balance assessment weighs these elements to determine the overall impact. 

If you identify unintended gendered impacts and no mitigation is included, the proposal is likely to be assessed as not progressing gender equality. If mitigation sits outside the scope of the proposal or will be addressed separately, explain this clearly in the assessment.

Importantly, a finding that a proposal does not progress gender equality does not mean it won’t be supported. The purpose of the assessment is is transparency - to mitigate risks and support informed, accountable decision making. 

Finally summarise your assessment in the Gender Equality Summary. It’s important to show how you’ve assessed the overall impact of a proposal, to give decision makers a clear sense of how it will affect gender equality.

Step 5 Lodge the assessment 

When you’re ready to lodge your submission, include the Gender Impact Assessment as an attachment to the Cabinet Submission at the Exposure Draft stage. Make sure the gender analysis and outcomes are reflected in the relevant sections of the Cabinet Submission or New Policy Proposal and include the Gender Equality Summary in the Impacts Table. 

If your submission contains multiple New Policy Proposals, remember that each proposal which meets the criteria requires its own Gender Impact Assessment template to be completed.

And importantly, the earlier you bring the Gender Impact Assessment into the process, the stronger your proposal will be. Including it from the Pre-Exposure Draft stage allows gender analysis to shape the proposal from the outset, when it can have the greatest impact. 

Gender analysis should be targeted and proportional.

Effort should match:

• potential impact
• value
• policy scope.

How to complete a Gender Equality Summary 

[Screenshare Gender Impact Equality Summary]

[Screenshot of page 26 of the Including Gender Guide]

How to complete a Gender Equality Summary in the Impacts table

The Gender Equality Summary highlights the key findings from your gender analysis or Gender Impact Assessment. It informs decisionmakers about the gendered impacts of the proposal and whether it progresses, or doesn’t progress gender equality.  

All Cabinet Submissions and New Policy Proposals must include the summary in the Impacts Table. 

If a Gender Impact Assessment is required, the summary should : 

• identify which GIA criteria were met and reference the attachment number of the GIA. 
• outline whether the proposal progresses gender equality 
• describe how different people may be affected, supported by data and evidence.
• note any gender equality actions and targeted support measures
• And make references to relevant Working for Women priority areas and outcomes.

If a Gender Impact Assessment isn’t required, confirm the proposal did not meet the GIA criteria. Summarise the findings of the initial gender analysis - including any gendered impacts or implications for people with diverse and intersecting experiences.

Avoid using terms like “nil impacts” without explanation and make sure to provide context to support your assessment. 

You can find examples of completed summaries in the Including Gender Guide

What’s next? 

You are now equipped with the information you need to meet gender responsive budgeting requirements. 

If you would like more information, you can: 

• Explore Including Gender: An APS Guide to Gender Analysis and Gender Impact Assessment 
• Join the Gender Analysis Community of Practice on GovTeams 

What’s next? 

You’re now equipped with the key information you need to apply gender responsive budgeting. 

If you would like more information you can: 

• Explore Including Gender: An APS Guide to Gender Analysis and Gender Impact Assessment 
• Join the Gender Analysis Community of Practice on GovTeams