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Apply Gender-based Analysis Plus to your work

We often assume that our work or our policies apply to everyone equally and there are no gender or diversity issues to consider.

GBA Plus helps us recognize and move beyond our assumptions, uncover the realities of people’s lives, and find ways to address their needs. But we can only know if a group is affected differently if we deliberately assess differences using GBA Plus. Incorrect assumptions can lead to unintended and unequal impacts on particular groups of people. You can begin to challenge your assumptions and apply Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) to your work by asking these key questions:

  1. Do I believe that the issues I work on are gender neutral? Or culturally neutral? Ability neutral? Is this based solely on my own experience?
  2. Is it possible that my assumptions prevent me from asking questions and hearing or understanding answers that are outside my own experience?
  3. How might attitudes and norms, my own, those of my organization, and those of the institutions and society that surround me, limit the range of policy options I consider and propose?

Using GBA Plus is simply a different approach, focused on diversity and inclusion. Many people and organizations routinely consider gender and diversity intuitively; in other cases it may require a more concerted effort. By routinely using GBA Plus checklists and tools, asking GBA Plus questions will become integrated into your thought process.

Below you will find three examples of how GBA Plus can be applied to a wide range of issues, using the examples of mining, cyberbullying and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Some examples

Mining

Issue:

The mining and exploration sector will face a hiring requirement of up to 60,000 workers in the next decade.

GBA Plus questions:

  • What are the current socio-demographic characteristics of the mining and exploration sector workforce? Are there any segments of the population that are under-represented (for example women, Indigenous people, youth)?
  • What are the barriers to participation for under-represented groups (for example shift-work, remote location, employer stereotypes)? Can measures be developed to address any perceived or identified barriers?
  • In developing your approach to the issue, have you consulted a wide range of stakeholders, including under-represented groups?

Cyberbullying

Issue:

Cyberbullying and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images is a growing concern in Canada, particularly among youth.

GBA Plus questions:

  • Are there gender differences in cyberbullying behaviour and victimization?
  • Are there other identity factors that affect cyberbullying behaviour and/or victimization (for example geography, socio-economic status)?
  • Are the long-term impacts of cyberbullying the same for boys, girls and gender diverse youth?
  • In consulting with youth, have you considered boys and girls with varied backgrounds?

Traumatic Brain Injury

Issue:

The need to better prevent and respond to Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) has gained increased attention as a result of recent high-profile lawsuits by athletes who have sustained concussions in professional sports.

GBA Plus questions:

  • Are all genders experiencing traumatic brain injuries (TBI) at the same rates as men?
  • Are there groups at higher risk of sustaining a TBI, based on gender expectations (for example risk-taking behaviour), or other identity factors?
  • Are there sex or gender factors that influence TBI symptoms and recovery?
  • Have you ensured that the research you are consulting has included the experiences of all genders?

To learn more about applying GBA Plus to TBI, watch this micro-learning video called Applying GBA Plus to Concussion Prevention and Treatment.

The GBA Plus process will help you to deepen your analysis and systematically incorporate important diversity considerations into your work. It includes a number of important elements:

Fig.2 - GBA Plus Process
[Text version of Fig.2 - GBA Plus Process]

Graphic illustrating the steps of GBA Plus: identify issue, challenge assumptions, gather the facts (research and consult), develop options and make recommendations, monitor and evaluate, communicate, document. GBA Plus for excellent results for diverse Canadians.

For more information on the GBA Plus process, including each element and an illustrative example, see Module 3 of the Introduction to GBA Plus online course.

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