Integrate Gender Perspectives by… Using Gender-based Analysis Plus

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) is the analytical tool used in the Government of Canada to assess the potential impacts of policies, programs or initiatives on diverse groups of women and men, girls and boys by taking into account gender and other identity factors. The “plus” highlights that the analysis goes beyond gender to include the examination of other intersecting identify factors such as age, education, language, geography, culture and income.

As shown in the diagram below, the intersectional nature of these identities demonstrates that gender is only one factor that can affect an individual’s role and identity within society. We refer to the collective of these identity factors as “gender+.”

To understand the impact of these roles and identities within the geographic area of interest (the area of operation), a GBA+ relies on the identification and collection of sex-disaggregated data describing the local population. This information is presented based on distinct groupings of women, men, boys and girls and, to the extent possible, alongside any relevant intersectional identity factors. The synergy of this information is important to the quality of the GBA+ process, and foundational to its early stages. The following figure illustrates the basic steps of the GBA+ process.