Gender Analysis Matrix Handout   Page 4 of 5

Definitions for the Gender Analysis Matrix

The Gender Analysis Matrix is a simple and systematic way to study the different gender effects of projects on

men and women. The Matrix has four levels of analysis and four categories of analysis.

Levels of Analysis

The four levels of analysis are women, men, household (including children and other family members living

together), and the larger unit   the community.

Women   This refers to women of all ages who are in the target group (if the target group includes

women), or to all women in the community.

Men   This refers to men of all ages who are in the target group (if the target group includes men), or to

all men in the community.

Household   This refers to all women, men and children residing together, even if they are not part of

one nuclear family. Although the types of household may vary even within the same community, people

always know what constitutes their  household  or  family.  That is the definition or unit of analysis

that should be used for this level in the GAM.

Community   This refers to everyone within the project area as a whole. The purpose of this level is to

extend the analysis beyond the family to society at large. However, communities are complex and usually

comprise a number of different groups of people with different interests. So, if a clearly defined

 community  is not meaningful in the context of the project, this level of analysis may be eliminated.

Categories of Analysis

The four categories of analysis are the potential changes in labor, time, resources and sociocultural factors

for each level of analysis.

Labor   This refers to changes in tasks (fetching water from the river), level of skill required (skilled

versus unskilled, formal education, training), and labor capacity (how many people and how much

they can do; do people need to be hired or can members of the household do it?).

Time   This refers to changes in the amount of time (3 hours, 4 days, and so on) it takes to carry out the

task associated with the project or activity.

Resources   This refers to the changes in access to capital (income, land, credit) as a consequence of the

project, and the extent of control over changes in resources (more or less) for each level of analysis.

Cultural Factors   This refers to changes in social aspects of the participants' lives (changes in gender

roles or status) as a result of the project.

The Gender Analysis Matrix is from Another Point of View: A Manual On Gender Analysis Training for

Grassroots Workers by A. Rani Parker (UNIFEM) (ICE no. WD108.)

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