Applying the Women's Empowerment in Agrifood Governance (WEAGov) tool to policy research projects

Slides from a training course on using the Women's Empowerment in Agrifood Governance (WEAGov) tool in policy research projects by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

1. Women’s Empowerment in Agrifood Governance (WEAGov) Training Course – Part 2 AWARD/GRASP August 28, 2024

2. Meet the WEAGov Team - IFPRI Dr. Catherine Ragasa is a Senior Research Fellow at IFPRI. She is an agricultural and applied economist with extensive research on agrifood value chains, innovations, and gender and social inclusion. She has worked in Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Myanmar, and the Philippines, among other countries. https://www.ifpri.org/profile/catherine-ragasa Dr. Jordan Kyle is a Research Fellow at IFPRI and formerly served at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. She is a political scientist with research on governance, gender, democratization, and political economy. She has worked in Indonesia, Nepal, Bolivia, Peru, India, Mali, and Nigeria, among other countries. https://www.ifpri.org/profile/jordan-kyle

3. AGENDA 1 WEAGov Refresher - Conceptual framework - Metrics and application - Tools and resources 2 Ideas and reflections on applying WEAGov to AWARD projects 3 Answering your questions

4. AGENDA 1 WEAGov Refresher - Conceptual framework - Metrics and application - Tools and resources 2 Ideas and reflections on applying WEAGov to AWARD projects 3 Answering your questions

5. What is WEAGov ? WEAGov – the Women’s Empowerment in Agrifood Governance – is an assessment framework and tool to measure women’s voice and empowerment in the agrifood and climate policy process Theory-based, rapid assessment tool Developed by IFPRI researchers, with inputs from > 50 experts and index developers consulted, and piloted in Nigeria by APRNet in 2023 and India by LEAD in 2024 We need triggers… to get policies funded and implemented… Trigger[s]… serve to activate… attention among policymakers. WEAGov is serving as a trigger. Mrs. Ifeoma Anyanwu, Deputy Director, Gender Mainstreaming, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Source: Kyle and Ragasa (2023). https://www.ifpri.org/interactive/weagov

6. How can WEAGov be used? Conceptual framework WEAGov has a useful 3x3 conceptual framework to help identify women’s empowerment within a policy process This framework can be widely applied to different types of research projects or policy evaluations on gender & policy Tools and resources Use WEAGov survey instruments and measurement tools for your own research, e.g., survey questions for key informant interviews or desk review templates Metric and application Implement a full WEAGov pilot with methodological toolkit Identify entry points for increasing women’s empowerment in national and state-level agrifood policy process, track progress over time

7. Policy process Why do certain social and economic problems emerge as topics for policy debate? Who is consulted to design policy solutions? Why are some solutions adopted over others and who decides? What targets are set within policies? Are policy targets funded? How is policy implementation staffed and who is represented among implementers? Who leads policy implementation and decides how targets are translated into actions? How are policies assessed against their targets and objectives? What type of data is collected to assess whether policies are working? What mechanisms exist for ordinary people to provide their feedback on policy implementation? Who leads scientific review of policy effectiveness? Definition of policy : public action that affects incentives and behavior of citizens

8. What stage of the policy process are you primarily focusing on for your policy innovation project? If you think your project looks at multiple stages of the policy process, try to select which you think is MOST IMPORTANT for your project ⓘ Start presenting to display the poll results on this slide. Join at slido.com #3925019

9. At each stage of the policy process, WEAGov focused on 3 key questions How policies take into account different need and priorities of men and women Include things like setting and monitoring gender targets, budgetary support, and collecting gender-disaggregated data Are women considered? Opportunities for women to meaningfully weigh in on how policies affect them Includes things like input on policy design, feedback on policy implementation, and representation among organizations implementing policies Are women included? Ability to act with other women to shape policy choices Includes things like women playing leadership roles in organizations that play a role in the agrifood policy process Are women influencing?

10. At each stage of the policy process, WEAGov focused on 3 key questions How policies take into account different need and priorities of men and women Include things like setting and monitoring gender targets, budgetary support, and collecting gender-disaggregated data Are women considered? Opportunities for women to meaningfully weigh in on how policies affect them Includes things like input on policy design, feedback on policy implementation, and representation among organizations implementing policies Are women included? Ability to act with other women to shape policy choices Includes things like women playing leadership roles in organizations that play a role in the agrifood policy process Are women influencing?

11. At each stage of the policy process, WEAGov focused on 3 key questions How policies take into account different need and priorities of men and women Include things like setting and monitoring gender targets, budgetary support, and collecting gender-disaggregated data Are women considered? Opportunities for women to meaningfully weigh in on how policies affect them Includes things like input on policy design, feedback on policy implementation, and representation among organizations implementing policies Are women included? Ability to act with other women to shape policy choices Includes things like women playing leadership roles in organizations that play a role in the agrifood policy process Are women influencing?

12. Please download and install the Slido app on all computers you use What type of gender analysis are you doing in your policy innovation project? Again, try to select the area that you see as your PRIMARY focus ⓘ Start presenting to display the poll results on this slide.

13. General applicability of framework to the PIPs Choose the most important/relevant policy, program, project, scheme Track 3 policy stages (design, implementation, evaluation) Track 3 dimensions (consideration, inclusion, leadership/influence) You can focus on a specific location/case study: How a policy is being implemented and evaluated in your state/district? More qualitative approach; no scoring Data collection method Policy content analysis Key informants’ interviews (KII) or semi-structured interviews (SSI) Desk review

14. How can WEAGov be used? Conceptual framework WEAGov has a useful 3x3 conceptual framework to help identify women’s empowerment within a policy process This framework can be widely applied to different types of research projects or policy evaluations on gender & policy Tools and resources Use WEAGov survey instruments and measurement tools for your own research, e.g., survey questions for key informant interviews or desk review templates Metric and application Implement a full WEAGov pilot with methodological toolkit Identify entry points for increasing women’s empowerment in national and state-level agrifood policy process, track progress over time

15. Tracking WEAGov indicators along the policy cycle - NIGERIA Indicator National Agriculture Policy National Climate Policy National Nutrition Policy National Gender Policy in Agriculture Scored gender content   Women's inputs*   Women's perceived influence in the design*   Perceived budgetary support and implementation of gender targets* Tracking and monitoring of gender policy goals* Women’s perceived leading role in monitoring and review*   Summary Very weak to weak in all indicators, esp. very weak on budget support and implementation Moderate ratings in gender content and women's inputs into design, but very weak to weak in other indicators, esp. very weak in budget support and implementation Moderate ratings in gender content and women's inputs into design, but very weak to weak in other indicators, esp. very weak in budget support and implementation Exemplary attention to gender policy in agriculture with strong women's inputs and influence, but very weak to weak in budget support and implementation, tracking, and monitoring

16. Scale Definition Implication Nigeria (of 44) 1 Very weak Low 15 2 Weak On the way 18 3 Moderate Advancing 10 4 Strong At goal 1 Scores for Nigeria

17. Full WEAGov may not be possible for PIPs You can focus on a specific location/case study: How the state/district actors were involved in the design of the policy; how the policy is being implemented and evaluated in your state/district? Choose the most important/relevant policy, program, project, scheme Track 3 policy stages (design, implementation, evaluation) Track 3 dimensions (consideration, inclusion, leadership/influence) More qualitative OR scoring-based Data collection method (similar to WEAGov ) Identify the major agrifood policies and actors in the state/district Policy content analysis Desk review KII/SSI – policy/project implementers; statistics/M&E office Organizational survey (most important organizations; try to get diversity: govt, private companies, NGO/CSO, university/research institute; at least 10) Expert survey (heads, officers, gender contacts in the sample organizations; 10-20 experts)

18. How can WEAGov be used? Conceptual framework WEAGov has a useful 3x3 conceptual framework to help identify women’s empowerment within a policy process This framework can be widely applied to different types of research projects or policy evaluations on gender & policy Tools and resources Use WEAGov survey instruments and measurement tools for your own research, e.g., survey questions for key informant interviews or desk review templates Metric and application Implement a full WEAGov pilot with methodological toolkit Identify entry points for increasing women’s empowerment in national and state-level agrifood policy process, track progress over time

19. Three types of tools Desk review tools For policy content analysis and key policy documents Which documents should I analyze? Organizational survey For analyzing organizations, e.g. organizational policies related to gender commitments, gender composition of staff Which organizations should I include in my sample? Expert survey For gathering perceptions and information from experts How many experts do I need to consult to have a valid sample?

20. Three types of tools Desk review tools For policy content analysis and key policy documents Which documents should I analyze? Organizational survey For analyzing organizations, e.g. organizational policies related to gender commitments, gender composition of staff Which organizations should I include in my sample? Expert survey For gathering perceptions and information from experts How many experts do I need to consult to have a valid sample?

21. POLICY DOCUMENT/CONTENT ANALYSIS

22. Checklist used in the policy content analysis Overall policy objectives and goals Key policy objectives and goals identified in the policy, strategy, or development plan Gendered content Mention of gender, women, social inclusion, equity (keywords: gender, women, girls, mothers, social inclusion, inclusive, equity, equality, voice, agency, social justice) Gender analysis or gender study that guided and informed the policy Sex-disaggregated data Specific objectives or targets related gender equality and women’s empowerment (RBET framework) Women trained or reached Women’s a ccess to inputs, resources, and opportunities Women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowermen t Women’s welfare and nutrition Women’s voice and participation in decision-making and institutions , women’s leadership, gender and social norms, and structural gender inequalities I ntersectionality and other social markers using terms such as youth, age group, poor, marginalized, socioeconomic status, smallholder, ethnic, ethnicity, caste, and tribe Gendered participation in the policy formulation process Evidence in the policy document (or drafts, media coverage, others) on the consultative processes undertaken? Included description here (with reference to women, different types of women, marginalized groups, ethnic groups) In the writing/drafting team, what is the proportion of women? In the advisory/supervisory/review team, what is the proportion of women?

23. Scoring on gender consideration in major agrifood policies Score Definition 1 No or little mention of “gender” or “women” in the policy document 2 Limited gender analysis; some discussion of gender but lacks any specific gender-related goals or targets 3 Some gender analysis in the policy document with clear links to agrifood policies has g ender-related goals but lacks specific measurable targets and details of how to track them 4 Strong gender analysis; has gender-specific goals with specific measurable targets in the results framework and implementation plan; exemplary in its focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

24. Other useful tools for policy content analysis from a gender lens : Gender in Agricultural Policy ( GAPo ) tool Drucza , K., Maria del Rodriguez, C., & Bekele Birhanu, B. (2020). The gendering of Ethiopia’s agricultural policies: A critical feminist analysis. Women’s Studies International Forum, 83, 102420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2020.102420 You can use ANY of the tools!

25. PIP Q: If no/limited gender content in the policy That is already one of your findings! Do gender analysis of the sector What are the gender issues? What are the proposed solutions? If you are designing the next policy, what do you recommend as gender content in that policy Instead of the policy, choose a project or program that has some gender targets and track its implementation and evaluation Follow the qualitative approach guided by the WEAGov framework or scoring guided by the full WEAGov tool.

26. PIP Q: No information on women’s participation in the policy design That is already one of your findings! Do gender analysis of the sector What are the gender issues? What are the proposed solutions? If you are designing the next policy, what do you recommend as gender content and gender target (and other social markers) in that policy Instead of the policy, choose a project or program that has some gender targets and track its implementation and evaluation Follow the qualitative approach guided by the WEAGov framework or scoring guided by the full WEAGov tool.

27. ORGANIZATIONAL SURVEY

28. 13 Measurements from Desk Review (5 policy content; 7 on other objective measures) Measure Scoring Formal process for collecting citizens’ input in agrifood policymaking process; Formal mechanism for providing feedback on policy implementation 1 = formal process of collecting citizens’ inputs is not required for policy design and consultations are typically not done 2 = no consultation or formal process is required for policy design but some consultations are done on an ad hoc basis 3 = consultations often occur but there are no formal requirements to consult with the public before policymaking 4 = there are formal requirements to consult with the public before policymaking, and these requirements are followed Share of women in national parliament, share of women on agricultural committee, and share of female ministers 1 = 0-15% parliamentarians / committee members / ministers are women 2 = 16-32% parliamentarians / committee members / ministers are women 3 = 33-49% parliamentarians / committee members / ministers are women 4 = at least 50% of parliamentarians / committee members / ministers are women Scored availability of gender-disaggregated national agrifood statistics  1 = national statistical system collects minimal gender-disaggregated data 2 = national statistical system collects gender-disaggregated data on labor allocation and participation in the agrifood system 3 = national statistical system collects individual-level, gender-disaggregated data on economic outcomes, food security and dietary diversity, but not on agency and empowerment 4 = national statistical system collects individual-level data (women and men) on economic outcomes, dietary diversity, agency and empowerment Scored gender-disaggregated data included in agrifood performance public reporting 1 = no gender analysis in report(s) 2 = limited gender analysis in report(s), without clear links to agrifood policy impacts on women and men 3 = some gender analysis in report(s), with clear links to agrifood policy impacts on women and men, but no data on women’s agency and empowerment 4 = strong gender analysis in the report(s), with clear links to agrifood policy impacts to women and men and data on women’s agency and empowerment Desk review, complemented by key informants’ interviews if needed

29. Organization survey example Understanding the organizational profile of the agencies and organizations implementing the policy can help you gain a systematic view of whether women are involved in policy implementation. Focusing on technical positions vs. administrative positions most critical

30. Geopolitical zone Count % Federal-level 43 30% State-level     Bauchi (North East) 24 17% Delta (South South) 22 16% Enugu (South East) 10 7% Kogi (North Central) 16 11% Ondo (South West) 26 18% Total 141 100% Organization Type Count % Federal ministry 9 6% State ministry 20 14% Federal parastatal 5 4% State parastatal 21 15% Independent governmental agency 2 1% Civil society organization / Non-governmental organization 38 27% Private sector 29 21% Research institution /University 17 12% Total sample 141 100% Goal : To understand national policy formulation, which is at the federal level, and track policy implementation and evaluation, which are at state and local levels. Sampling : diverse organizations involved (actually or potentially) in agrifood policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation at federal- and state-level. Sampling at state-level: 1 state selected per geopolitical zone. These states include Bauchi, Enugu, Delta, Kogi, and Ondo.

31. Organizational survey – more details Think about which organizations are most vital for YOUR policy innovation project – key ministries (state or federal level?); key civil society organizations, key industry associations Learn about how women are integrated into these organizations Learn about the gender commitments and policies of these organizations: Do they conduct gender audits? How do they ensure that gender targets are budgeted for? Are they monitoring and tracking gender targets?

32. EXPERT SURVEY

33. Expert surveys – what are they good for? Views and perspectives from key experts, stakeholders, and informants have particular value in the measurement of governance and policy process. Diverse perspectives, insights, and voices of stakeholders Option for hard-to-measure and complex concepts Triangulation of data and results But, three considerations needed: Individuals have imperfect knowledge  more sample Systematic differences based on context  diverse sample, disaggregate data Experts could be systematically biased in their assessments  diverse sample, disaggregate data When you won’t have a large sample, do your best to get a diverse sample (different organizations, different perspectives) and use interviews as an opportunity to gather perspectives on how things work in practice (beyond what’s formally on the page in policy document)

34. Examples of questions you can ask in expert interviews I n your experience, to what extent are the gender goals in this policy monitored and tracked in reality? Gender targets are not tracked Tracking of gender targets is weak in practice Tracking of gender targets moderate in practice Tracking of gender targets is strong in practice 98 Don’t know If you are interviewing a smaller sample, make these questions open-ended, ask for details and solutions, ask about specific policies and targets!

35. Examples of questions you can ask in expert interviews Is there an agrifood policy area that you think would make the most difference for Indian women but gets insufficient political attention? If so, please describe. What do you see as the main barrier to hiring more women into the civil service in roles that support agrifood policy implementation? Do you have any specific ideas for how women’s voice could have been included more in the development of this policy? Do you have specific ideas on how to accelerate on women’s leadership in all levels of decisionmaking and along the policy stages?

36. 7 perception measurements  23 of 44 measurements 1. Gender attention in prioritized agrifood policy issue 2. Opportunities for women’s input into agrifood policy process 3. Women’s inputs into policy design (agriculture, climate, and nutrition) 4. Women’s perceived influence over policy design (agriculture, climate, and nutrition) 5. Perceived budgetary support and implementation of gender targets in agrifood policies (agriculture, climate, and nutrition) 6. Efforts to hire women in agrifood policy implementing agencies  7. Tracking and monitoring of gender goals in agrifood policies (agriculture, climate, and nutrition) 4-point Likert scale 1 = Most sample experts recalled very few opportunities for women’s inputs into policy design 2 = Most sample experts recalled limited opportunities for women’s inputs into policy design 3 = Most sample experts recalled many opportunities for women’s inputs, but few know how to use them 4 = Most sample experts recalled many opportunities for women’s inputs, and are used

37. AGENDA 1 WEAGov Refresher - Conceptual framework - Metrics and application - Tools and resources 2 Ideas and reflections on applying WEAGov to AWARD projects 3 Answering your questions

38. AGENDA 1 WEAGov Refresher - Conceptual framework - Metrics and application - Tools and resources 2 Ideas and reflections on applying WEAGov to AWARD projects 3 Answering your questions

39. Find out more! Check out our project website: https://www.ifpri.org/project/womens-empowerment-agrifood-governance-weagov/ Here you can find: A clickable infographic with information on measurement and scoring A background paper on the WEAGov conceptual framework Results from the Nigeria pilot study Planning to use WEAGov (fully or parts): Reach out to us Toolkit or guidance note (coming out soon!)