Gender Dimension
In carrying out its mandate, the ARC Group upholds gender equality principles in all its activities within the organisation, as well as within the Member States it serves. In this regard, ARC systematically builds a gender perspective into its operations and policies, with the goal to transform DRM approaches to ensure gender equality for vulnerable women, men and children.
In pursuance of this goal, the following three objectives guide ARC’s gender mainstreaming approach:
In carrying out its mandate, the ARC Group upholds gender equality principles in all its activities within the organisation, as well as within the Member States it serves. In this regard, ARC systematically builds a gender perspective into its operations and policies, with the goal to transform DRM approaches to ensure gender equality for vulnerable women, men and children. In pursuance of this goal, the following three objectives guide ARC’s gender mainstreaming approach:
Institutionalise gender and DRM for innovative knowledge development and management: ARC, through its flagship initiative the ‘Gender and DRMF Platform’, mobilises DRM partners and practitioners, including governments, humanitarian actors, CSOs, the private sector and research institutions, to develop continent-wide innovative approaches to fill the knowledge gap on gender and DRM.
Build institutional and individual capacities, as well as tools for mainstreaming gender in DRM: ARC builds the capacity of partners to integrate gender in DRM processes by supporting Member States to conduct DRM targeted gender analysis. Actions undertaken lead to the development of (i) tools and guidelines for gender transformative DRM capacity building, (ii) standards for gender transformative contingency plan and (ii)standards for gender sensitive M&E.
Engage in sustained policy dialogue and advocacy for a gender transformative DRM policy environment: In line with ARC’s risk financing instrument, this objective contributes to a policy environment that enables a gender sensitive culture of insurance as well as other DRM financing mechanisms, including social protection programmes.ARC’s efforts to integrate gender issues in its interventions are channeled through the project life cycle at the following entry points:
- Scoping mission: Gender specific interventions at this point are focused on gender analysis through the use of a participatory self-assessment methodology such as the Gender Audit Tool. The gender analysis recommends how to address all gender-related gaps identified during the gender audit.
- Country Strategy Paper (CSP): ARC ensures that the CSP is gender sensitive at the minimal, and gender transformative at its best.
- Programme set up and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): MoU negotiations and actions identified to be undertaken by a Member State include commitment from the government to ensure gender balance in the selection of a Government Coordinator and Programme Supervisor, as well as in the nomination of relevant experts to be part of the Technical Working Groups. A cross-cutting sub-group of the TWG on Gender, Advocacy and Communication (GAC) is set up to ensure sustained advocacy and communication/information on gender and DRM matters.
- Capacity building trainings and workshops: A gender specific objective and training module is included in ARC’s capacity building process based on the gender audit results and other assessments of needs, and includes gender in training on Africa RiskView (the ARC technical tool) and on insurance.
- Africa RiskView Customisation Review Committee (CRC) and Contingency Planning Technical Review Committee: The CRC’s composition as well as its Terms of Reference is gender sensitive to ensure that crucial steps and checks are in place for gender mainstreaming throughout the customisation process.
- Certificate of Good Standing: Gender responsiveness of the countries Operational Plan will be visibly recognised as one of the requirements to be taken into consideration for the award of a Certificate of Good Standing.
- Final Implementation Plan: Reports from Member States on activity implementation will address gender issues through a dedicated section that describes what gender-sensitive targeting mechanisms and criteria will be used to identify and reach the different categories of beneficiaries.
- Furthermore, the ToR for the evaluation process of the Final Implementation Plan will be gender sensitive to ensure efficient gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation of the process. It includes a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system that has explicit gender-sensitive indicators for processes, outputs and outcomes.
- ARC also seeks to partner with humanitarian actors, CSO partners, the private sector and development partners to engage in gender transformative activities throughout the DRM spectrum through a dedicated Gender Transformative Fund.
ARC, together with the AU, have launched the Gender and DRM Platform (GDRMP) which contributes to the development and management of knowledge on the issues of gender and DRM on the continent. Specifically, the platform will address the research and development gaps in gender and Disaster Risk Management and Financing in Africa by engaging in studies, collection and analyses of gender disaggregated data, impact assessments and publication of best practices among others. This will serve as a medium for stakeholders to increase their know-how with regard to practical steps for gender mainstreaming in DRM; raise awareness of gender perspectives in DRM; be a mechanism for policy dialogue and advocacy on gender transformative DRM approaches geared towards the adoption of a gender transformative ‘culture of insurance’ by Member States.
ARC’s gender mainstreaming efforts also focus on the internal operations of the Group to ensure gender sensitive staff, and gender responsive systems and procedures to accompany Member States in the gender and DRM journey.