Gender Mainstreaming at Compassionate Fund

Gender Mainstreaming at Compassionate Fund 1
POSITION PAPER ON GENDER MAINSTREAMING AT COMPASSIONATE FUND
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1.0 Executive Summary
The aim of the position paper is support the issue of gender mainstreaming at
compassionate fund. It will look at the gender audit carried out and focus group discussions so
that issues can be identified. These documents bring out different issues concerning gender. The
Compassionate Fund is Anon-governmental organization, which helps people globally through
donations. They do long term community projects that help in poverty eradication and lead to
self-sufficiency. The organization implemented a gender policy a while back and has made
significant progress in implementing the same. There are however, a number of issues as shown
through the gender audit and focus group discussion that need to be addressed. The organization
has an aim of ensuring that gender mainstreaming happens at its offices and in the communities
where it works. The position paper therefore looks at the issues form the audit and focus groups
and then gives a recommendation of tools and techniques, which can be used to solve these
issues. The tools and techniques are aimed to help Compassionate Fund sort each of the issues
that have been raised during the gender audit and the focus group discussions. Each of the issues
raised need to be solved if the company is to achieve the gender equity that it is aiming for.
Monitoring and evaluation will also need to be done so that the company ensures it is on the right
path. This will help Compassionate Fund on its path to being fully gender mainstreamed.

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Table of Contents
1.0 Executive Summary..............................................................................................................2
2.0 Situation analysis of the Compassion Fund...............................................................................4
2.2 Issues to be Addressed as per Gender Audit Survey.............................................................4
2.2.1 Program Planning and Design.........................................................................................4
2.2.2 Technical Expertise.........................................................................................................4
2.2.3 Monitoring and Evaluation..............................................................................................4
2.2.4 Partners of Compassion Fund..........................................................................................4
2.2.5 Gender Policy..................................................................................................................5
2.2.6 Staffing............................................................................................................................5
2.2.7 Human Resources............................................................................................................5
2.2.8 Advocacy, Marketing and Communication.....................................................................5
2.2.9 Financial Resources.........................................................................................................6
2.2.10 Organizational Culture...................................................................................................6
2.2.11 Significant Differences for Men and Women...............................................................6
2.2.12 National Office vs. Field Office....................................................................................6
2.3 Issues to be Addressed as per Focus Group Data..................................................................6
2.3.1 Gender Policy and Implementation.................................................................................6
2.3.2 Technical Capacity..........................................................................................................7
2.3.3 Staff and Community Awareness....................................................................................7
2.3.4 Cultural Challenges and Resistance................................................................................8
2.3.5 Financial Budgets for Gender..........................................................................................8
2.3.6 Human Resources............................................................................................................8
2.3.7 Program Needs................................................................................................................9
3.0 Recommended Actions..............................................................................................................9
3.1 Tools for Gender Mainstreaming...........................................................................................9
3.1.1 Analytical Tools..............................................................................................................9
3.1.2 Educational Tools..........................................................................................................10
3.1.3 Consultative and Participatory Tools............................................................................11
3.2 Techniques for Gender Mainstreaming................................................................................12
3.2.1 Gender Equality and HR Policy........................................................................................12

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3.2.2 Partner Involvement..........................................................................................................12
3.2.3 Advocacy and Marketing..................................................................................................13
3.2.4 Funding for Gender Activities..........................................................................................13
3.2.5 National Office vs. Field Mainstreaming..........................................................................13
4.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................14
5.0 References................................................................................................................................15
6.0 Annexure 1-Summary and Fact Sheets on Recommended Tools and Techniques.................18
7.0 Annexure 2 – Key Definitions of Terms Used........................................................................20

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Position Paper on Gender Mainstreaming at Compassionate Fund
2.0 Situation analysis of the Compassion Fund
The Gender Audit Survey and Focus Group Data highlighted various issues that need to be
addressed so that gender mainstreaming can be achieved (Alston 2014).
2.2 Issues to be Addressed as per Gender Audit Survey
2.2.1 Program Planning and Design
According to the research done, there is no proper needs assessment when it comes to
program planning and design at Compassion Fund. Due to this, the gender requirements that may
be needed during planning cannot be determined (Velroo 2016, pp. 34).
2.2.2 Technical Expertise
The staff responsible for gender integration in different departments did not really carry
out sensitization as required. The staff also had minimal expertise for gender awareness.
2.2.3 Monitoring and Evaluation
The study shows that there is no data collection for disaggregated data that can be later
used in monitoring and evaluation of the gender issues (Parpart 2014, pp. 300). Monitoring and
evaluation of gender impact on programs is also not done adequately.
2.2.4 Partners of Compassion Fund
The interviewees felt that they had insufficient information concerning whether gender
equity was used as a criteria in the selection of partners for Compassion Fund. They also did not
know if the gender policy included in its written agreements that outlined Compassion Fund’s
relationships with its partners. The provision of training and tools on gender planning to partners
was also not clarified to those who were interviewed hence they lacked information on the same.

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The major obstacle to incorporating gender analysis with partners was the lack of staff training,
staffing levels, culture and lack of a tool for gender analysis (Kholsa 2015, pp.65).
2.2.5 Gender Policy
Most Interviewees were not aware of any written gender policy, which affirmed
Compassion Find’s commitment to gender equity (Moser 2014, pp.121). The view was that the
gender policy did not have an operational plan that includes a clear responsibility allocation, and
a plan for monitoring and evaluation.
2.2.6 Staffing
Interviewees feel that the increase of representation of women in Compassion Fund’s
national office for the past five years has been moderate. There are really no major proactive
strategies that the company has put in place to recruit and promote women or men into senior
management positions.
2.2.7 Human Resources
There is lack of awareness on an existing written equal opportunity policy. Many staffs
are not aware about paternity policies or childcare and dependent care leave policy. Gender
awareness is not included in job descriptions or job perfomance criteria. The training of staff in
gender awareness is minimal. Training of senior management and board members on
institutionalizing gender integration is also minimal (Basini 2013, pp.77). There are no rewards
in relation to good perfomance in the field of gender in Compassion Fund’s national office.
2.2.8 Advocacy, Marketing and Communication
Most interviews lacked knowledge on whether advocacy, public relations policies and
campaigns were informed using a gender equity perspective hence showing that this was either