Risk and assumptions

Assumptions and risks

A number of assumptions must be taken into account when establishing gender inclusion in NIPN projects. Without them, the expected outcomes will not take place.

Assumptions:

• There is political openness to develop national action plans for gender equality: political consensus can be built through data and evidence.
• Data and statistics that respond to gender-based needs and constrains are available in nutrition-related fields.
• There is political will to adopt legislative and/or policy reforms and increase assignments in gender equality and gender-responsive interventions.
• Governments are interested in developing systems to trace the impact of the assignments on gender equality.
• Governments provide the means for national statistical systems to improve data production and analysis, including data on gender-related objectives linked to nutrition.
• Freedom of information is respected, and governments are increasingly open to share data with stakeholders; gender statistics related to nutrition will be used to inform policy making and budgeting.
• Women are willing to participate and play a role in technical support, politics and leadership.
• The media shape public perceptions related to gender and nutrition.

A risk is an assumption with a higher level of failure. The risks detailed below could occur with remarkable probability and affect the result in terms of the influence of nutritional policies with a gender approach.

Risks:

• Budgets and policies that respond to nutrition and gender are not approved or implemented.
• No regular impact assessments are carried out to analyse results.
• Data generated is not used to inform policy decision-makers.
• Women’s political or technical participation is limited due to lack of access to forums at which policies to develop and implement nutritional actions are formulated.
• National statistical offices and partners have a reduced ability to produce and publish timely and periodic data due to lack of funding, lack of technical skills due to high staff turnover, lack of organizational/management support to prioritize gender data or shortage of staff.
• A lack of political will and weakness of institutional and governance structures inhibit efforts to apply a gender approach to nutrition statistics.
• Gender equality is not considered a priority in the country/government/society.
• Partners have limited capacity to establish systems to plan and formulate policies focused on gender in nutrition actions.