Gender Contextualization

IMI-SDG6 is currently developing approaches for the ‘gender contextualization’ of the SDG 6 global indicators to support gender-relevant, evidence-based policymaking in countries. 

UN Photo/Fouad Choufany

The work on gender contextualisation began in June 2021 and will continue to the end of 2023, after which a set of tools and approaches will be included in country-level capacity building activities in 2024 and subsequent years.

To support this important work, a group of gender experts has been convened to provide input and feedback on the work and draft outputs of IMI-SDG6. The group members have significant practical experience on gender issues, either at project, national or global level, as well as additional expertise on the gender-and-water nexus, gender data/monitoring or gender and other SDGs linked to water.

A pilot testing of the methodological approaches is also in progress with pilot countries, selected to represent a range of capacities and contexts. These countries include so far Brazil, Senegal and Philippines. The objective of the pilots is to assess the feasibility of the IMIS-SDG6 suggested approaches to support national and/or sub-national policy needs of the Member States and their efforts to internalise gender aspects in their water and sanitation management. A list of gender-relevant indicators for contextualizing gender aspects within the SDG 6 has been compiled.

An Assessment Framework has been developed and made available to the pilots for evaluating these gender-relevant indicators against specific criteria and reflecting on their relevance and added value.