GUIDANCE NOTE
Gender Equality Marker
Tracking of Resource Allocations and Expenditure for Gender Equality Results
16 September 2010
Policy and Practice, New York
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
Background
3
II.
Purpose of the Guidance Note
3
III. The Methodology
4
IV. Instructions for Rating
4
V.
7
Important Issues to Consider when Rating Intermediate Results
VI. The Rating Process
8
VII. Monitoring and Reporting
9
Annex 1. Examples of Gender Equality Marker in Practice
2
10
I.
Background
UNICEF is fully committed to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of girls and women.
Based on the recommendations of the Evaluation of Gender Policy Implementation in UNICEF (2008),
and the Executive Board decision 2008/10 to receive a management response, UNICEF developed a oneyear plan contained in the Follow-up to Evaluation of Gender Policy Implementation in 2009. As part of
the plan, UNICEF committed to identifying best practices and develop an improved system and tools to
track its resource allocations and expenditure for gender equality results. It also committed to exploring
ways of doing so in VISION, one of the on-going key improvement initiatives aimed at consolidating the
organizational information system into a One ERP Application System. A 2009 review of partner
practices showed that the Gender Equality Marker (GEM), as developed by OECD/DAC, refined
by UNDP, CIDA and piloted by the IASC in emergency contexts offers a sound financial
tracking system for resource allocation and expenditures for gender equality results. The GEM
will measure the extent to which these results contribute to the promotion of gender equality
and/or the empowerment of girls and women.
The UNICEF GEM:

Provides UNICEF with an improved system of tracking resource allocations and
expenditures that are made to advance gender equality and/ or the empowerment of girls
and women.

Is expected to sensitize planning teams to develop results that, to the greatest extent
possible, advance gender equality and empower girls and women.

Will be applied at all levels of the organization, i.e., country, regional and HQ locations.

Is expected to have an attribute in ProMS 9.1 and subsequently in VISION. The attribute
will be placed at the level of intermediate results where the GEM will be scored.

Will be applied to programme results that receive an allocation of programme funds.
It is expected that offices, as part of normal practice, would have supported the strengthening
of gender analysis within situation analyses and other assessments that form the basis of the
formulation of intermediate results. Programme support intermediate results (formerly
referred to as programme management results), should not be rated in ProMS 9.1.
II.
Purpose of the Guidance Note
This note is intended to guide UNICEF staff on how to assess result statements on their expected
contribution to gender equality and/ or the empowerment of girls and women. All offices will
apply the GEM as they adopt the revised results structure and develop their intermediate results.
The note has been developed collaboratively by Samuel Momanyi; Rekiya Adamu-Atta,
Programme Officer; Noreen Khan, Gender Specialist; and Mita Gupta, Gender Specialist.
3
III.
The Methodology
The Gender Equality Marker rates the expected contribution of a result to advancing gender
equality and/ or the empowerment of girls and women. This involves rating every intermediate
result against a four-category scale that ranges from 0 (not expected to contribute to gender
equality in any noticeable way) to 3 (advancing gender equality as a principal objective of the
result).
The rating is mandatory for all intermediate results and will be available in the Operating
Systems starting with ProMS 9.
IV.
Instructions for Rating
Each intermediate result must be rated with 3, 2, 1 or 0. Intermediate results:

Whose principal objectives are to advance gender equality and/ or empower girls and
women should be rated “3”

That are expected to make a significant contribution to advancing gender equality and/ or
the empowerment of girls and women should be rated “2”

That are expected to make a marginal contribution to advancing gender equality and/ or
the empowerment of girls and women should be rated “1”

That are not expected to make a noticeable contribution to advancing gender equality
and/ or the empowerment of girls and women should be rated “0”
Note: Interventions for boys [where they are disadvantaged] may contribute to gender equality
but not necessarily to the empowerment of girls and women. In such situations, specific
interventions for boys (or even men) may be considered to contribute to gender equality, and
thus could receive a “principal” or “significant” rating.
Table 1 below provides examples of intermediate results and indicates how they could be rated.
Additional examples are provided in Annex I.
Table 1: Examples of intermediate results and ratings
4
Rating
Description
Gender equality and/ or the empowerment of girls and women is a
Category 3:
principal objective of the intermediate result and one of the main reasons
Intermediate
the result was formulated. The result has corresponding indicators to
results that have
measure how gender equality will be advanced.
advancing gender
equality and/ or the
empowerment of
girls and women as
a principal
objective
Example of an
intermediate result
that is rated 3
Intermediate Result: Legal and policy frameworks protect girls from
FGM/C
Indicators:
 Prevalence (percent) of FGM/C among adolescent girls
 Number of survivors of FGM/C receiving services
 Number of cases of FGM/C prosecuted
 Per cent of reported cases of FGM/C prosecuted
 Number of court decisions on FGM/C implemented
Rationale for rating: The main objective of the intermediate result is to
address a harmful traditional practice targeted at girls and women. The
indicators measure the extent to which the issue of FGM/C is being
addressed through legal and policy frameworks.
Category 2:
Intermediate
results that make a
significant
contribution to
advancing gender
equality and/ or the
empowerment of
girls and women
Gender equality and/ or the empowerment of girls and women is not the
main objective of the intermediate result. However, it is a secondary
objective expected to make a significant contribution to advancing gender
equality, with corresponding indicators to measure how gender equality
will be advanced.
Example of
intermediate result
that is rated 2
Intermediate Result: Increased access to safe water supply, adequate
sanitation and hygiene facilities for children in 500 primary schools
Indicator:
 Percent of schools with separate, lockable, safe water supply,
adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities for girls
Rationale for rating:
The main objective of this intermediate result is to increase access to water
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Rating
Description
supply, sanitation and hygiene facilities for children in general in the 500
schools – there is no mention of addressing any gender gaps. However, the
indicator measures the extent to which girls have access to these facilities –
especially to separate, lockable facilities, which can be an important factor
in girls’ attendance in school, particularly in the case of adolescent girls.
While promoting gender equality is not the main objective of this result, it
is a secondary objective in that it addresses what is often a barrier to girls’
education.
Category 1:
Intermediate
results that make a
marginal
contribution to
advancing gender
equality and/ or the
empowerment of
girls and women
Gender equality and/ or the empowerment of girls and women is not an
objective of this intermediate result. At least one indicator refers to gender
in some way (e.g., the indicator is disaggregated by sex, measures the
engagement of women, girls, boys, men, etc.), but none of the indicators
show how gender equality will be advanced.
Example of an
intermediate result
that is rated 1
Intermediate Result: By the end of 2014, ministries, institutions and civil
society organizations systematically monitor child rights to influence the
implementation of national strategies, plans and programmes addressing
poverty and exclusion of children and families
Indicator:
 Statistical agencies at all levels and Ministries provide data,
updated and disaggregated by sex, on the situation of children and
young people, in line with the EU statistical framework and
national strategies
Rationale for rating:
The intermediate result aims to monitor child rights overall, and to address
poverty and exclusion of children and families – children are mentioned as
a group and without reference to girls and boys and any gender disparities
to be addressed. The indicator calls for statistical agencies to provide data
disaggregated by sex on the situation of children and young people.
However, it is neither clear what gender disparities will be analyzed or
monitored with this disaggregated data in relation to the result, nor how the
data will be used to promote gender equality.
Category 0:
Intermediate
results that are not
expected to make
a noticeable
contribution to
The intermediate result is not expected to contribute to gender equality in
any noticeable way. There are no indicators that are disaggregated by sex,
measure the engagement of women, girls, boys, men, etc., nor do any of
the indicators show how gender equality will be advanced.
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Rating
Description
advancing gender
equality and/ or the
empowerment of
girls and women
Example of an
intermediate result
that is rated 0
V.
Intermediate Result: By the end of 2013, the percentage of children from
60 prioritized municipalities who have not completed their primary
education has been reduced by 6 percentage points
Indicators:
 Per cent of children who complete their primary education in
prioritized municipalities
 Per cent of children passing their primary grades
Rationale for rating:
The intermediate result relates to the reduction of the percentage of
children who have not completed their primary education – children are
referred to as a group, and there is no mention of any targeted action for
girls or boys who might be at a greater disadvantage. The indicators also
monitor children as a group, not calling for disaggregated data to look at
any differences in school completion or achievement between girls and
boys.
Important Issues to Consider When Rating Intermediate Results
Intermediate results that target women and/or girls may not necessarily contribute to promoting
gender equality. For example, an intermediate result that focuses on ensuring that only women
have increased knowledge of child care practices, not recognizing men’s shared responsibilities
in this area, reinforces the perception that only women are responsible for caring for children.
However, intermediate results addressing maternal health, which also target only women, do
address gender inequality. Some communities maintain patriarchal cultural norms and values
which place lower value and status on women and girls. In these communities, lack of
prioritization of maternal health contributes to maternal mortality, a global concern which gender
inequality underlies.
Ratings 3 and 2 require a focus on gender equality and/ or the empowerment of girls and women
as an objective of the intermediate result. The related indicators should not just make a token
reference to gender (such as the collection of sex-disaggregated data without making clear how
this will be analyzed and used; involving women’s groups/promoting women’s participation
without indicating how their inputs will be utilized in the context of the result, etc.) but should
measure how gender equality will be advanced.
If an intermediate result mentions gender equality, but there are no corresponding indicators
measuring progress in addressing gender inequality/disparities related to the result, it would need
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to be rated 0. Gender equality merely being among the objectives of a result is not sufficient –
indicators must be formulated to monitor progress against this objective of the result.
The financial amount allocated to an intermediate result should not influence the rating. The
rating is based on the nature of the intermediate result, not on the amount of financial resources
allocated to it.
The aim of the exercise is to give an honest and accurate reflection of the likely contribution of
an intermediate result to promoting gender equality. A secondary aim of the exercise is to build
awareness among UNICEF staff on gender equality and the need to mainstream gender equality
in all programme areas.
VI.
The Rating Process
The programme specialist or manager responsible for supporting implementation of a given
intermediate result will be responsible for its rating. The rating process suggested is intended to
facilitate the easy application of the marker. However, in those cases where it is felt that
additional assistance is required, it is recommended that the gender focal point/gender
coordination team is consulted in the rating process. Where offices do not have the necessary
expertise, an external gender specialist (e.g. UN Women, RO/HQ, gender consultant, etc.) can
be consulted.
The rating will be done when the intermediate result is being developed. It is expected that the
rating process will sensitize the planning team to take into account gender equality
considerations.
Quality assurance: The Deputy Representative or her/his designate will be responsible for quality
assurance. The Regional Office and Gender and Rights Unit in Policy and Practice in New York
will monitor and provide second-line support and quality assurance. The Office of Internal Audit
is expected to conduct spot checks and include the application of the GEM in programme
performance assessments. The Evaluation Office is also expected to incorporate the use of the
GEM in evaluations conducted.
VII.
Monitoring and Reporting
There are benchmarks in relation to the GEM in the Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender
Equality (2010-2012):
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

Percentage of UNICEF expenditure that contributes to gender equality results (those
results rated 3 and 2). Target: 75% by 2012.
Percentage of UNICEF Intermediate Results with at least a significant gender equality
focus (those results rated 3 and 2). Target: 50% by 2012,
Information from ProMS will be captured in the Business Intelligence Reports (BIR) and
displayed as part of the Office Management Reports. These benchmarks will be monitored
through the BIR.
In reporting, results that are funded exclusively by support budget and private fundraising and
partnerships budget (zero programme budget allocation) are not required to be rated and will be
excluded from the GEM-related reports. GEM-related reports by MTSP Focus Area will be
generated using the Organizational Target code at the intermediate result level.
The following Country Office standard reports will be available through the Office Management
Reports:
1. Number and per cent of intermediate results providing principal, significant, marginal or
no contribution to gender equality
2. Number and per cent of results in each of the four categories, by MTSP Focus Area and
by Programme Component
3. Percent of total programme resources allocated and spent in relation to each of the four
categories of results
4. Percent of total programme resources allocated and spent in relation to each of the four
categories of results, by MTSP Focus Area, and by Programme Component.
Performance of offices will be measured against the benchmarks in the Strategic Priority Action
Plan for Gender Equality (2010-2012).
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Annex 1: Examples of Using the Gender Equality Marker in Practice
Category 3: Gender equality and/ or empowerment of girls and women is a principal objective of
the intermediate result and one of the main reasons the result was formulated, with corresponding
indicators to measure how gender equality will be advanced.
Intermediate Results and the Rationale for their Indicators
Rating
Programme Results
IR: X frontline health workers (FHWs) in y districts
have the awareness and skills to provide health and
counselling services, and report gender-based
violence (GBV) cases to law enforcers by December
2012
Rationale: The main aim of this result is to increase
awareness and skills to provide services and report
GBV cases, and thus the principal objective is to
address a gender issue. The indicators also show
how gender equality will be advanced, by not only
monitoring the number of health workers trained,
but by also ensuring that this training strategy is
institutionalised and endorsed by the Ministry, so
that it is systematically conducted, community
awareness is raised, etc.
IR: By end of 2015, national and sub-national
authorities use a reliable sex-disaggregated data
system for planning, budgeting, and monitoring to
address child poverty and social exclusion
Rationale: The objective of this result is to ensure
that sex-disaggregated data are used, so that
differences in how girls and boys may be impacted
by poverty and social exclusion can be taken into
account in planning, budgeting and monitoring. The
associated indicator monitors the extent to which
state institutions actually use this disaggregated data.

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Maximum of 4 districts and maximum of
4,000 FHWs and others identified
Capacity assessment and baseline survey
conducted
Capacity development strategy endorsed by
Ministry
Training materials developed and courses
held
Training strategy institutionalized
Community awareness strategy developed
and rolled out
End line survey completed
Evidence of social inclusion and childfocused data, disaggregated by sex by state
institutions in their plans and budgets
Per cent of municipalities where local Child
Rights Commissions monitor children’s
situation and update local action plans
Category 2: Gender equality and/ or girls’ and women’s empowerment is not the principal objective
of the intermediate result. However, it is a secondary objective expected to make a significant
contribution to advancing gender equality, with corresponding indicators to measure how gender
equality will be advanced.
Intermediate Results and the Rationale for their
Rating
Indicators
Programme Results
IR: Strengthen acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) case
detection, routine expanded programme on
immunization (EPI) delivery services and National
Immunization Days (NIDs) for polio
Rationale: The intermediate result relates to AFP
case detection, EPI delivery services and NIDs for
polio, without mention of any analysis of differences
between girls and boys or any action to address
gender disparities or inequalities. Thus, it is apparent
that advancing gender equality is not the principal
objective of this result. However, one of the
indicators calls for disaggregated data on girls and
boys to monitor the extent to which both girls and
boys are being reached through the NIDs and
services provided. Furthermore, another indicator is
the development and implementation of a gender
responsive communication strategy, also implying
that efforts will be made to ensure that both girls and
boys are being reached and there is awareness on the
need for both girls and boys to receive the polio
vaccine. Therefore, it can be seen that addressing a
gender inequality is a secondary objective of this
result.
IR: Support the creation and implementation of
child-friendly learning environments
Rationale: The main objective of this result is to
support the creation of child friendly learning
environments. An element of child friendly learning
environments is that they promote gender equality
and that the teaching and learning processes and
curricula are gender sensitive, and therefore a
secondary objective of this result can be said to be
promoting gender equality.
In addition, the
indicators include one on ensuring that a primary

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

11
National coordination committee on polio
eradication
Surveillance system established and monthly
report generated
2 rounds of polio campaign (NIDs) conducted
each year
Disaggregated data on boys/girls from
surveillance and NID coverage surveys
Gender responsive communication strategy
developed and implemented before each
round
Primary education CFS curriculum in place
Number of schools with adequate
infrastructure Number of school development
plans (SDPs) developed
Per cent of students (male/female) at end of
primary who achieve Essential Learning
Competencies (ELCs)
Monitoring framework developed and
approved by teachers
Category 2: Gender equality and/ or girls’ and women’s empowerment is not the principal objective
of the intermediate result. However, it is a secondary objective expected to make a significant
contribution to advancing gender equality, with corresponding indicators to measure how gender
equality will be advanced.
Intermediate Results and the Rationale for their
Rating
Indicators
Child-Friendly School (CFS) curriculum is in place,
which would be a curriculum that is gender
sensitive; and another looking at the percentage of
students, comparing male and female students, who
achieve the essential learning competencies.
IR: By end 2015, the health system addresses 
disparities and gaps in access to quality maternal,
child and adolescent health and nutrition services.
Rationale: This IR addresses disparities and gaps in
access to health and nutrition services of mothers,
children and adolescents. Children and adolescents 
are referred to as a group, without mention of any
gender disparities or inequalities that will be
addressed. However, there is reference to maternal
health services, with a corresponding indicator
tracking the percentage of health facilities that apply
approved standards in maternal and child health
services. This addresses an area of health services
that is often neglected, given that women’s health
needs, particularly maternal health care, is afforded
lower status in many cases due to patriarchal norms
and values.
Therefore, given that promoting
maternal health care is part of the objective of this
result (though not a principal result, as monitoring or
addressing any gender gaps with regard to children
and adolescents is not reflected in the result or
indicators), this is rated 2.
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Per cent of health facilities applying approved
standards in maternal and child health and
nutrition services and using quality assurance
mechanisms, including referrals to other
social services
Change in selected regional disparity indices
in health and nutrition
Category 1: Gender equality and/ or girls’ and women’s empowerment is not an objective of this
intermediate result. At least one indicator refers to gender in some way (e.g., the indicator is
disaggregated by sex, measures the engagement of women, girls, boys, men, etc.), but the
indicator(s) does not show how gender equality will be advanced.
Intermediate Results and the Rationale for their
Rating
Programme Results
Indicators
IR: An integrated nutrition package targeting 
under-five children is designed and implemented in
at least 5 districts by 2011
Rationale: The main objective of this IR is to
address nutrition of under-five children – there is
no mention made of analyzing gender gaps in
nutrition and taking any targeted action to address
these gaps. The indicator monitors the increase in
the number of women’s groups consulted, but there
is no clear indication of how their inputs will be
used and how the involvement of greater numbers
of women’s groups will necessarily strengthen a
gender perspective in the context of the result.
While involving women’s groups is a good
practice, efforts should be made to ensure their
inputs and views are taken into account.
IR: 1,600 wells cleaned, disinfected and renovated
and used by April 2010
Rationale: The main objective of this intermediate
result is to ensure 1,600 wells are cleaned,
disinfected, renovated and used – there is no
apparent objective in terms of promoting gender
equality. However, the indicators measure the
extent to which females have access to the cleaned
wells compared with males, indicating that
ensuring men and women have equal access to the
wells is one of the aims of the result. From this it
would seem that promoting gender equality is a
secondary objective of the result. But this does not
take into account the fact that women and girls are
often the ones tasked with fetching water. Given
that the indicator is disaggregated by sex, though
not focusing on women’s and girls’ increased
access to the wells, this result is rated 1.
13
Number of women’s groups in targeted
districts that were consulted/surveyed
increases from X to Y by 2011


Per cent of females with access to
cleaned wells
Per cent of males with access to
cleaned wells
Category 1: Gender equality and/ or girls’ and women’s empowerment is not an objective of this
intermediate result. At least one indicator refers to gender in some way (e.g., the indicator is
disaggregated by sex, measures the engagement of women, girls, boys, men, etc.), but the
indicator(s) does not show how gender equality will be advanced.
Intermediate Results and the Rationale for their
Rating
It must be noted that this explanation is contextual,
looking at this in terms of fetching water. Other
contexts in which women and men access and
utilize wells or in which women’s and men’s roles
are different than in the example may be analyzed
differently. Furthermore, this example does not
address the issue of transforming gender roles –
i.e., working on social change to lead to women and
men sharing this role.
It considers only
women’s/girls’ practical needs in terms of ensuring
access to the wells, given fetching water is a task
they tend to carry out.
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Indicators
Category 0: The intermediate result is not expected to contribute to gender equality in any
noticeable way. There are no indicators that are disaggregated by sex, measure the engagement
of women, girls, boys, men, etc., nor do they show how gender equality will be advanced.
Intermediate Results and the Rationale for their Indicators
Rating
Programme Results
IR: By end of 2011, disparities and gaps in access
to quality social services for excluded and
vulnerable children and families addressed.
Rationale: While addressing disparities and gaps is
mentioned in this IR, it does not specify if this
includes gender disparities or gaps. Furthermore,
vulnerable children and families are mentioned as
groups, with no mention of addressing specific
issues faced by girls and boys, women and men.
The indicators also measure the per cent of socially
excluded children and families with access to
education and services, without disaggregating
these figures and taking into account different
barriers to access girls and boys or women and men
may face.
IR: By the end of 2011, adolescents from 20
municipalities have access to information and
quality basic services, focusing on risk prevention.
Rationale: The result and indicators relate to
ensuring access of adolescents to information and
basic services towards risk prevention, without
consideration of addressing different barriers to
access girls and boys may face in this respect.
Furthermore, the indicator on social expenditure
does not call for a comparison of national
expenditure on issues and services related to girls’
particular needs and those related to boys’ needs to
analyze if these are receiving equal attention in the
national budget.
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
Per cent of socially excluded children
accessing quality ECD and formal
education

Per cent of socially excluded children and
families with access to health and social
welfare services

Number of adolescent-friendly services
running in 20 municipalities
Number of adolescents who have access to
information and tools on risk prevention
Per cent of the national social expenditure
on issues and services related to
adolescents
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