Section 1: National Gender Equality Policy 3

1 Gender and Social Inclusion

The overall goal of Nigeria’s Gender Equality Policy is to build a just society devoid of discrimination, harness the full potential of all social groups regardless of sex or circumstance, promote the enjoyment of fundamental human rights and protect the health, social, economic and political well-being of all citizens, in order to achieve equitable rapid economic growth. It also aims to evolve an evidence-based planning and governance system where human, social, financial and technological resources are efficiently and effectively deployed for sustainable development.

This tool aims to support state government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in ensuring that their strategies, services and operations are in line with Nigerian National Constitution and policy on gender equality.

Although not specifically included in the National Gender Equality Policy, international best practice also calls for consideration of social inclusion and exclusion (ensuring equitable treatment for, for example, people of different physical or mental abilities, age, or health status, and ethnic or religious minorities). International best practice also works on the principle that the overall profile and make-up of the civil and public services should be representative of the public that they serve.

The civil service human resources management (HRM) function should play an important role in fostering good practice with respect to gender and social inclusion in the civil service, across the whole range of HRM responsibilities from recruitment, promotion, training and development, and employee relations and welfare measures.

This tool therefore also sets out some specific areas of focus to help human resources (HR) officers to ensure the basics are in place to plan, deliver and assess achievement in relation to gender equality and social inclusion.

2 3T Gender and Social Inclusion Contents

3 3T Gender and Social Inclusion Section 1: National Gender Equality Policy

National Priorities and Targets for Gender Equality The National Gender Equality Policy includes priorities and targets. Some of the most relevant to civil service HRM are briefly summarised below.

 Framework: Establish frameworks to ensure public and private spheres address gender  Approaches and tools: Develop and apply gender mainstreaming approaches, tools and instruments compatible with Nigeria’s macro-policy framework  Gender mainstreaming: Gender equality as a core value and practice in society and governmental institutions  Global frameworks: Global and regional gender equality frameworks incorporated in Nigeria’s laws, legislative processes, judicial and administrative systems. Examples: o Equity/equality in employment opportunities o Elimination of discriminatory practices against the employment of women on grounds of sex, ethnicity, class, religion, age, disability or marital status  Representation: Minimum threshold of representation for women to promote equal opportunity in all areas of political, social and economic life. For example: o 35% affirmative action in favour of women in political representation in elective/appointive posts  Specific projects: Undertake capability building projects to enable women and men to take advantage of economic and political opportunities towards the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Examples: o Equal access to critical resources o Reduce numbers in core poverty groups, particularly women  Education and sensitisation: Sensitise all stakeholders on gender equality and women’s empowerment as central to the attainment of overall national development. For example: o Equal access to formal/informal education and skills development opportunities.

4 3T Gender and Social Inclusion Section 2: HRM Checklists for Gender and Social Inclusion

The documents below cover three aspects which are of concern to the HRM function in state governments:

 Checklist for gender and social inclusion policies, decision making and commitment  Checklist for disaggregated gender and social inclusion data collection  A ‘road map’ to inclusion Policies, Decision making and Commitment Checklist The first checklist can be used to test whether HRM policies, rules, procedures and decision making are appropriate to address issues of gender and social inclusion. The checklist also provides some measures of the wider organisational context, including the extent to which the organisation's leadership is committed to equality of treatment regardless of gender or other characteristic which may lead to social exclusion.

The checklist should be used regularly to assess the organisation's gender equality and social inclusion performance, and in particular to assess whether progress is being made in improving inclusiveness and equality. The process should be sufficiently formalised to produce regular (possibly annual) reports for senior managers. The causes of progress, or lack of progress should be analysed, and recommendations for improvements should be made. The intention is that by regularly drawing the issues to the attention of the organisation, gender and social equality will become an active reality. Disaggregated Gender and Social Inclusion Data Collection The second checklist sets out the kinds of disaggregated data which should be collected by the HRM function to support HR planning, management and development. Further analysis will be possible once collection of gender and social disaggregated data is standard practice.

Once it is available, disaggregated data can be used for:

 Staff training in gender and socially disaggregated data collection/analysis  Regular analysis of disaggregated data to ensure key information is drawn out to inform policy and practice  Effective dissemination of findings/information to key directorates or other appropriate individuals/sections  Action planning.

This checklist can be used to review the contents of existing personnel records and HRM Information Systems (HRMIS), and to identify where gaps exist. Not all of the disaggregated data suggested here may be readily available, or it may not be cost

5 3T Gender and Social Inclusion effective to collect it. However, HR officers should consider which gender and social inclusion data can be obtained, and how it can be used to improve gender equality and social inclusion at the service-wide or specific MDA levels. A Road Map to Inclusion The ‘road map’ provides a means for HR professionals and others to check the status of gender and social inclusion in the organisation by describing the characteristic attitudes and impact that are seen at each stage as people move from not accepting that there is a need to tackle issues of gender and social inclusion, through recognising the problem, to committing to resolve the problem, and finally to sharing responsibility as an integral part of everyone’s work.

6 3T Gender and Social Inclusion Checklist 1: Policies, Decision Making and Commitment

Yes No Comment 1. Does the organisation have a gender and social inclusion policy, action plan and budget?

2. Do rules and regulations, recruitment and promotion, terms and conditions of employment, and grievance and disciplinary mechanisms take account of gender and social inclusion concerns?

3. Does the leadership show commitment to gender equality and social inclusion?

4. Do operational staff show commitment to gender equality and social inclusion?

5. Does the organisation have specific programmes to promote gender equality and social inclusion? 6. Does the organisation have a gender and social inclusion unit, or focal point system? Are there specific gender and social inclusion advocates within the organisation? 7. Do job descriptions include a focus on non-discrimination and gender equality?

8. Are plans in place to achieve government targets for representation of women in the workforce at state and/or local levels?

9. Is there a balanced representation of women and men at all levels of personnel?

10. Are staff in the organisation provided with gender equality and social inclusion training? 11. Are women and potentially excluded groups properly represented in staff meetings and training activities?

Checklist 2: Gender and Social Inclusion Disaggregated Data

7 3T Gender and Social Inclusion Area Priority Purpose Remarks Gender and key social parameters Essenti Allows disaggregated analysis of all identified in all data gathering al information Numbers of each group recruited in High Workforce planning Possible to see trends as they past year by occupation/grade Monitor trends toward meeting gender and develop and adjust recruitment social inclusion targets campaigns Numbers of each group in each Essenti Workforce planning Data may not be easily occupation/grade/location al Monitor trends toward meeting gender and available by occupation and social inclusion targets grade Beneficiaries of loan facilities and Medium Monitor any bias in the allocation/take-up of Which cadres and employment staff benefits such as official benefits groups/grades? vehicles, staff accommodation for Determine any gender and social inclusion each group imbalance Promotions, deployment, and High Workforce planning Need information on conversions for each group Monitor trends toward meeting gender and occupation. social inclusion targets Promotion by length of service or merit? Numbers of each group undertaking High Monitor any hidden bias in allocation/take- training (including number of training up of training opportunities days) Transfers/postings: urban/rural for High Workplace planning Which occupations? each group Monitor gender and social inclusion balance in rural facilities Hours worked by each group by Medium Workforce planning May not be possible or cost grade/profession Determine any gender and social inclusion effective to obtain this data imbalance Numbers leaving workforce each Medium Check if attrition is systematically related to Reasons for leaving will be year: retirement/attrition gender or social exclusion needed to analyse this (age/gender/other groups by grade), dismissal

8 3T Gender and Social Inclusion A Road Map to Inclusion: Organisational Maturity

Phase1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Ignorance Knowledge Action Leadership/cultural/ No problem ‘Their’ problem ‘Our’ problem Everyone’s No problem organisational opportunity mind-set Symptomatic No policy for Targeted activity at HR interventions The economic and Managers and response gender and social specific groups: and support business case is supervisors take inclusion women, people with a through the realised and responsibility for No HR support for disability, older people employee relations communicated by diversity, gender those suffering Basic equal function leader and social inclusion unequal treatment opportunity HR own the issue; Those at the top are at all levels Compliance-based awareness in HR drive and accountable for Gender and social attitude and culture recruitment function communicate progress inclusion is ‘business as usual’ Minimal approach; Some training in Leaders and Manager and legal minimum only sensitisation of managers do not supervisors are Disaggregated data legislation or gender own the issues engaged informs future and social inclusion Shared decision making awareness responsibility for and policy as a gender and social norm inclusion Impact Hostile culture Little change to Gender and social High level of Mainstreaming Few visible women culture and mind-set; inclusion seen as awareness Sophisticated or minority groups some patchy an HR issue Economic and social governance awareness and Increased sense benefits accepted Poor retention helping people to ‘fit Exemplar employer that gender and Safe to discuss

9 3T Gender and Social Inclusion No discussion; no in’ social inclusion is gender and social awareness Not safe to discuss ‘a good thing’ inclusion openly High risk of Resentment and Little grievance backlash at some understanding of seen to be getting the relevance of ‘special’ treatment gender and social inclusion to Seen as ‘political economic and correctness’ social well-being Minorities directly involved in culture change interventions and advocacy Continuing risk of grievance

10 3T Gender and Social Inclusion