HR Practitioner Tools
3T:
Gender
and
Social Inclusion
0
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.
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3T Gender and Social Inclusion
Contents
Section 1: National Gender Equality Policy ............................................................................... 3
Section 2: HRM Checklists for Gender and Social Inclusion ...................................................... 4
Policies, Decision-making and Commitment Checklist .......................................................... 4
Disaggregated Gender and Social Inclusion Data Collection ................................................. 4
A Road Map to Inclusion ........................................................................................................ 5
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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.
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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.
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:
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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:
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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 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.
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3T Gender and Social Inclusion
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.
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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?
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3T Gender and Social Inclusion
Checklist 2: Gender and Social Inclusion Disaggregated Data
Area
Gender and key social parameters
identified in all data gathering
Numbers of each group recruited in past
year by occupation/grade
Priority
Essential
Purpose
Allows disaggregated analysis of all information
Remarks
High
Numbers of each group in each
occupation/grade/location
Essential
Possible to see trends as they
develop and adjust recruitment
campaigns
Data may not be easily available
by occupation and grade
Beneficiaries of loan facilities and staff
benefits such as official vehicles, staff
accommodation for each group
Medium
Promotions, deployment, and
conversions for each group
High
Numbers of each group undertaking
training (including number of training days)
Transfers/postings: urban/rural for each
group
High
Hours worked by each group by
grade/profession
Medium
Numbers leaving workforce each year:
retirement/attrition (age/gender/other
groups by grade), dismissal
Medium
Workforce planning
Monitor trends toward meeting gender and
social inclusion targets
Workforce planning
Monitor trends toward meeting gender and
social inclusion targets
Monitor any bias in the allocation/take-up of
benefits
Determine any gender and social inclusion
imbalance
Workforce planning
Monitor trends toward meeting gender and
social inclusion targets
Monitor any hidden bias in allocation/take-up of
training opportunities
Workplace planning
Monitor gender and social inclusion balance in
rural facilities
Workforce planning
Determine any gender and social inclusion
imbalance
Check if attrition is systematically related to
gender or social exclusion
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High
Which cadres and employment
groups/grades?
Need information on occupation.
Promotion by length of service or
merit?
Which occupations?
May not be possible or cost
effective to obtain this data
Reasons for leaving will be
needed to analyse this
3T Gender and Social Inclusion
A Road Map to Inclusion: Organisational Maturity
Phase1
Ignorance
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Knowledge
Action
Leadership/cultural/
organisational mindset
No problem
‘Their’ problem
‘Our’ problem
Everyone’s
opportunity
No problem
Symptomatic
response
No policy for gender
and social inclusion
Targeted activity at
specific groups: women,
people with a disability,
older people
HR interventions and
support through the
employee relations
function
Basic equal opportunity
awareness in HR
recruitment function
HR own the issue;
drive and
communicate
The economic and
business case is
realised and
communicated by
leader
Managers and
supervisors take
responsibility for
diversity, gender and
social inclusion at all
levels
Some training in
sensitisation of
legislation or gender
and social inclusion
awareness
Leaders and
managers do not own Manager and
the issues
supervisors are
engaged
Little change to culture
and mind-set; some
patchy awareness and
helping people to ‘fit in’
Gender and social
inclusion seen as an
HR issue
No HR support for
those suffering
unequal treatment
Compliance-based
attitude and culture
Minimal approach;
legal minimum only
Impact
Hostile culture
Few visible women or
minority groups
Poor retention
No discussion; no
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Not safe to discuss
Those at the top are
accountable for
progress
Shared responsibility
for gender and social
inclusion
Increased sense that
gender and social
High level of
awareness
Gender and social
inclusion is ‘business
as usual’
Disaggregated data
informs future
decision making and
policy as a norm
Mainstreaming
Economic and social
benefits accepted
Sophisticated
governance
Exemplar employer
Safe to discuss
3T Gender and Social Inclusion
awareness
High risk of grievance
Resentment and
backlash at some seen
to be getting ‘special’
treatment
Seen as ‘political
correctness’
inclusion is ‘a good
thing’
gender and social
inclusion openly
Little understanding
of the relevance of
gender and social
inclusion to economic
and social well-being
Minorities directly
involved in culture
change interventions
and advocacy
Continuing risk of
grievance
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3T Gender and Social Inclusion