The Auditor General of Canada found that the federal government has made limited progress in identifying and removing barriers to implementing a process known as “gender-based review plus”.
Gender-based analysis plus is used to examine inequalities and specifically how gender and other aspects of a person’s identity affect their ability to access programs and services.
Auditor General Karen Hogan said the Privy Council Office, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, and Women and Gender Equality Canada have taken steps to identify and remove barriers to implementing more gender-based gender identity since last audit in 2015, but they need to do more.
The Privy Council Office and Treasury Board identified challenges in implementing the gender -based review, but they did not fully take advantage of the knowledge gained to help improve its use across government, according to the report.
Some of the gaps in the ability of government departments and agencies to conduct gender-based assessments stem from the lack of broken down data that can help inform the design and evaluation of policies and programs, the auditor said. .
Ms. said. Hogan said that if the government continues to face challenges in applying gender -based analysis, policymakers will not have the information needed to understand how different groups of women, men and people experience diversity. gender programs, which can affect the success of programs for these groups.
The Privy Council Office and Treasury Board should provide timely feedback to departments on their use of gender-based analysis plus and should share their feedback with Women and Gender Equality Canada, the report recommends. Departments should use feedback to improve their use of gender -based analysis.
Women and Gender Equality Canada should regularly monitor and publicly report on the quality of gender-based testing across the federal government, and present plans on how to improve its use, the report added.
Source: Radio-Canada
