This report was published in November 2021 by The City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE), with principal author Ann Norris.

Report name

The Gender Equity Toolkit

Who wrote this report?

CHANGE was launched in 2020 as an initiative to "harness the collective power of cities to transform government services and systems", with the ultimate goal of achieving gender equity within this generation. The six founding cities-and those included in this report-are Barcelona, Freetown, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Tokyo.

The Gender Equity Toolkit showcases best practices from these cities and offers an opportunity for local leaders to reflect on how to achieve progress in their own areas.

Best quote

Cities are drivers of change that can be repeated and scaled globally.

Key takeaways:

The Gender Equity Toolkit encourages city leaders to ask themselves several questions to determine where changes need to be made:

Three valuable questions are:

  • "Are we applying a gender lens to every city policy, program and initiative, recognising the intersectionality between gender, equity and other critical challenges?"
  • "Are we continually seeking input – both formally and informally – from women, girls, and other marginalised genders?"
  • "What more can we do to ensure that a diverse range of voices are included in policy making and management positions?"

What’s in this report?

In this report, you'll find case study examples of policies implemented by CHANGE cities. It guides local leaders through the process of enacting change in their city.

The examples are separated into four sections, which have been chosen according to the primary functions of local government (p5). These functions are:

  • The City as Innovator — embedding gender throughout city systems
  • The City as Employer — building a gender-inclusive workforce
  • The City as Provider — integrating gender in city policies
  • The City as Connector — working with stakeholders to improve city programmes

Helpfully, the toolkit is laid out like a ‘How-To’ guide. Each section comprises several steps that local leaders can take to progress gender equality in their own cities, accompanied by examples given from CHANGE cities.

For example, in ‘The City as Innovator’, practitioners are encouraged to first "take stock" of where their city stands by undertaking a "comprehensive assessment of needs, gaps, challenges, and opportunities". They are then given examples of sample action plans, such as Tokyo’s ‘Comprehensive Plan for Promotion of Gender Equality’. They are subsequently advised to "designate a lead entity/office/department on the issue" and "empower those in charge", as well as ensuring "gender responsive budgeting".

Why should you read this report?

Despite promises to the contrary, global progress towards gender equality is slow. Yet cities have shown that they are "independent actors, able to lead with policy innovations and the sharing of best practices". This toolkit gives local government the information it needs.

Who is this report for?

Anyone working in local government, but especially those in cities.

However, by "sharing models" for how leaders can implement gender-focused policies, the toolkit makes for useful reading for anyone working in gender equity policy.

🔗 Read the full report here. 🔗

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