A prior gender sensitive analysis of the status quo is crucial to designing a feasible and effective GEP and the implementation of relevant gender equality measures. Based on the results of a quantitative and qualitative analysis, specific reasons for action can be identified. Quantitative data helps describe the status quo regarding women's (under-)representation at different qualification/employment levels. Qualitative data are useful to understand where - in which fields of action - progress is (still) needed. The analysis provides a valid basis to make the management and leaders aware of current shortcomings, needs and improvements.
In addition to the factual analysis, better understanding of what needs and can be done will be achieved through discussions and reflections with the Implementation Team.
In order to perceive and analyse gender-specific aspects and issues, the overriding aim of this step is to figure out the status quo of gender equality and to address specific gender equality issues within your organisation.

• Check what data are already available:
  Is there a regular process of gender-related data collection in place?

• If such data do not exist in your organisation, this should become the first necessary objective, namely to enable the necessary data to be collected
  How could it be established?

• When data is already available:
  Who/which office is responsible for collecting data?
  How can this data collection be improved? How can it be analysed and presented?

• Involve the HR department in data collection; sometimes they have already relevant data

• Use a questionnaire to survey opinion about the status quo (of gender equality) in the organisation:
  Establish how you can access the data already collected, and prepare a useful analysis?

• Analyse sex-disaggregated data about staff at all levels by demographics, education qualification, career path, work organisation, etc.
  Have you seen the GENERA Template for data collection for inspiration?

• Summarise most important findings regarding data collection and present it to the management and leadership

• Identify and analyse any difficulties in career development, and needs for improvement recognized by the employees of your organisation (e.g. through qualitative interviews with researchers of both sexes and different professional experience, for an inspiration have a look at the GENERA Interview Guideline)

• Prepare key arguments for the leadership (e.g. for the head of department) to assume the obligation, as GENERA partner, for advancing gender equality in their unit/department (see GENERA Interview Guideline): e.g.
  • about evaluation of status quo regarding gender equality in the institute/department of physics: objectives, financial support and needs for action
  • about career promotion (for female researchers) regarding objectives, financial aspects, already implemented and planned measures
  • about reconciliation of private and professional life regarding objectives, financial aspects, already implemented and planned measures
  • about barriers to get a gender balance among physics researchers
  • about recommendations and experiences to promote gender equality in institutes/departments of physics
  • Explain the binding responsibility of the management and leadership and the Implementation Team to comply with what was agreed in the GENERA grant agreement.

• Use benchmarks to compare the proportions of women in your organisation with national or international data so that you can better evaluate current situation in your organisation
• Use the GENERA Template for data collection as a reference
• Use GENERA Fields of Action (and subfields) of action for categorizing your needs of action
• Further GENERA collected resources:
  • ECU – Effective Equality Surveys – Exploring Staff and Student Experience in Higher Education
  • EIGE - Gender Equality Law in 33 European Countries
  • ECU – Collecting Data on Non-Academic Staff
  • ECU – Measuring Progress on Equality: Qualitative Evidence
  • HE STEM Staff Culture Survey
  • WGEA – Employee Opinion Survey
  • UCL Athena Swan Survey Template

• What is specific for your organisation regarding Step 2: Analyse?

Please record here (documentation of important steps, experiences, successes, challenges, solution approaches, etc.)

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