Federal failure to fully implement diversity analysis excludes equity-seeking groups: Senate committee
Ottawa – The federal government has not fully implemented intersectional analysis, known as GBA Plus, into its policy process, the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology said in a report released Thursday, March 30, 2023.
The report reveals that the government has not been able to fully consider the diverse needs and experiences of marginalized and equity-seeking groups, including women, Indigenous people, racialized communities and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals.
While the government has made some progress toward integrating GBA Plus into its policy process, the committee found significant gaps in implementation. Witnesses who appeared before the committee expressed concerns about the lack of resources and training for policy makers to effectively incorporate GBA Plus into their work. Others shared concerns that GBA Plus does not adequately consider many Canadians’ lived experiences and advocated for the addition of culturally relevant analytical frameworks.
The committee recommends rebranding GBA Plus as Gender and Diversity Analysis to recentre the focus of this important intersectional analysis. The report also makes a number of additional recommendations to ensure that diverse communities and people in Canada are not negatively affected by or excluded from federal programs, policies and initiatives.
Quick Facts
- Gender-based analysis was first introduced by the federal government in 1995 through the development of the Federal Plan for Gender Equality. This was a commitment to implement gender-based analysis throughout federal departments and agencies, and to conduct gender-based analysis on all future legislation, policies, and programs. In 2011, the framework of gender-based analysis was expanded to include other marginalized and equity-seeking groups, and rebranded as GBA Plus.
- The Office of the Auditor General of Canada has released three reports — in 2009, 2016 and 2022 — all of which highlight the inconsistent and incomplete implementation of gender-based analysis across the federal government.
- The report highlights some GBA Plus success stories. For example, witnesses noted that GBA Plus had a real impact in the policy design process for the COVID-19 emergency response.
Quotes
“GBA Plus is about recognizing the diverse needs and experiences of all Canadians to ensure that our policies and programs reflect that diversity. By doing so, we can create a more equitable and just society for everyone.”
- Senator Ratna Omidvar, Chair of the committee
“Without a robust intersectional analysis, government policies risk being ineffective or even harmful to marginalized groups. It’s time for our policy makers to prioritize inclusive decision-making.”
- Senator Patricia Bovey, Deputy Chair of the committee
“Witnesses called for greater accountability and leadership from the government, because the status quo is failing. A renewed determination toward intersectionality is necessary if policies are to benefit all Canadians.”
- Senator Rosemary Moodie, member of the committee
“GBA Plus needs to be implemented earlier in the policy process. While there are success stories, the analysis must be conducted more systematically to more effectively benefit women and other equity seeking groups.”
- Senator Donna Dasko, member of the committee
Associated Links
- Read the report
- Learn more about the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
- Follow the committee on social media using the hashtag #SOCI.
- Subscribe to email alerts for Senate committees.
- Sign up for the Senate eNewsletter.
For more information
Amely Coulombe
Communications Officer | Senate of Canada
343-575-7553| amely.coulombe@sen.parl.gc.ca