CANADA NEPAL GENDER IN ORGANIZATIONS

Section 3: Reference Materials

Reference #13: Indicators

An indicator is a piece of information that is used to measure or assess progress toward an intended result (objective).

An indicator is evidence that a result has been achieved.

An indicator is a piece of information, or a data set that can be used to assess progress toward the achievement of goals and objectives (intended results). Indicators may be quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative indicators measure quantity, and include statistical statements. Qualitative indicators are observations, judgments and perceptions.

Remember that indicators are not themselves objectives. They are signs or benchmarks along the way to achieving objectives.

In developing indicators, planners should ask themselves the following questions:

How will we know if we are making progress toward achieving our objective (intended result)?
What pieces of information can we use to tell us how far we have progressed in making the desired change?

In general, indicators should be valid, reliable, simple and affordable. These items should be considered when selecting indicators:

Is the indicator a real or valid measurement of progress toward the objective? Does it measure what it is supposed to measure? For example, if the objective is to increase the number of girls aged 10 to 12 that are attending school, then a valid indicator might be the number of girls registered in school on specific dates. If, on the other hand, the objective were to increase the knowledge of girl students with respect to nutrition, then the number of girls registered in school would not necessarily measure this. A more valid indicator would be the number of girl students that successfully complete nutrition classes.
Is the indicator a reliable or consistent measurement over time. For example, if the objective is to change the attitudes of men members of the organization toward the role of women in the organization, one way to measure this might be to ask men if their attitudes have changed. The indicator in this case would be the “responses of men to a question about whether their attitudes have changed.” But this indicator might not be very reliable – the response to the question might depend on how the man was feeling that particular day, what had happened in the organization, what he thought he should say, whether he liked the person posing the question, etc. A more reliable indicator would be whether the man’s behaviour toward women reflected a change in attitude, e.g., when he speaks to women or about women does he show respect, does he ask women for their advice and assistance, etc.
Is the indicator simple and affordable, i.e., is the information easy to collect and analyze. Complex indicators or those that require expensive and time consuming measurement instruments may be excellent indicators, but usually are not practical for small organizations. The methods that will be used to collect the indicator data are an important consideration when selecting indicators.

Results-Based Objective	Possible Indicators
To increase the number of women in decisionmaking positions by 15 percent by the end of the year.	# and percent of men and women on the board at outset (baseline), and at the end of the year.
To increase the entrepreneurial skills of 700 women in the community by the end of the project.	# of women successfully completing the six week entrepreneurial training program funded by the project; # of women trained that subsequently engage in entrepreneurial activities; income levels of graduates of the entrepreneurial training program, before training and one year after training.
To increase by 25 percent the sustainable economic activities of women in the target region by the end of the project	# of women engaged in sustainable economic activities at outset, and at end of project; number and duration of economic activities that women are engaged in, at the outset and at the end of the project.
To strengthen the ability of two support units to deliver pre-natal nutrition education and follow-up advisory services to women, by the end of the project.	# and % of support unit personnel with knowledge and skills to delivery pre-natal nutrition education, at outset and by the end of the project; # and % of women receiving advisory services from the support unit, at the outset and at the end of the project; # and % of women clients that indicate satisfaction with the advisory services of the support unit.

Checklist for Assessing Indicators

Is it gender-sensitive?
Is it valid, i.e., does it measure what it is supposed to measure?
Is it reliable, i.e., will it provide a consistent measure over time?
Is it simple, i.e., is the information easy to collect and analyze?
Is it affordable, i.e., can the organization afford to collect and analyze this information?

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