Implementing Indigenous gender-based analysis in research: Principles, practices and lessons learned
Date
2021
Authors
Sanchez-Pimienta, Carlos E.
Masuda, Jeffrey R.
Doucette, Mary B.
Lewis, Diana
Rotz, Sarah
on behalf of the Native Women's Association of Canada
Neufeld, Hannah Tait
Castleden, Heather
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Abstract
Numerous tools for addressing gender inequality in governmental policies, programs, and
research have emerged across the globe. Unfortunately, such tools have largely failed to account
for the impacts of colonialism on Indigenous Peoples’ lives and lands. In Canada, Indigenous organizations
have advanced gender-based analysis frameworks that are culturally-grounded and
situate the understanding of gender identities, roles, and responsibilities within and across diverse
Indigenous contexts. However, there is limited guidance on how to integrate Indigenous gender-based
frameworks in the context of research. The authors of this paper are participants of a multi-site
research program investigating intersectoral spaces of Indigenous-led renewable energy development
within Canada. Through introspective methods, we reflected on the implementation of gender
considerations into our research team’s governance and research activities. We found three critical
lessons: (1) embracing Two-Eyed Seeing or Etuaptmumk while making space for Indigenous leadership;
(2) trusting the expertise that stems from the lived experiences and relationships of researchers
and team members; and (3) shifting the emphasis from ‘gender-based analysis’ to ‘gender-based
relationality’ in the implementation of gender-related research considerations. Our research findings
provide a novel empirical example of the day-to-day principles and practices that may arise when
implementing Indigenous gender-based analysis frameworks in the context of research.
Description
Keywords
culturally relevant gender-based analysis, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous health, renewable energy, intersectoral collaboration, decolonization, gender mainstreaming
Citation
Sanchez-Pimienta, C. E., Masuda, J. R., Doucette, M. B., Lewis, D., Rotz, S., on behalf of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, . . . Castleden, H. (2021). “Implementing Indigenous gender-based analysis in research: Principles, practices and lessons learned.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11572. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111572