Attachments
Introduction
Responding appropriately during humanitarian crises means understanding the social and cultural factors that make some groups and individuals vulnerable, such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability or religion. The overlapping or intersection of multiple factors can dramatically increase a person’s risk or vulnerability during a humanitarian crisis, resulting in inequitable access to resources.
This paper outlines a new approach to intersectionality being piloted by Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) over a twoyear period. The aim of the pilot is to better understand the intersection of different dimensions of social disadvantage and its implications for the organisation’s humanitarian work.
IRW’s new approach is based on an Intersectionality Framework it has developed that uses six criteria, referred to as the 6 A’s: Analysis, Adapted Assistance, Attention to Negative Effects, Adequate Participation, and Accountability. The Framework is based on various sources, including: The Minimum Standards of Age and Disability Inclusion; Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action; sector guidance on conflict sensitivity; IASC Gender Based Violence (GBV) Guidelines; and both the ECHO Gender Age Marker and IASC Gender with Age Marker.
This paper focuses on the first ‘A’ of the Framework, Analysis, and accompanying IRW Age, Gender and Diversity Analysis Tools, based on the Moser Gender Planning Framework (with adaptions by IRW). The application of the Analysis approach and supporting tools is being trialled by IRW in eight countries in 2018 - 2019 and following this, case studies on the resulting learnings will be produced.
The ‘Analysis’ approach examines the distinct roles, access to, and control over resources by different population groups: females and males of all ages, people with disabilities, older people, and marginalised or excluded groups. It assesses how various aspects of people’s identity and any corresponding discrimination intersected before a crisis and are exacerbated after a crisis; and how these impact people’s access to resources. An understanding of social and cultural identity and how they are informed by structural inequities is crucial to performing an accurate assessment of people’s vulnerability.
Examples of change brought about during initial field tests of the IRW Age, Gender and Diversity1 Analysis Tools in Palestine and Pakistan are also included in this paper. These examples highlight some of the benefits that can result from having a deeper understanding of intersectionality, in order to adequately support all populations during humanitarian crises.