Gender-based analysis plus

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General information

Institutional GBA plus capacity

SSHRC has implemented some key elements to enable and sustain gender-based analysis plus (GBA plus) capacity within the organization:

1. Governance

SSHRC established an Executive Coordination Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in 2020. The committee’s mandate regarding equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) includes guiding SSHRC’s implementation of the Tri-agency EDI Action Plan (that is, a plan developed by the three federal research funding agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and SSHRC); endorsing a SSHRC EDI implementation plan; and ensuring alignment between external- and internal-facing GBA plus and EDI initiatives. The committee is composed of seven SSHRC associate vice-presidents, executive directors and directors (or equivalent), representing SSHRC’s four directorates.

SSHRC also established its Working Group on EDI to reinforce effective cross-agency communication and coordination on GBA plus and EDI issues and initiatives.

2. GBA plus training and awareness

SSHRC has implemented mandatory GBA plus training for all staff, supplementing it with complementary mandatory and optional training on GBA plus and EDI topics for staff and executives, including training on privacy protocols for access to and use of the self-identification data that SSHRC collects.

SSHRC has also posted staff resources on GBA plus on the intranet.

3. Program performance and evaluation

SSHRC has integrated performance objectives and indicators relating to the participation of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups in Performance Information Profiles (at the program level) and in the Departmental Results Framework (at the organization level).

Further, SSHRC’s Evaluation Division has developed and integrated an EDI framework to be applied in all program evaluations. This ensures that program evaluations will include valuable information for GBA plus analyses to inform future decision making.

In 2023-24, both the evaluation of the New Frontiers in Research Fund and Connection Grants (Research Partnerships) will include information and analyses that will serve GBA plus needs going forward.

4. Collection of disaggregated data

Fundamental to the capacity to undertake GBA plus is the availability of disaggregated data describing the applicants to SSHRC funding opportunities and the broader research community. In 2018, SSHRC implemented a self-identification questionnaire to collect data from all direct participants in its programs. SSHRC publishes these data (aggregated by funding opportunity) in an EDI dashboard for SSHRC funding, as part of the program statistics for the Canada Research Chairs and through other channels.

5. Internal and external engagement

SSHRC has created a number of mechanisms for engagement with underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, as a means to better understand barriers and to collect input on program initiatives:

• Advisory Committee on Equity Diversity and Inclusion Policy (for tri-agency institutional programs—external)
• Advisory Committee to Address Anti-Black Racism (external)
• Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Systemic Ableism (external)
• Employment Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee (internal)
• Anti-Black Racism Working Group (internal)
• Persons with Disabilities Network (internal)

These mechanisms strengthen the agency’s capacity to conduct GBA plus analyses, and to understand differential outcomes and impacts of SSHRC programs.

In 2023-24, SSHRC will develop new capacity for GBA plus through continued engagement of researchers and students with disabilities to implement the agency’s Accessibility Plan.

Highlights of GBA plus results reporting capacity by program

Insight Research	Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire completed by applicants and merit review committee members, the Insight Research program collects sufficient data for monitoring and reporting the program’s impacts (i.e., application rates and award rates) by different identity factors. In 2023-24, SSHRC will develop new capacity for GBA plus through the ongoing engagement of researchers and students with disabilities in the implementation of the agency’s Accessibility Plan.
Canada Research Chairs Program	Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire (which is a harmonized tri-agency form) given to nominees at the time of nomination, the program collects sufficient data for monitoring for potential biases in its merit review process (i.e., application rates and award rates) and to report on representation within the program in terms of participation of individuals from the four designated groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities). Following the March 2021 implementation of the new equity target setting methodology, a summary table of each institution’s equity targets during the 2021 to 2029 period was published on the program’s website. The program continues to monitor these targets and to implement consequences with institutions that do not meet their targets by each deadline. Public reporting on nomination rates was also expanded at the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Equity Diversity and Inclusion Policy to include the period from 2000 to 2016, prior to the collection of data on all four designated groups. The program has also increased its analysis of intersectional and disaggregated data. Preliminary findings were shared with Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat governance in September 2022. The program’s logic model and performance strategy were recently updated, and the annual reports were revised.
Canada Excellence Research Chairs and Canada 150 Research Chairs	Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire (also a harmonized tri-agency form), the programs collect sufficient data to monitor for potential biases in the two programs’ merit review processes (i.e., application rates and award rates) and to report on representation within the programs in terms of participation of individuals from the four designated groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities). All nominees are required to complete the self-identification questionnaire as part of the application process. Core team members from each program (e.g., faculty, trainees, other highly qualified personnel and administrative staff) also complete the self-identification form as part of the annual progress reporting requirements for the two programs. Among other actions, the latest launch of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program will incorporate a stronger focus on EDI as a measure of excellence in both research design and the composition of the research teams. Research funded by the Canada Excellence Research Chairs is expected to demonstrate leadership in EDI, including for identity factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, age, and mental or physical disability, through gender-based analysis plus, or through sex- and gender-based analysis plus, at all stages of the research process. This includes the submission of a comprehensive EDI action plan within one year of the start date for funded teams, which will be evaluated to ensure it meets program requirements.
Canada First Research Excellence Fund	Yes—Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) participants are required to submit a self-identification form. The program provides each institution with aggregate EDI data on a yearly basis to help inform their progress. These data are used to monitor performance outcomes of CFREF’s Performance Measurement Strategy and the EDI Performance Measurement Framework of the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat. CFREF’s latest launch incorporates a stronger focus on EDI as a measure of excellence in both research design and the composition of the research teams. In particular, all new CFREF applications require a CFREF-specific comprehensive EDI action plan as of the 2022 CFREF competition, which will need to be submitted within one year of the start date of the program, and which will be evaluated to ensure it meets program requirements. This will provide valuable information to the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat for monitoring representation within the program and will complement the annual collection of self-identification data from CFREF participants. The midterm review process for each grant also involves a review of the institutional and scientific strategy of the initiative, which includes the EDI action plan, the performance measurement plan, and other plans or actions which support EDI.
Research Training and Talent Development	Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire (also a harmonized tri-agency form), the Research Training and Talent Development program collects sufficient data for monitoring and reporting on its impacts (i.e., application rates and award rates) by gender and diversity (persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities). In 2023-24, SSHRC will develop new capacity for GBA plus through the ongoing engagement of researchers and students with disabilities in the implementation of the agency’s Accessibility Plan.
Research Partnerships	Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire (also a harmonized tri-agency form), the Research Partnerships program collects sufficient data for monitoring and reporting impacts (i.e., application rates and award rates) of the program by gender and diversity (persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities). In 2023-24, SSHRC’s Evaluation Division will use a GBA plus protocol to evaluate Connection Grants (Research Partnerships). SSHRC will also develop new capacity for GBA plus through the ongoing engagement of researchers and students with disabilities in the implementation of the agency’s Accessibility Plan.
New Frontiers in Research Fund	Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire (also a harmonized tri-agency form), the New Frontiers in Research Fund collects sufficient data for monitoring for potential biases in its merit review process and reporting on representation of individuals from the four designated groups in the program (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities). In 2023-24, SSHRC’s Evaluation Division will use a GBA plus protocol to evaluate the New Frontiers in Research Fund. SSHRC will also develop new capacity for GBA plus through the ongoing engagement of researchers and students with disabilities in the implementation of the agency’s Accessibility Plan.
Research Support Fund	No—Due to the nature of the program , self-identification data are not collected for the Research Support Fund. The Research Support Fund will implement a renewed reporting framework as part of the management response to the 15th-year evaluation of the Research Support Fund, which will take into account monitoring and reporting of the program’s contributions to implementing institutional objectives related to EDI in the research enterprise.
Canada Biomedical Research Fund	No—This program is in the planning stages and has not started collecting data. The Canada Biomedical Research Fund plans to collect, through a self-identification questionnaire (also a harmonized tri-agency form), sufficient data on research participants and reviewers to monitor for potential biases in its merit review processes (i.e., application rates and award rates) and to report on representation within the program in terms of participation of individuals from the four designated groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities) once the competition is launched. All applicants to the stage 2 competition will be required to complete the self-identification questionnaire as part of the application process.