Gender-based analysis plus

Plans, strategies, and frameworks

SSHRC committed to implementing gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) in 2015 and developed an implementation plan to ensure strong leadership, build organizational capacity, implement specific measures in program delivery, and monitor activities and outcomes. As well, a GBA+ responsibility centre and cross-divisional co-ordination group were created to better support the integration of GBA+ across the organization.

In 2018, the Minister of Science and Sport formed the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) to improve coordination among the three federal granting agencies (SSHRC, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council [NSERC] and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research [CIHR]), as well as with the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). As part of the CRCC’s mandate, the agencies developed and are implementing a tri-agency action plan on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) to support:

• fair access for all researchers, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to granting agencies’ funding opportunities;
• equitable participation within a more inclusive research system; and
• data collection for evidence-informed decision-making.

Within the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS), a division of SSHRC, the Canada Research Chairs Program continues to implement the 2006 Human Rights Settlement Agreement and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (EDIAP), which is enabling institutions to make swifter progress toward addressing the underrepresentation of the four designated groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and members of visible minorities) within the program. As part of the EDIAP, institutions must meet equity and diversity targets by December 2019. In addition, the EDIAP supports the increase of openness and transparency of the institutions’ management of their chairs, including in the selection andrenewal of chairholders.

Accountability

At the corporate level, the Executive Director, Corporate Strategy and Performance Division, is accountable for the regular reporting of the SSHRC-wide Equity and Diversity Implementation Plan to internal governance committees, taking into accountthe advice of a co-ordination group.

For programs managed by TIPS, the Associate Vice-President is accountable for reporting program and policy changes to the steering committee (composed of the presidents of the three federal granting agencies and the CFI; the Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; and the Deputy Minister, Health Canada). In addition, an external advisory committee, which is part of TIPS’s formal governance structure and composed of national and international experts in EDI in the postsecondary research field, is mandated to provide advice to the steering committee on measures to bolster the EDI of TIPS programs.

Monitoring and reporting

Since 2018, all program evaluations systematically include a GBA+ analysis to better inform decision-making related to EDI.

The SSHRC GBA+ responsibility centre and the co-ordination group report annually to SSHRC’s management committees and senior officials on the progress made against the implementation plan and the tri-agency EDI action plan. The responsibility centre also reports to SSHRC’s governing council.

In addition, SSHRC reportsto the CRCC on progress in implementing the tri-agency EDI action plan andmeasures.

For tri-agency institutional programs, the steering and management committees are mandated with oversight for monitoring and reporting on progress toward implementing the Canada Research Chairs EDI action plan.

Key initiatives for 2019–20 include the following initiatives, which are all geared toward strengthening the equity performance of SSHRC’s suite of programs:

1. For the Canada Research Chairs Program, participating institutions will review and revise their EDI action plans. The plans will be subject toan external review that will ensure they serve as a useful roadmap for institutions as they implement measures to address systemic barriers andbolster the EDI of their chairholders. The first external review will takeplace in March 2019, leading into the December 2019 deadline for institutions to meet their equity targets.
   1. 1.1 Key indicator: Percentage of Canada Research Chairs filled bydesignated groups.
   2. 1.2 Monitoring and evaluation: The external EDI review panel will evaluate plans, making recommendations to the steering committee for plans determined to be weak or that have not sufficiently met program requirements.
2. As part of a 2018–19 commitment to strengthen equity and diversity in the research enterprise, SSHRC will continue the collection ofself-identification information from applicants, co-applicants and adjudication committee members, and monitor and report on these inco-ordination with NSERC and CIHR. This project will be co-ordinated through an interagency working group involving representatives from SSHRC,NSERC, CIHR, Genome Canada and the CFI.
   1. 2.1 Key indicators: (i) Proportion of applicants who submit self-identification data; and (ii) Proportion of review committee members who submit self-identification data.
   2. 2.2 Monitoring and reporting: SSHRC, along with CIHR and NSERC, will publish an annual report for Canadians on progress in addressing equity and diversity issues.