The Canadian federal government defines Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) as:

“an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation”.^[1]  

GBA gained prominence in Canada during ‘second-wave feminism’ and focused on issues like reproductive rights and wage equality, mainly prioritizing the experiences of white heterosexual women. It did not capture the lived realities of diverse groups, such as Black, Indigenous, migrant, and refugee women, members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, and people with disabilities. Despite progress in women’s equality, significant disparities remained. Through ongoing research and advocacy efforts, GBA evolved to become GBA Plus, which, as the definition above highlights, encourages an intersectional analysis. However, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) has highlighted that mainstream GBA Plus frameworks still lack cultural and historical perspectives, treat Indigenous groups as homogenous, and fail to adequately address the role of colonization in ongoing trauma and violence (NWAC, 2020). For NWAC, culturally relevant GBA Plus acknowledges the persistent and harmful effects of colonization and the power structures and oppression that have historically marginalized Indigenous Peoples (NWAC, 2020). Culturally relevant GBA Plus emphasizes the need for policies and programs that recognize and address these distinct historic, current and evolving realities, ensuring that the impacts of colonization and systemic oppression are integrated into both impact assessment (IA) and the development of solutions. In sum, culturally relevant GBA Plus combines an intersectional analysis with specific attention to colonization and the distinct experiences of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit peoples.

[1] Government of Canada, What is Gender-based Analysis Plus? Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-analysis-plus/what-gender-based-analysis-plus.html. 

The purpose of culturally relevant GBA Plus is to uncover and address the unequal effects of policies and programs on diverse groups. It combines an intersectional analysis with specific attention to the historic, ongoing, and evolving effects of colonization. This approach is inspired by the key steps graphic from Status of Women Canada (now Women and Gender Equality Canada, WAGE) and adapted to the context of culturally relevant GBA Plus, as well as guidance from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s document, Gender-Based Analysis Plus in Impact Assessment. To implement culturally relevant GBA Plus, we propose the following six (6) key steps, ensuring that each incorporates culturally relevant dimensions as outlined in the work of the NWAC. Each step must be conducted through co-creation, engagement and partnership with the impacted communities, centring their voices in the process.