GIA Manual

Oxfam’s ‘Balancing the Scales’ project promotes the use of gender impact assessment in hydropower. Focused on the Mekong region, understanding how impacts of hydropower development are experienced by men and women differently can help developers ensure their projects minimise harm, and potentially, how they can play a positive role in addressing gender inequality.

Oxfam has produced a Gender Impact Assessment Manual that promotes a step-by-step gender impact assessment process – specific for hydropower. It provides analysis on the laws and regulations which protect women’s rights in the Mekong, and makes recommendations for how hydropower sustainability assessment tools can be strengthened to consider women’s rights and gender.

The GIA Manual is designed for use by hydropower and consulting companies involved in social and environmental impact assessment. It is a manual which gives guidance to business for considering gender across the project cycle.

Download The GIA Manual in full (PDF – 7MB)

The GIA manual has adapted many proven gender impact tools to the context of Mekong hydropower development. It provides checklists for developers to help ensure they have assessed gender impacts at different stages of project development; and which help guide companies to consider how a project can contribute to positive outcomes for women, as well as men.

National Policy Assessments are also available below:

Download the Burma National Policy Assessment (PDF – 2MB)
Download the Cambodian National Policy Assessment (PDF – 481KB)
Download the Vietnam National Policy Assessment (PDF – 921KB)
Download the Lao PDR National Policy Assessment (PDF – 605KB)
Download the synthesis report of the lower Mekong National Policy Assessment (PDF – 964KB)

Focused on the rapid expansion of hydropower in the Mekong region, Balancing the Scales is supported by the Challenge Program on Water and Food, and Australian Aid; undertaken in partnership between Oxfam and NGO Forum on Cambodia, Green ID in Vietnam and Oxfam Laos.