GEM in Brief

The GEM was first made a mandatory standard for UN entities in 2012 through the implementation of the UN-SWAP.

In 2018, the Secretary-General established the High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Financing for Gender Equality to harmonize the application of the GEM in defining financial targets and increasing the resource base for gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE). Recommendations from the HLTF expanded the GEM across the UN system (at the entity level, UN Country Team level, and in the inter-agency pooled funds level). Check the brief of the GEM application in 2021.

In 2023, CEB-endorsed the Data standards for United Nations System-wide reporting of financial data with the gender marker as the 7th standard. This standard is being applied system-wide with a transitionary period of 3 years.

The GEM uses a four-point scale coding to signal contributions to GEWE as a principal objective, as a significant but not principal objective, in a limited way or with no expectation to contribute to gender equality and/or the empowerment of women. 

Here you can find a presentation on the GEM and financial targets for ITC-ILO Course “Gender Responsive Budgeting within Organizations” in 2022.

Applying GEM in UN Entities

At the entity level, by 2023, 38 UN entities are implementing the GEM, compared with 24 entities in 2018 and 10 entities in 2012. 

Check the below chart for the GEM implementation at the UN entity level, per typology of entities in the period 2012-2018-2022, and the experience from entities in implementing the GEM: UNIDO, UNFPA, UN DPPA, UNICEF, UNDP, Peacebuilding Fund, ESCWA.

Applying GEM in UN Country Teams

At the UN Country Team (UNCT) level, by 2023, 91 (or 70%) UNCTs out of 130 have applied the GEM in their Joint Work Plan, up from 43 UNCTs in 2020. 

The inter-agency  UNCT-Gender Equality Marker (UNCT-GEM) is a UNSDG tool to track UNCT support to gender equality in the context of the UN Cooperation Frameworks (CF), it was introduced in UNCTs with the rollout of the UN INFO digital reporting platform in 2018. A financial threshold of 70% of available resources towards gender equality activities (GEM 2 and GEM 3) was introduced in 2021 (QCPR indicator 1.4.18), in 2023, 37 UNCTs or 41% out of 91 UNCTs that apply the marker reported to reach this target.

Regional distribution of UNCTs implementing the GEM, as of 2023.

Applying GEM in Inter-Agency Pooled Funds

Inter-agency pooled financing is a recognised funding modality that is to be applied and implmented by multiple UN agencies in a joint manner. The well-designed and professionally managed pooled funds help strengthen efficient collaboration across entities in the UN development system. 

Inter-agency pooled funds can be classified as “Multi-partner Trust Funds” (MPTF) and “Standalone Joint Programmes”, and have undergone steady growth through the years. By 2020, the share of inter-agency pooled funds has grown to US$1.8 billion for humanitarian funds and US$ 1.2 billion for development-related funds.

In 2019, the Secretary-General's High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Financing for Gender Equality endorsed the recommendation to expand the application of the GEM to inter-agency pooled funds.

GEM as a UN Financial Data Standard

The standardization will ensure consistent and timely report on investments in gender equality in the UN system. 

Under the principle “maximizing transparency, minimizing efforts” in meeting UN financial reporting obligations, the CEB FBN has discussed the GEM standard (as a four-point scale financial tracking tool) as part of the UN CEB minimum data set for reporting to IATI and OECD. As a result of this effort, in 2023, CEB formally endorsed the Data standards for United Nations System-wide reporting of financial data with the gender marker as the 7th standard. This standard is being applied system-wide with a transitionary period of 3 years.

Harmonization of Code Lists with OECD and IATI

The UN Transparency Task Force recommended additional variables in the UN CEB Minimum data set for reporting to OECD and IATI.

The International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) is a global initiative to improve the transparency of development and humanitarian resources and their results to ad- dress poverty and crises. IATI brings together governments, multilateral institutions, private sector and civil society organizations and others to increase the transparency of resources flowing into developing countries. Organizations that distribute or spend resources publish information about their development and humanitarian activities using IATI’s data standard. Entities reporting to IATI include FAO, IFAD, ILO, IOM, ITC, UNEP, UNAIDS, UNCDF, UNDCO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIDO, OCHA, UNOPS, UNRWA, UN-WOMEN, UNITAID, WFP, WHO, UN-HABITAT.

The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is a unique international forum of many of the largest providers of aid, including 30 members. They maintain the International Development Statistics (IDS) online databases covering bilateral, multilateral aid (ODA) and private providers’ aid and other resource flows. In partic- ular two statistical frameworks on ODA – Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) - are of relevance for the purpose of unified coding between the UN, IATI and OECD.

GEM training modules

The training modules bring together existing guidance on gender equality markers together with the valuable knowledge and experience that has evolved across different UN organizations with implementing financial resource tracking mechanisms and financial targets. It is intended to provide direction for individual entities instituting or endeavoring to improve their gender equality marker systems.