How can GEM be applied for national ICT policy processes? For example, would it mean evaluating the critical points of engagement (consultative or otherwise) for engendering national ICT policies? Or would it mean evaluating as well the gender content and considerations integrated during the policy-making? What about monitoring of implementation? Not many engage in national ICT policy advocacy, and most not from a gender perspective. How can this gender analysis be strengthened for a wider range of stakeholders through the use of GEM? These are not the only challenging questions facing the thematic adaptation group of GEM practitioners on “GEM for gender and ICT policy advocacy--entry points and processes”.

In many countries, a national ICT policy is non-existent, and so knowing what kind of spaces exist to engage in ICT policy advocacy can be very difficult and these arenas will seem very elusive. Most of these ICT policy-making arenas prioritise the participation of the private sector and very little of civil society. Very few at national level, prioritise the full participation of women and women’s rights advocates. Knowing what opportunities exist and how to get engaged and heard at these different entry points in order to influence policy-making will be the challenge for gender and ICT advocates. But knowledge alone of where these entry points for gender advocacy are, is insufficient. Being evidence-informed and knowing how to use the information and data collected despite the intensity, pace and other challenges of the policy engagement process, should be the ultimate aim. The use of GEM can support the capacity-building of both budding and experienced gender and IT advocates, in becoming more evidence-informed and in becoming more and better engaged in ICT policy advocacy, with a gender perspective.

The objectives of adapting GEM for gender and ICT policy advocacy is to ensure that GEM is relevant, more concrete, more user-friendly and more easily applicable for key actors and stakeholders who work or want to work in this area, of gender and ICT policy advocacy. This second phase of the GEM project aims to contribute to strengthening gender and ICT advocacy by developing a thematic adaptation guide on GEM, that encourages at all levels, both the participatory and inclusive approach in evaluation, and to include within that evaluation process, the requirement of considering and addressing gender and ICT issues.

Specific objectives of the thematic adaptation are:

• To identify gender considerations in planning, developing and implementing evaluations in the context of national ICT policy processes, or in the context of an absence of these processes.
• To assess how gender advocacy in national ICT policy processes. can be strengthened through the use of GEM.
• To assess how gender and ICT advocacy can be encouraged across movements and non-ICT issue focused groups.
• To develop recommendations for gender advocacy in national ICT policy processes and related processes
• To identify what inputs, activities and learning can effectively build capacity of gender and ICT advocates in gender evaluation