2020-21 Departmental Results Report: Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus Capacity

CIHR has a GBA Plus Framework to coordinate related work and to operationalize commitments to the Health Portfolio and Department for Women and Gender Equality. The Framework seeks to build GBA Plus organizational capacity and sustain the practice of GBA Plus through three streams:

• GBA Plus in CIHR-Funded Research: Aims to ensure that GBA Plus is taken into account in research design, methods, analysis and interpretation and/or dissemination of findings.
  • Operationalized through the Sex and Gender-Based Analysis in Research Action Plan and the Institute of Gender and Health Strategic Plan.
• GBA Plus in CIHR’s Workplace: Aims to ensure CIHR conducts its business in an equitable manner.
  • Operationalized through federal legislation (such as the Employment Equity Act, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and the Official Languages Act) and policies (Harassment in the Workplace Policy).

The CIHR GBA Plus Responsibility Centre leads, enhances, supports, and monitors implementation of CIHR’s GBA Plus Framework and the actual practice of GBA Plus. CIHR has a Co-Champion model for GBA Plus. The Vice President, Research Programs serves as one GBA Plus Co-Champion and is responsible for implementation of GBA Plus across CIHR with support from the GBA Plus Focal Point and staff within the Science Policy branch. The Scientific Director, Institute of Gender and Health, serves as the other GBA Plus Co-Champion and provides guidance on the implementation of Sex and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA) in the context of health research. Strategic guidance on GBA Plus-related matters is provided by Science Council, while operational guidance and decision-making is provided by senior management. CIHR’s Governing Council, the committee responsible for developing and approving CIHR’s strategic directions, has EDI as a recurring agenda item and also applies an EDI lens to deliberations. All CIHR staff and members of CIHR’s Governing Council are required to complete the Department of Women and Gender Equality GBA Plus Training Module, as well as training on Unconscious Bias and Indigenous cultural awareness offered through the Canadian School of Public Service. To monitor GBA Plus in CIHR-funded research, CIHR tracks integration of sex and gender in all research proposals. CIHR monitors GBA Plus in all of its funding programs through the Tri-Agency Self-Identification Questionnaire, which collects information on applicant age, gender, and whether someone identifies as Indigenous, a visible minority or a person with a disability. In program evaluations, CIHR administers surveys to applicants and recipients to monitor differential impacts of funding programs on four designated employment equity groups and gender. To monitor GBA Plus in CIHR’s workplace, CIHR tracks GBA Plus training completed by staff and Governing Council members, and participates in Health Portfolio-wide surveys to assess staff knowledge and application of GBA Plus.

In 2020–21, CIHR released its new strategic plan: CIHR Strategic Plan 2021–2031, A Vision for Healthier Future, which will prioritize activities that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) among researchers. Its accompanying Action Plan for Year 1 (2021–22) outlines key actions CIHR will undertake in the next five years to strengthen Canadian health research capacity and promote EDI.

CIHR is also working with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to implement a Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan, which includes activities that cut across the three areas of CIHR’s GBA Plus Framework. Work is governed through an Interagency Committee on EDI and implemented by an Interagency EDI Policy Working Group.

Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by Program

Core Responsibility: Funding health research and training

Program Name: Investigator-Initiated Research

Target Population: All Canadians

Distribution of Benefits:

Key Impacts:

Other:
In 2020–21, CIHR developed an engagement strategy to gather qualitative input from racialized and Indigenous communities about the barriers they face and what can be done to address systemic racism in Canada’s health research funding system. In early 2021, CIHR hosted an online discussion; additional engagement activities will be implemented in 2021-22. The findings will be used to develop an action plan to address systemic racism in the health research funding system.

Supplementary Information Sources:
Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-400-X2016304.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In May 2018, CIHR implemented a mandatory Self-Identification Questionnaire for applicants to all funding programs. Developed in collaboration with its Tri-Agency partners NSERC and SSHRC, the questionnaire collects information on five equity dimensions (described above), which will be used to enable effective monitoring of equity in CIHR’s funding system and inform evidence-based policy solutions to increase EDI in the research enterprise.

Using data collected from the Self-Identification Questionnaire, CIHR monitors and reports on the performance indicator “# and diversity of researchers and trainees supported” across all of CIHR’s programs. Aggregate results are reported internally, in the Program Information Profiles and externally to the Canadian Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) and on CIHR’s website. In addition, results from the 2020 Spring and Fall Project Grant competitions will be posted on CIHR’s website in summer of 2021.

Research in Priority Areas

Target Population: All Canadians

Distribution of Benefits:

Key Impacts:

Other:
Please see description above in Investigator-Initiated research.

Supplementary Information Sources:
Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-400-X2016304.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Please see description above in Investigator-Initiated research. CIHR monitors and reports on the performance indicator “# and diversity of researchers and trainees supported” across all of CIHR’s programs. Aggregate results are reported internally, in the Program Information Profiles and externally to the Canadian Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC).

Training and Career Support

Target Population: All Canadians

Distribution of Benefits:

Key Impacts:

Other:
Please see description above in Investigator-Initiated research.

Supplementary Information Sources:
Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-400-X2016304.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Please see description above in Investigator-Initiated research. CIHR will monitor and report on the performance indicator “# and diversity of researchers and trainees supported” across all of CIHR’s programs. Aggregate results are reported internally, in the Program Information Profiles and externally to the CRCC.

Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework

Core Responsibility: Funding health research and training

Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework

Core Responsibility: Funding health research and training

Date modified:

2022-02-01