Public investment management reform (PIM): how to integrate gender perspective

UN Women Ukraine, in partnership with the DREAM and the Open Contracting Partnership, has launched a study on the gender responsiveness of Ukraine’s public investment management system. The study is being conducted under the project “Supporting Inclusive Recovery and EU Accession of Ukraine”, with financial support from the Government of Canada.

The study aims to understand how the needs, risks and opportunities of different gender groups are considered when preparing and appraising public investment projects, and to propose practical solutions to improve this process.

Why does this matter?

Incorporating sex-disaggregated data at the project preparation stage helps to understand better how planned investments may affect women and men, including their access to resources, services and infrastructure, as well as their safety and economic opportunities.

This approach makes it possible to identify different needs and potential barriers before investment decisions are made and to take them into account when planning projects. As a result, public investments can be more targeted, effective and responsive to the needs of different population groups.

What does the study involve?

As part of this joint effort, the team is:

• Analysing international practices in gender-responsive public investment management.
• Reviewing Ukraine’s legal and regulatory framework and methodology for public investment management.
• Examining how project and programme initiators incorporate gender considerations into their initiatives.
• Conducting interviews with representatives of central, regional and local authorities, as well as civil society.
• Developing recommendations to improve approaches, methodological materials, digital tools and gender indicators within the public investment management system.

What is already available in DREAM?

The DREAM digital ecosystem already includes tools that enable the consideration of important social aspects throughout the project cycle, from assessing potential risks and impacts to analysing different groups’ access to services and opportunities, consulting target groups and planning relevant measures.

The study will help identify how these capabilities can be strengthened and how a gender-responsive approach can be more systematically integrated into public investment management.

The findings are expected to contribute to the continued improvement of the PIM system, helping ensure that public investment decisions are more evidence-based, transparent and responsive to the needs of different population groups.