Supervisors Move Forward on Gender Impact Assessment Implementation
LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and co-authored by Chair Lindsey P. Horvath which aims to continue to implement its commitment towards increased gender equity in service and resource delivery for the next five years.
On January 5, 2021, the Board of Supervisors adopted the principles ratified by the United Nations for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Later that year, on November 16, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance on the Implementation of the Principles of the CEDAW organized into distinct target areas: economic development, education, housing and homelessness, gender-based violence and harassment, health care, justice-impacted women, voting rights, and civic engagement. Following a presentation by the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office’s Women and Girls Initiative (WGI) the following year, the Board of Supervisors enacted a Countywide Management Appraisal and Performance Plan (MAPP) goal for Fiscal Years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, directing each County department to develop gender equity goals in the areas of workforce, leadership, and external services, to be carried out within five years.
To support departments in the development of gender equity goals, the WGI coached each County department on the Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) program. The GIA is the methodology the County employs to improve its understanding of people’s different needs based on gender and other sociodemographic variables and questions the assumption that policies, programs, and services affect or benefit everyone in the same way.
“I am proud that all 39 of our departments have developed goals and strategies to address gender disparities and measure progress over time,” said Supervisor Solis. “However, implementation of these goals and marked improvement to overall gender equity is a multi-year effort. To that end, we must support our departments in implementing these Countywide gender equity goals and produce tangible results. Mandating a five-year MAPP goal to track progress will yield proven outcomes toward increased gender equity.”
Today’s motion directed the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office to develop a five-year Management Appraisal and Performance Plan (MAPP) gender equity goal for all County departments through Fiscal Year 2024-2029 so that they can report on their progress towards their Gender Impact Assessment goals, strategies, and metrics during the annual MAPP reporting period.
