GEDSI Analysis for Inclusive and Transformative Programming: Shaping change and understanding diverse communities at the ground-level

Seeing the Unseen: Why GEDSI Matters

Gender roles and deep-rooted inequalities often determine who has power, who makes decisions, and who gets left behind. These inequalities become even more pronounced during crises where vulnerable groups face heightened risks of exclusion. That’s why, at PIN, every programme starts with a GEDSI Analysis. It helps us understand the realities of those who are most often overlooked and ensure our work prioritises them.

GEDSI goes beyond disaggregated data. It is a participatory, intersectional process that looks at how various social identities—like gender, age, disability, religion, indigeneity, economic status, and location—interact and overlap to shape people’s lived experiences. This allows us to identify who is most at risk or excluded and why, so we can design programmes that leave no one behind.

Listening to Voices That Matter

Take, for instance, our work under the Pratibaddha III project. Through daily activity clocks and in-depth community discussions, we learned that women in remote areas like Bajhang often start their day before sunrise and continue working late into the night. These women juggle unpaid household chores, caregiving, and small-scale income activities. Their labour is relentless, yet invisible.

When asked what would help them participate in community programmes, one woman shared: "If events are held between 12 PM and 4 PM, we can attend after finishing our morning work." 

In Madhesh, another GEDSI analysis revealed that women and girls could not travel beyond their homes without a chaperone. This led us to set up a community learning centre within their neighbourhood, which removed the barrier of distance and increased access to learning.

Unveiling the Decision Making and Participation Patterns

GEDSI Analysis also sheds light on who holds power and who is systematically left out. In the disaster-prone areas covered by the Pratibaddha III project, a clear pattern emerged: men dominated decision-making, within households and at the community level. Despite efforts to promote inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) planning, cultural norms and a lack of awareness continue to silence women, persons with disabilities, landless families, and other groups.

A 40-year-old landless Dalit man with a disability from Kedarsyu Rural Municipality in Bajhang shared, "We are never invited to the community-level decision-making or DRR planning meetings." His words reflect a broader issue—not just of exclusion, but of invisibility.

These insights remind us that inclusion doesn’t just happen. It must be intentional, persistent, and informed by real stories. In response, we are using GEDSI findings to push for structural change—advocating for the participation of marginalised groups in DRR planning, and designing strategies that make room for everyone, especially those whose voices have been missing for far too long. Because when every person has a seat at the table, communities become stronger.

Mapping Inequality to Change It

One of the most powerful aspects of GEDSI Analysis is its ability to uncover the deeply embedded inequalities that shape everyday life; we can use this knowledge to inform change.

In the River+ project, we used Community Service Mapping to understand who had access to services and who lacked it. The findings revealed that most women waste workers were disconnected from even basic information channels, while men typically dominated social networks and decision-making spaces. These insights allowed us to shift how and where we delivered our interventions—adjusting the timing, content, and venue of trainings to meet people where they were.

For example, through the Daily Activity Clock tool, we learned that most Informal Waste Workers (IWWs) began their waste collection work early in the morning and could only attend trainings after 11 AM. In response, all sessions under the Her Safety Package were rescheduled to afternoons, with regular consultation to ensure maximum participation.

Perhaps the most striking finding came during a focus group discussion with four IWWs group in the Kathmandu Valley. When asked about access to government support, only two participants out of 39, both senior citizens, said they were receiving social security allowance. The rest had never even heard of the government’s social protection schemes. For many, it was the first time they learned that such support existed.

In response, we integrated contextualised training on government social protection into the Her Safety Package, targeting marginalised IWWs. The sessions helped participants understand what benefits they might be eligible for, how to apply, and where to seek assistance. It was a step toward not just informing, but empowering individuals to claim their rights and improve their lives.

Through mapping social realities we design interventions that break down barriers. GEDSI Analysis gives us the tools to act with intention, ensuring that no one is left behind - not because we hope they won’t be, but because we planned it that way.

Breaking the Silence on Social Norms

Perhaps the most painful insights come from stories around violence and discrimination. In Kathmandu, during a GEDSI analysis, women IWWs opened up about facing domestic violence, especially from in-laws and partners if they travelled for work without permission. The community also perceived them as “dirty” or “lesser” because of their occupation.

One woman at Teku Dovan confessed: “People think we don’t belong to a good family. We don’t even tell schools what we do, because we fear our children will be discriminated against too.”

These realities led us to expand the Her Safety Package to include sessions on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), reproductive health, and emotional wellbeing. We emphasised that violence is never acceptable, and every person has the right to live free of abuse and stigma. Information about available legal support and GBV services was also shared to promote help-seeking behaviour.

Learning Across Contexts, Adapting with Care

GEDSI Analysis doesn’t stop at one location. Recently, we conducted GEDSI analysis across six rural municipalities in Bajhang, Jajarkot, and Pyuthan, reaching 171 people representing a cross-section of communities, including persons with disabilities, landless families, pregnant and lactating women, and residents of high-risk disaster zones.

We learned about caste-based exclusion where Dalit communities were barred from using water taps near temples. These findings now shape how we select venues for project activities, ensuring no one is denied access based on identity. We're also advocating with local governments to challenge these unjust practices.

From needs like warm clothes for senior citizens to vocational training for women, to accessible transport for people with disabilities, GEDSI helps us tailor our support based on actual needs.

Walking the Talk

Through GEDSI Analysis, we gather stories and struggles and propose solutions to ensure that our programmes break down inequalities. By listening to those most at risk of being excluded, we build initiatives that are grounded in justice, equity, and dignity.

At PIN, GEDSI is a commitment to ensuring every voice is heard, every barrier addressed, and every programme reflects the real needs of the people we serve.

Inclusion is a right, change must be for everyone.