Applying an intersectional lens to risk-informed development

This factsheet takes a closer look at applying an intersectional lens to strengthen risk-informed development. Intersectional thinking challenges ‘one size-fits-all’ approaches to capacity building by exposing explicit and implicit assumptions about predefined social categories.

Some of the entry points for applying an intersectional lens to risk-informed development:

• Allow for contextual complexity - Refrain from simplifying a context. Acknowledge the complexity. Avoid generalizations—recognise intra-group difference in terms of risk exposure and that communities are neither homogenous nor static. Find measures to ensure the involvement of individuals and groups who are in particularly vulnerable situations.
• Relevant data is key - Find, collect, and share as much disaggregated data about the context as possible to track existing social inequalities, risks and intersecting modes of discrimination that include categories such as gender, age, disability, income, ethnicity, etc. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel here—use existing data or analyses on inequality as a starting point to find entry points
• Build bridges and use synergy effects - Broaden your project horizon and prioritise collaboration internally: Align action to target intersectional inequalities