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Developed by IFPRI, the WEAGov framework helps identify opportunities to close the gender representation gaps and provides a systematic approach to monitoring progress in women’s empowerment within agrifood systems governance over time.
Image Source: IFPRI
Women’s voices in policymaking are key to ensuring that women can exercise control over the policy decisions that affect their lives, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and promoting equitable governance. By providing a way to assess women’s voice in the agrifood policy process, Women’s Empowerment in Agrifood Governance (WEAGov) helps identify opportunities to close the gender representation gap and monitor progress in women’s empowerment within agrifood systems governance over time.
WEAGov examines three stages of the policy cycle: (1) policy design, (2) policy implementation, and (3) policy evaluation. The policy design component focuses on how different policy problems rise to the policy agenda, how policy solutions are formulated and designed, and how they are adopted. The policy implementation component assesses how policies are translated into practice, including budget allocation and organizational strategies for service delivery. Lastly, the evaluation component assesses how policies align with their objectives and initiates reforms.
At each stage of the policymaking cycle, WEAGov considers three dimensions of women’s voice and agency: consideration, inclusion, and influence. Consideration refers to how the different needs of men and women are addressed. Inclusion is about ensuring opportunities for women, and influence addresses women’s ability to shape the direction and design of policy outcomes.
Figure 1. WEAGov Indicators
Drawing on the preliminary research published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the WEAGov framework was applied in pilot studies in India and Nigeria to assess women’s empowerment in agrifood policy processes. These pilot studies were based on surveys involving more than 200 agrifood organizations and policy experts across the public and private sectors, civil society, and research communities in both countries. Findings reveal that while agrifood policy documents often incorporate gender priorities in principle, significant gaps remain in budgeting, implementation, and evaluation. Prevailing social attitudes and limited awareness of policies, regulations, and legal rights remain major constraints on women’s meaningful engagement in policy processes.
Based on the two-country pilots, WEAGov identified priority areas for strengthening women’s inclusion and leadership in public policy processes and highlighted key entry points for action. The framework also demonstrated its value as a tool to existing approaches that assess policy impacts at the individual and household levels, as well as community-based evaluations of policies and services.
Reference:
Kyle, J. and Ragasa, C. (December 2025). Are Food Policies Empowering Women? Framework, Measurement, and Empirical Evidence from India and Nigeria. IFPRI Discussion Paper No. 02395. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. Retrieved April 22, 2026 from https://cgspace.cgiar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/74b9320d-6769-423f-942e-dff5aa200348/content
