Overview ¶

GEOE3 (Geospatial Enabling Environments for Employment Spatial Tool) is a user-friendly QGIS plugin that analyses how spatial factors influence women’s economic participation across regions. Originally developed by the World Bank and Kartoza under the name GEEST, GEOE3 provides a comprehensive framework for gender-informed spatial analysis.

The tool helps identify key areas for intervention and enables data-driven decisions toward creating more equitable job opportunities for women across different regions.

Key Features ¶

GEOE3 analyses 15 spatially varying factors across three key dimensions, each scored on a 0-5 scale:

Contextual Factors ¶

The Contextual Dimension refers to laws and policies that shape workplace gender discrimination, financial autonomy, and gender empowerment:

• Workplace Discrimination - Laws addressing gender biases that hinder women’s career advancement, using the WBL 2024 Workplace Index
• Regulatory Frameworks - Laws protecting women’s employment rights, childcare support, and parental leave (WBL Pay & Parenthood Index)
• Financial Inclusion - Laws concerning women’s access to financial resources for starting businesses (WBL Entrepreneurship Index)

Accessibility Factors ¶

The Accessibility Dimension evaluates women’s daily mobility and access to essential services using OpenStreetMap data:

• Women’s Travel Patterns - Access to everyday services (kindergartens, primary schools, groceries, pharmacies, green spaces) with 5 subfactors
• Access to Public Transport - Proximity to bus stops, train stations, and other transport facilities
• Access to Health Facilities - Distance to clinics, hospitals, and healthcare services
• Access to Education and Training Facilities - Proximity to universities and technical training centres
• Access to Financial Facilities - Distance to banks and financial institutions

Place Characterisation ¶

The Place Characterisation Dimension refers to the social, environmental, and infrastructural attributes of locations:

• Active Transport - Walkability and cycling infrastructure
• Safety - Perceived public safety based on street lighting and nighttime illumination
• FCV (Fragility, Conflict & Violence) - Analysis of conflict and political instability using ACLED data
• Education - Proportion of women with higher education attainment
• Digital Inclusion - Availability of digital infrastructure and internet access
• Environmental Hazards - Vulnerability to natural disasters (floods, droughts, landslides, fires, tropical cyclones)
• Water Sanitation - Access to clean water and sanitation facilities

All factors can be weighted according to local context, and results can be exported for further analysis in QGIS or other GIS software.

Installation ¶

Installing GEOE3 in QGIS is straightforward:

1. Open QGIS on your computer
2. Navigate to Plugins → Manage and Install Plugins
3. Search for “GEOE3” or “Geospatial Enabling Environments”
4. Click Install Plugin
5. Once installed, access GEOE3 from the Plugins menu or toolbar

The plugin is also available on GitHub for manual installation or development purposes.

Use Cases ¶

Urban Planning ¶

GEOE3 enables urban planners to identify and address spatial barriers to women’s economic participation by mapping infrastructure gaps, service accessibility, and transportation networks.

Regional Development ¶

GEOE3 helps regional development agencies target resources for gender-equitable growth by identifying areas with the greatest potential for women’s economic empowerment.

Research and Policy Making ¶

Researchers and policymakers can leverage GEOE3’s analytical capabilities to inform gender-responsive policies and track progress toward gender equality goals.

Conclusion ¶

GEOE3 is a game-changer for gender-aware geospatial analysis. By making spatial data accessible and actionable, it empowers decision-makers to build more inclusive communities and workplaces.

For more information, visit the official documentation or contribute to the project on GitHub.