As indicated in the Grants and Awards Guide, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) expects that all research applicants will integrate sex and gender into their research designs when appropriate. CIHR has implemented a requirement that all grant applicants respond to mandatory questions about whether their research designs include sex and gender (effective December 2010). These questions are part of CIHR's wider strategy for meeting the requirements of a 2009 federal government (Health Portfolio) policy on sex and gender based analysis.
One helpful tool for applicants and peer reviewers is the Sex, Gender and Health Research Guide: A Tool for CIHR Applicants. This document includes CIHR's definitions for gender and sex-based analysis and more information on applying gender and sex-based analysis to research proposals.