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GENDER EQUALITY: GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS
GENDER EQUALITY
Glossary of Terms and Concepts
UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia
November 2017
Rui Nomoto
GENDER EQUALITY: GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS
GLOSSARY
freedoms in the political, economic, social,
a cultural, civil or any other field” [United Nations,
1979. ‘Convention on the Elimination of all forms
AA-HA! Accelerated Action for the Health of of Discrimination Against Women,’ Article 1].
Adolescents Discrimination can stem from both law (de jure) or
A global partnership, led by WHO and of which from practice (de facto). The CEDAW Convention
UNICEF is a partner, that offers guidance in the recognizes and addresses both forms of
country context on adolescent health and discrimination, whether contained in laws,
development and puts a spotlight on adolescent policies, procedures or practice.
health in regional and global health agendas.
• de jure discrimination
Adolescence e.g., in some countries, a woman is not
The second decade of life, from the ages of 10- allowed to leave the country or hold a job
19. Young adolescence is the age of 10-14 and without the consent of her husband.
late adolescence age 15-19. This period between
childhood and adulthood is a pivotal opportunity to • de facto discrimination
consolidate any loss/gain made in early e.g., a man and woman may hold the
childhood. All too often adolescents - especially same job position and perform the same
girls - are endangered by violence, limited by a duties, but their benefits may differ.
lack of quality education and unable to access
i
critical health services. UNICEF focuses on
helping adolescents navigate risks and
vulnerabilities and take advantage of e
opportunities.
Adolescent Health in All Policies (AHiAP) Empowerment
An approach to public policies across sectors that Refers to increasing the personal, political, social
systematically takes into account the implications or economic strength of individuals and
of decisions for adolescent health, avoids harmful communities. Empowerment of women and girls
effects and seeks synergies – to improve concerns women and girls gaining power and
adolescent health and health equity. A strategy control over their own lives. It involves
that facilitates the formulation of adolescent- awareness-raising, building self-confidence,
responsive public policies in all sectors, and not expansion of choices, increased access to and
ii control over resources and actions to transform
just within the health sector. the structures and institutions which reinforce and
perpetuate gender discrimination and inequality.
d The core of empowerment lies in the ability of a
person to control their own destiny. This implies
that to be empowered women and girls must not
Discrimination (gender discrimination) only have equal capabilities (such as education
and health) and equal access to resources and
“Any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on opportunities (such as land and employment), but
the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of
impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment they must also have the agency to use these
or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital rights, capabilities, resources and opportunities to
status, on the basis of equality of men and make strategic choices and decisions (such as is
women, of human rights and fundamental
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GENDER EQUALITY: GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS
provided through leadership opportunities and boys in certain situations or contexts. Gender
iii
participation in political institutions). analysis examines the relationships between
females and males and their access to and
control of resources and the constraints they face
g relative to each other. A gender analysis should
be integrated into the humanitarian needs
assessment and in all sector assessments or
Gender Action Plan (GAP) situational analyses to ensure that gender-based
The UNICEF Gender Action Plan serves to injustices and inequalities are not exacerbated by
reinforce the commitments to gender found in the humanitarian interventions, and that when
possible, greater equality and justice in gender
organization’s periodic strategic plans. The v
first GAP covered the five-year period 2014-2017 relations are promoted.
and the second GAP will cover 2018-2021. The
document specifies how UNICEF intends to Gender balance
promote gender equality across all of the This is a human resource issue calling for equal
participation of women and men in all areas of
organization’s work at global, regional and country work (international and national staff at all levels,
levels, in alignment with the UNICEF Strategic including at senior positions) and in programmes
Plan. The 2018-2021 GAP also serves as that agencies initiate or support (e.g. food
UNICEF’s roadmap for supporting the distribution programmes). Achieving a balance in
achievement of gender equality goals as outlined staffing patterns and creating a working
in Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable environment that is conducive to a diverse
Development Goals (SDGs) during the period. workforce improves the overall effectiveness of
our policies and programmes, and will enhance
Gender
agencies’ capacity to better serve the entire
A social and cultural construct, which vi
distinguishes differences in the attributes of men population.
and women, girls and boys, and accordingly
refers to the roles and responsibilities of men and Gender-based constraints
women. Gender-based roles and other attributes, Constraints that women or men face that are a
therefore, change over time and vary with result of their gender. An example of constraints
different cultural contexts. The concept of gender women farmers face might be not having title to
includes the expectations held about the their land, male dominated cooperative
characteristics, aptitudes and likely behaviours of membership, being more tied to their homes
both women and men (femininity and masculinity). preventing access to extension services.
This concept is useful in analyzing how commonly Constraints that are not based on gender are
vii
shared practices legitimize discrepancies between referred to as general constraints.
iv
sexes. Gender-based violence (GBV)
An umbrella term for any harmful act that is
Gender accommodating
Similar to the concept of gender sensitivity, perpetrated against a person’s will and that is
gender accommodating means not only being based on socially ascribed (gender) differences
aware of gender differences but also adjusting between females and males. The nature and
and adapting to those differences. However, extent of specific types of GBV vary across
gender accommodating does not address the cultures, countries and regions. Examples include
inequalities generated by unequal norms, roles sexual violence, including sexual
and relations (i.e., no remedial or transformative exploitation/abuse and forced prostitution,
action is developed). domestic violence, trafficking, forced/early
marriage, harmful traditional practices such as
female genital mutilation, honour killings and
Gender analysis viii
A critical examination of how differences in widow inheritance.
gender roles, activities, needs, opportunities and
rights/entitlements affect men, women, girls and
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GENDER EQUALITY: GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS
Gender-based violence in emergencies Gender disparities
(GBViE) Statistical differences (often referred to as “gaps”)
In emergencies, such as conflict or natural between men and women, boys and girls that
disasters, the risk of violence, exploitation and reflect an inequality in some quantity.
abuse is heightened, particularly for women and
ix Gender equality
girls. At the same time, national systems and
community and social support networks may The concept that women and men, girls and boys
weaken. An environment of impunity may mean have equal conditions, treatment and
that perpetrators are not held to account. Pre- opportunities for realizing their full potential,
existing gender inequalities may be exacerbated. human rights and dignity, and for contributing to
Women and adolescent girls are often at (and benefitting from) economic, social, cultural
particular risk of sexual violence, exploitation and and political development. Gender equality is,
abuse, forced or early marriage, denial of therefore, the equal valuing by society of the
resources and harmful traditional practices. Men similarities and the differences of men and
and boys may also be survivors. GBV has women, and the roles they play. It is based on
significant and long-lasting impacts on the health women and men being full partners in the home,
and psychological, social and economic well- community and society. Equality does not mean
x that women and men will become the same but
being of survivors and their families.
that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities
Gender bias and opportunities will not depend on whether they
Making decisions based on gender that result in are born male or female.
favoring one gender over the other which often
results in contexts that are favoring men and/or Gender equality implies that the interests, needs
boys over women and/or girls. and priorities of both women and men and girls
and boys are taken into consideration,
recognizing the diversity of different groups and
Gender-biased sex selection that all human beings are free to develop their
personal abilities and make choices without the
“Sex selection can take place before a pregnancy limitations set by stereotypes and prejudices
is established, during pregnancy through prenatal about gender roles. Gender equality is a matter of
sex detection and selective abortion, or following human rights and is considered a precondition for,
birth through infanticide or child neglect. Sex and indicator of, sustainable people-centred
selection is sometimes used for family balancing development.
purposes but far more typically occurs because of
a systematic preference for boys. The biologically
normal sex ratio at birth ranges from 102 to 106 Gender equity
males per 100 females. However, ratios higher The process of being fair to men and women,
than normal – sometimes as high as 130 – have boys and girls, and importantly the equality of
been observed. This is now causing increasing outcomes and results. Gender equity may involve
concern in some South Asian, East Asian and the use of temporary special measures to
xi
Central Asian countries. ” (See: son preference.) compensate for historical or systemic bias or
discrimination. It refers to differential treatment
Gender blindness that is fair and positively addresses a bias or
The failure to recognize that the roles and disadvantage that is due to gender roles or norms
responsibilities of men/boys and women/girls are or differences between the sexes. Equity ensures
given to them in specific social, cultural, economic that women and men and girls and boys have an
and political contexts and backgrounds. Projects, equal chance, not only at the starting point, but
programmes, policies and attitudes which are also when reaching the finishing line. It is about
gender blind do not take into account these the fair and just treatment of both sexes that takes
different roles and diverse needs, maintain status into account the different needs of the men and
quo, and will not help transform the unequal women, cultural barriers and (past) discrimination
xii xiii
structure of gender relations. of the specific group.
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