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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 1 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 2 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. 3
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