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Understanding Gender and Gender Equality. Some Thoughts. “The status of women indicates the character of the country” – Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru
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Some Thoughts • “The status of women indicates the character of the country” – Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru • “All nations have attained greatness by paying proper respect to women. That country and that nation which does not respect women has never become great nor will it ever be in future.” – Swami Vivekananda
Some Facts !! • Women perform 2/3rds of the world’s WORK • EARN 1/10th of world’s INCOME • Are 2/3rds of the world’s POOR • OWN less than 1/100th of the world’s PROPERTY (Source: UN statistics )
Definitions • Gender – Gender refers to the socially constructed roles ascribed to males and females. These roles, which are learned, change over time and vary widely with and between cultures • Sex – Biological distinction between males and females. Determined with reference to genetic and anatomical characteristics. • Empowerment of women
Sex Natural – biologically constructed Constant everywhere Normally unalterable Aspect of physical inequality Innate and not learned Categorizes as male and female Gender Socio-cultural, society-made Variable with time, place and culture Attributes can be changed Aspect of social inequality and unequal power Learned behavior Normative behavior expected from society Sex and Gender - differences
Gender defines… • Behaviour – how to talk, walk and laugh • Dress Code – what to wear, what not to wear • Roles – what kind of work to do and what not to do • Responsibilities – housework, office-work, cooking, cleaning, child-rearing • Mobility – where to go, what time to go, what time not to go, how far to go • Rights – property, maintenance
Gender division of labour • Caring/ nurturing – breadwinning • Low paid – high paid • Repetitive – skilled • Movement of jobs from men to women
Manifestations of Gender • Son-Preference • Discrimination in food distribution • Lack of educational facilities • Masculine vs. Feminine concept • Lack of mobility • Lack of right to property • No space in decision-making
Gender-based Violence • Infancy: discrimination • Childhood: child labour, child marriage, child abuse, discrimination • Adolescence: ,sexual harassment, rape, traafficking, commercial sex work • Adulthood: domestic violence, cruelty and death due to dowry • Old Age: widow, abuse, lack of access to care, nutrition & medical facilities
Gender relations • Gender relations are those social relations which refer systematically to those aspects which create and reproduce systematic differences in positioning of men and women
Gender is another axis of inequality along with caste and class • Women are not a homogenous group
Five dimensions • Rules: how things get done • Resources: what is used, what is produced • People: who is in, who is out, who does what • Activities what is done • Power whose interests are served
Approach to Equality • Formal equality regards women and men as being the same and therefore sets out to treat women the same as men. Its principle aim is to achieve equal treatment
Formal Equality • Formal equality does not take into account biological and gender differences between men & women. • Its‘neutral’ standards are in fact based on male experiences and standards.By imposing male standards on women, it excludes or disables women from equal access, opportunities and participation. • It promotes “gender bias and blindness” which reinforces dominant standards based on male experiences & interests
Protectionist Approach Recognizes the difference and prescribes different treatment. However in its recognition of difference, it reinforces rather than challenges gender differences and stereotypes, often barring women from doing certain things in their own interest, or limiting their spheres of activity.
Protectionist Approach • Approach is“likes are to be treated alike”, and in recognition of gender differences, it seeks to treat women differently. • Eg. women are prohibited from night work/migrating because it is considered to be unsafe for them. Or for instance, preference to women for jobs such as nursing, teaching based on a naturalised understanding of women’s nursing and caring roles. • Rather than focus on the external, structural or systemic cause for subordination and stereotyping of women, this approach endorses rather than corrects it.
The approach is dis-empowering as it accepts difference as ‘natural’ rather than socially constructed. It perpetuates the differences and the disadvantages that come with it.
Substantive equality Substantive equality approach recognizes that some people are in an unequal position & have to be treated differently from others in order for them to benefit equally. E.g. if night work is involved, the Environment should be made safe for women to work. It is concerned not just with equal opportunity but also with equality of results. E.g. to remove gender stereotyping in job market, it calls for an Equal Opportunities policy to give women and other marginalised groups a priority in jobs and positions from which they have historically been excluded, if they meet the required qualifications
Substantive Equality Approach • Stipulates not only formal legal equality • but correction of historical, systemic and • structural barriers to enable equality of • results in real terms • Equality of opportunity • Equality of access and • Equality of results It takes into account and focuses on diversity, difference, disadvantage and discrimination. It deploys affirmative action through use of temporary special measures to accelerate social change. Seeks a paradigm shift from “equal treatment” to “equality of outcomes”
Why Gender training is important? • A development intervention • Awareness to influence behavior & attitude • Influences personal and professional life • Helps in realization of full potential of both men and women • Helps promote millennium development goal (MDG) of gender equality and empowerment of women
