{"id":23393,"date":"2020-12-01T13:20:12","date_gmt":"2017-03-13T03:21:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lawin.org?p=23393"},"modified":"2020-12-01T13:20:12","modified_gmt":"2017-03-13T03:21:56","slug":"gender-equality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawin.org\/gender-equality\/","title":{"rendered":"Gender Equality"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gender Equality<\/h1>\n

Gender Equality and the United Nations<\/h2>\n

The United Nations has the responsibility to ensure that all its actions promote and protect gender equality and women\u2019s empowerment. UN efforts to help establish the rule of law for all on the basis of equality are essential to this end. Advancing gender equality and empowering women are widely recognized as ends in themselves as well as means to achieve the UN goals of sustainable peace and security, human rights protection, and sustainable economic and social development.<\/p>\n

Gender-based discrimination permeates all cultures, and is often manifested in the laws, policies, and practices of institutions. For example, in many countries women are not afforded the same inheritance rights and property rights as men, nor are they allowed to testify in court. Even where constitutional guarantees provide for equality and laws protect women\u2019s rights, discriminatory practices by law enforcement and security services, courts, lawyers and social services can serve as major obstacles to women\u2019s security and access to justice. Customary and traditional norms and practices, including informal justice mechanisms, may perpetuate gross violations of the rights of women and girls.<\/p>\n

Such de facto and de jure inequality is exacerbated by conflict and crisis. Women and girls constitute the majority of refugees and displaced persons, and are increasingly targeted by combatants. Sexual violence and other grave violations of women\u2019s dignity inflict severe suffering on victims. Discrimination in laws and institutions with respect to employment, property and inheritance rights, reproductive health, and marriage and family matters heighten women\u2019s vulnerability both in conflict and post conflict. Yet, conflict and crisis involve transformations in gender relations. Peace processes and the post-conflict environment can thus provide a unique opportunity for progress on gender equality.<\/p>\n

The UN rule of law approach<\/a> seeks to realize international human rights norms and standards related to gender, in particular the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW provides a definition of discrimination that emphasizes de facto improvements in women’s lives, and requires States to “embody the principle of the equality of women and men in their national constitutions or other appropriate legislation.” Legal reform must involve not only removal of discriminatory provisions from existing laws, but also the drafting of new laws needed to support measures to achieve gender equality. Effective implementation of laws requires training and awareness-raising of those responsible to enforce and uphold the rule of law, and the provision of the necessary financial and human resources.<\/p>\n

Relevant norms and standards include implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325, which requires that peace agreements include measures that ensure the protection of and respect for human rights of women and girls, particularly as they relate to the constitution, the electoral system, the police and the judiciary, and resolutions 1820 and 1888 which stress the importance of ending impunity for sexual violence during and after conflicts, and strengthening the capacities of national institutions, in particular judicial systems to this end.<\/p>\n

Mainstreaming gender equality and women\u2019s empowerment considerations in UN rule of law activities involves constitutional and legal reform, supporting women\u2019s voices and concerns in the development of priorities, strategies and plans, empowering women to participate as actors in the institutions and processes that make law, and enforce and uphold the rule of law, and ensuring substantive efforts address women\u2019s needs, and further de facto their security and protection of their rights.<\/p>\n

While all UN entities are responsible for integrating gender equality in their activities, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) has been created to consolidate the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system: United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM); the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues (OSAGI); the Division of the Advancement of Women (DAW) in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA); and the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW). Inter-agency mechanisms such as the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE) and UN Action on Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict are also playing key roles in enhancing women\u2019s equality and empowerment.<\/p>\n

Gender Equality in Election Law<\/h2>\n

Also known as sex equality, sexual equality or equality of the genders, this refers to the view that men and women should receive equal treatment and should not be discriminated against based on gender, unless there is a sound biological reason for different treatment. The goal is enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which seeks to create equality in law and in social situations, such as in democratic activities and in securing equal pay for equal work<\/p>\n

Gender Gap in Election Law<\/h2>\n

The difference between men and women in terms of how they benefit from education, employment, services, etc.<\/p>\n

Gender Impact Assessment in Election Law<\/h2>\n

Examining policy proposals to see whether they will affect women and men differently, with a view to adapting these proposals to make sure that any discriminatory effects are neutralised and that gender equality is promoted.<\/p>\n

Gender Equality (in the Human Development Area)<\/h2>\n

In this context, Gender Equality means: a situation in which the different behaviors, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and promoted equally. Women and men have equal conditions for realizing their full human rights and for contributing to, and benefiting from, economic social, cultural and political development. This does not mean that women and men must become the same, but that their rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they were born male or female. Gender equality implies that all human beings, male and female, are free to develop their personal capacities and make decisions.<\/p>\n

Gender-related Development Index (gdi) (in the Human Development Area)<\/h2>\n

In this context, Gender-related Development Index (gdi) means: a composite index measuring average achievement in the three basic dimensions captured in the human development index—a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living—adjusted to account for inequalities between men and women. While the HDI measures average achievement, the GDI adjusts the average achievement to reflect inequalities between men and women in the following dimensions: A long and healthy life, as measured by life expectancy at birth.Knowledge, as measured by the adult literacy rate and the combined primery, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment ratio. A decent standard of living, as measured by estimated earned income (PPP US$).<\/p>\n

Gender Equality<\/h2>\n

Resources<\/h2>\n

See Also<\/h3>\n

Further Reading<\/h3>\n