 GENDER
DIFFERENCE
Those differences between women
and men which are freely chosen and
value-neutral.
Most 'differences'
between men and women however, even
where they may involve an element
of choice (e.g. what to wear) are
nevertheless embedded in structures
of gender inequality which generally
ascribe lower value to women's choices
and perpetuate unequal access to
power and resources. Return
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GENDER EQUALITY
Elimination of
those differences which ascribe
lower value to women's choices
and perpetuate unequal power and
resources.
Also refers to those
more limited areas where men's
choices and access to power and
resources are limited.
A distinction
is often made between equality
of opportunity and equality
of outcome to allow for the possibility
that women and men may freely
make different life choices.
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|
 GENDER EQUITY
The condition of fairness
and equality of opportunity whereby
gender is no longer a basis for discrimination
and inequality between people.
In
a gender equitable society both
women and men enjoy equal status,
rights, levels of responsibility,
and access to power and resources.
This enables them to make their own
informed, realisable and free life
choices. Return to top |
 WOMEN'S
EMPOWERMENT
The process through which women,
who are currently most discriminated
against, achieve gender equity.
This
will include support for men to
change those aspects of their behaviour,
roles and privileges which currently
discriminate against women.
The
extent of current disadvantage
and inequality means that women's
empowerment may require support by
development agencies at household,
community and macro levels.
For more on empowerment concepts
Click here
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INTERNATIONAL
WOMEN'S RIGHTS UNDER CEDAW
Women's Rights have
been established by International
agreements which have ensured that
women are treated as 'human' and
hence included covered by International
Human Rights Conventions. In particular
women's human rights are specified
in the international Convention on
Eradication of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW) adopted by the UN Assembly
in 1979 to which most countries are
signatories.
- rights to life, liberty, security
of person and freedom from violence
and degrading treatment and freedom
of movement
- legal equality and protection
by the law including equal rights
in marriage including women’s
equal rights to make decisions
in their family regarding property,
marriage and children, property
and resources.
- right to own property and freedom
from deprivation of property
- freedom of thought, opinion and
association
- right to work, freedom from exploitation
and right to rest and leisure
- right to a standard of living
adequate for health and right to
education including special care
for mothers.
These rights grant to women rights
which most men would take for granted
as the ideal, if not the reality
for many poor men, men from ethnic
minorities or living under oppressive
regimes.
For more about CEDAW Click
here |
Gender means both women and men: