Gender and Elections

Topic IndexKey concepts about gender and gender equality

This topic area uses the following terminology:

Gender can be understood as “the roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society at a given time considers appropriate for men and women.” These realities are socially constructed and learned through socialization. They are context and time specific and are subject to change.[1] Although traditional forms of gender identity are based on the binary categorization of men and women, gender realities are diverse and fluid, constantly evolving, and the binary logic might restrict freedom and possibilities of human beings, especially for transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming people.
Gender balance refers to the participation of an approximately equal number of women and men within an activity or organization. Examples are representation in committees, decision-making structures or staffing levels between women and men.[2]
Gender equality means equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities for women and men, girls and boys. Equality does not mean that women and men are the same but that women’s and men’s opportunities, rights and responsibilities do not depend on whether they are born or they identify themselves as female or male. It implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration.[3]
Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policy or programs, in all areas and at all levels. Gender mainstreaming in EMBs ensures that women’s and men’s concerns, needs and experiences are taken fully into account in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all activities. Through this process, the EMB seeks to reduce the gaps in development opportunities between women and men and work towards equality between them as an integral part of the organization’s strategy, policies and operations, and the focus of continued efforts to achieve excellence. The term “gender integration” is also used in some contexts.[4]
Gender-sensitive takes into consideration the diversity of various groups of women and men, their specific activities and challenges.[5]
Gender-specific or gender-targeted interventions seek to tackle specific areas where women are unrepresented or disadvantaged, including through the adoption of TSM, and are part of a comprehensive gender mainstreaming approach.[6]
LGBTI stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex”. This acronym is generally used to refer to persons with diverse gender identity or sexual orientation, or groups advocating for their human rights. However, there is a wide range of expressions often used to refer to these communities, including LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning) or LGBT+ (the plus is inclusive of other groups, such as asexual, intersex, queer, questioning, etc.), among others. When referring to specific cases or examples, this topic area reproduces their own terminology, using the term referred by the source. LGBTI groups are not homogeneous and gather people with different interests and needs.
Sex-disaggregated data are collected and tabulated separately for women and men. They allow for the measurement of differences between women and men on various social and economic dimensions.[7]

[1] UN Women Training Centre’s Gender Equality Glossary

See: https://trainingcentre.unwomen.org/mod/glossary/view.php

[2] UNDP and UN Women (2016): “Inclusive Electoral Processes: A Guide for Electoral Management Bodies on Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Participation”, p. 6.

Main contributors: Julie Ballington, Gabrielle Bardall, Sonia Palmieri and Kate Sullivan.

See: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-governance/electoral_systemsandprocesses/guide-for-electoral-management-bodies-on-promoting-gender-equali.html

[3] UNDP and UN Women (2016): op. cit., p. 6.

[4] UNDP and UN Women (2016): op. cit., p. 6.

[5] UNDP and UN Women (2016): op. cit., p. 6.

[6] UNDP and UN Women (2016): op. cit., p. 6.

[7] UNDP and UN Women (2016): op. cit., p. 6.

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Gender and Elections