Foundation of Gender Concepts:
What is gender, gender
inequality, and gender based
violence
What Is Gender?
Gender refers to the social differences between males and
females that are learned, and though deeply rooted in
every culture, are changeable over time, and have wide
variations both within and between cultures.
What Is the Difference Between
Gender and Sex?
Sex describes biological characteristics that distinguish
males and females.
Gender roles change over time and vary from culture to
culture.
What Is Gender Inequality?
Gender inequality is the difference in power and access to
resources, rights and privileges based on gender roles
and gender discrimination.
What is Gender Mainstreaming?
Gender mainstreaming is the scrutiny, development and
implementation of policies and laws to make sure there
are no adverse effects on either gender, particularly
women.
What Is Gender Based Violence?
“Gender-based violence (GBV) is an umbrella term for any
harm that is perpetrated against a person’s will; that has a
negative impact on the physical or psychological health,
development, and identity of the person; it is the result of
gendered power inequities that exploit distinctions
between males and females, among males, and among
females. Although not exclusive to women and girls, GBV
disproportionately affects women and girls across all
cultures. Violence may be physical, sexual, psychological,
economic, or socio-cultural”.
“If Not Now, When? Addressing Gender Based Violence in Refugee, Internally
Displaced and Post-conflict Settings: A Global Overview” - Women’s Commission
for Refugee Women and Children, Jeanne Ward, April 2002
What Does GBV Include?
It encompasses but is not limited to :
• Physical, sexual, psychological violence occurring in the
family, including:
- Battering
- Sexual abuse of children
- Dowry related violence
- Marital rape
- Female genital mutilation
- Harmful traditional practices
• Non-spousal violence and violence related exploitation
What Does GBV Include?
• Physical, sexual, and psychological violence occurring
within the general community including rape, sexual
abuse, sexual harassment, and intimidation at work, in
educational institutions, and elsewhere
• Trafficking in women and forced prostitution
• Physical, sexual, and psychological violence perpetrated
or condoned by the state, wherever it occurs
From the UN Declaration of Violence Against Women, adopted the United Nations
General Assembly, Article 1 & 2, 1993).
Gender Violence Throughout
the Life Cycle (0-25 years old)
Phase
Type of violence
Infancy
Female infanticide; emotional and physical abuse; differential access to
food and medical care for girl infants
Childhood /
Pre-adolescence
Child marriage; genital mutilation; sexual abuse by family members and
strangers; differential access to food and medical care; child prostitution;
bullying/violence at home, school or in the community due to not
conforming to stereotypical gender roles
Adolescence
Dating and courtship violence (for example, acid throwing in Bangladesh,
date rape in the United States); economically coerced sex (African
secondary school girls having to take up with “sugar daddies” to afford
school fees); sexual abuse in the workplace; rape; sexual harassment;
forced prostitution; trafficking in women; violence, bullying or social
pressure due to expressing / exploring a gender identity not accepted by
the dominant culture.
Reproductive Age
Abuse of women by intimate male partners; marital rape; dowry abuse
and murders; partner homicide; psychological abuse; sexual abuse in the
workplace; sexual harassment; rape; abuse of women with disabilities;
violence, bullying or social pressure due to not conforming to the gender
identity and gender roles promoted by the dominant culture.
Gender Based Violence ≠
Violence Against
Women and Girls Only
Gender based violence is violence that is directed at an
individual based on his or her biological sex, gender
identity, or perceived adherence to socially defined norms
of masculinity and femininity1.
More recently, the definition of GBV has been expanded to
include all forms of violence that are related to (a) social
expectations and social positions based on gender and (b)
not conforming to a socially accepted gender role or
gender identity2.
1 Adapted from Gender-based Violence and HIV: A Program Guide for Integrating Gender-based
Violence Prevention and Response in PEPFAR Programs. United States Strategy To Prevent
and Respond to Gender Based Violence Globally, US Agency for International Development,
2012.
2 From Gender Matters: A Manual on Gender Based Violence Affecting Young People. Council
of Europe, 2006.
Who Experiences GBV?
• Disproportionately women and girls
• Men and boys
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI)
persons of concern (women, girls, men, boys,
transgender and intersex) can suffer a wide range of
discrimination and violence because of their sexual
orientation and/or gender identity.
Who Perpetrates GBV?
• The majority of perpetrators of gender based violence
are (heterosexual) men and boys.
• However, as dominant social norms can be internalised
by all, women and girls and LGBTI persons who
promote dominant gender roles and gender identities or
commit violence rooted in patriarchal ideology with the
underlying purpose of maintaining social power can also
be seen as perpetrators of gender based violence.
• Categories of perpetrators may include:
- Family members;
- Community members;
- Those acting on behalf of, against or in disregard of cultural, religious, state,
or intra-state institutions
Gender and Disability
• Women and girls with disabilities experience double discrimination,
which places them at higher risk of gender-based violence, sexual
abuse, neglect, maltreatment and exploitation.
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989) was the first
Convention to mention disability and enshrine the rights of children with
disabilities.
• The General Comment 9 on the Rights of Children with Disabilities
acknowledges the special vulnerability of children who are at risk of
multiple discrimination including girls with disabilities.
• Child helplines must make sure that disabled children, particularly
disabled girls, have access to child helplines and the services where
child helplines might refer.
• Remember to include disability as part of a gender analysis.
Preventing Gender Inequality and
Gender Based Violence
Suggestions for GBV Prevention Activities for Child Helplines
• Raise awareness about gender roles and gender inequality.
• Raise awareness to promote education for girls.
• Conduct gender based violence awareness activities and training in the
community, with community leaders, referral partners and other stake
holders.
• Involve men and boys to promote girls and women’s empowerment.
• Mobilise community (women, leaders, men, boys and girls) to stand up
and say that GBV is not acceptable in our families and communities.
• Join with other organisations to advocate to enact, create and enforce
laws and policies that protect human rights and discourage the abuse
of power.
Responding to Gender Based Violence
Response to GBV (including sexual violence), should address the
consequences of GBV. Consequences of GBV can be grouped into four
main areas:
• Health
• Emotional/Psychological/Social
• Legal protection
• Security / Community Environment
Suggestions for GBV Response Activities for Child Helplines
• Training child helpline counsellors and referral partners in appropriate and gender
sensitive response techniques
• Providing information or referrals for needed services to address GBV
• Being there for a child who just wants to be listened to
• Providing an in-person appointment or organising an immediate rescue
The response depends on the situation of each caller and the capacity of
each helpline.