Gender Equality and

Millennium Development Goals

Presented to Rwanda Rotoract

Associations Annual Conference

Dr Shirley Randell AM,

Senior Advisor, Governance & Gender,

SNV Rwanda

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Gender Equality

• - Difference between sex and gender?

• - What does gender equality mean?• - Why is gender equality important?• - What is gender discrimination?• - How to achieve gender equality?• - How we are mainstreaming

gender in Rwanda?• - Towards MDG 3 in Rwanda• - What can Rotoract do?

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Sex

• Sex indicates the biological/physical differences between men and women that we are born with

• For example men can impregnate and women can give birth and breast-feed

• Sex is universal• Sex is generally not changeable

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Gender

• Gender indicates the socially constructed differences between men and women.

• It refers to the relationships between men and women, boys and girls, and how these are socially constructed.

• Gender roles are dynamic and change over time.

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What is Gender Equality?

• Gender equality is about men and women being valued to the same extent and sharing equally and fully in the process of development, enjoying equal status, recognition and consideration.

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Why Gender Equality is Important• Without the equal participation of women

and men there can be no real, sustainable development.

• The realization of women’s and men’s full potential, the promotion of human rights, and the equal opportunity to contribute to the betterment of the society are fundamental in the development process.

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What is Gender Discrimination

• Gender discrimination is any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of reducing or preventing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by men or women, of their equality, human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.

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What is Gender Discrimination (cont)• Women and men may be treated

differently (restricted or excluded or violated) in the family, the community, the workplace or society due to gender stereotypes:- e.g. when women with suitable qualifications and experience are not promoted to leadership positions because a society believes that only men can make important decisions - or when maternity leave is granted to women after the birth of a child and paternity leave is denied to men.

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What Gender Discrimination

leads to• Endemic poverty, inequitable and low

economic growth, high HIV/AIDS prevalence, and inadequate governance.

• Any form of gender discrimination is a denial of human rights, an obstacle to human development.

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Development Indicators Female Male

Life expectancy at birth 45.6 years 42.1 years

Combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary levels 48.6% 58%

Adult literacy rate (age 15 and above)48.6 % 70.5%

Estimated earned income (PPP US $) Women living below poverty line $US 985

65.3%

$US 1,583

Selected Development Indicators by Sex, Rwanda, 2004

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Selected Development Indicators by Sex,

Rwanda, 2004Development Indicators Female Male

Total rate of economic activity 82.3% 93.5%

Employment in the non-agricultural sector

24% -

Participation in tertiary education

39% 61%

Participation in Government at Ministerial level

35.7% 64.3%

Participation in National Parliament

48% 52%

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How to achieve Gender Equality?

Mainstreaming Gender:The process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, ensuring that women and men have equal access and control over resources, development benefits and decision-making, at all stages of the development process: – Legislation– Policies– Budgets– Programmes– Projects, and in all areas and at all levels.

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How to achieve Gender Equality?

(cont)Women’s empowerment:- central to human development, the process of enlarging people’s choices, which cannot occur when the choices of half of humanity are restricted.

- Targeted actions aimed at empowering women and righting gender inequities in the social and economic sphere, as well as in terms of civil and political rights, must be taken alongside efforts to en-gender the development process.

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How to achieve Gender Equality?

(cont)• Gender equity: the process of being fair to

women and men - the impartial treatment of all

people without regard to sex, class, race, age

• It balances past or current differences that have

had a negative impact on women's or men's ability

to participate fully in families, communities,

organisations and societies with specific actions or

interventions

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Gender Equity

• Development programs, policies and projects affect men and women differently - and this often calls for special measures to "level the playing field".

• For example, programs to improve educational access and achievement for girls, so that they can catch up with boys, is an equitable way to achieve equality in access to resources.

Towards MDG 3

Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

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Indicators• Indicator 9: Ratio of girls to boys in

primary, secondary and tertiary education.

• Indicator 10: Ratio of literate females to males of 15-24 year olds.

• Indicator 11 :Share of women in wage

employment in the non-agricultural sector.

• Indicator 12: Proportion of seats held by

women in national parliament.

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Towards MDG 3Planned Activities

The important issues for women in development to achieve MDG 3 will be addressed within targeted Ministries

• PRIMATURE

- MIGEPROF (To monitor gender policy and practice in all Ministries)- MININFORM (To ensure a better reflection of women and gender issues in media)

• MINEDUC (To ensure the same ratio of boys to girls in primary, secondary and tertiary education and in literate women to men 15-24 year olds)

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Towards MDG 3(cont)

• MINECOFIN (To ensure a gender responsive budget and incorporation of gender issues in the planned activities of the Government of Rwanda)

• MINIJUST (To eliminate gender discrimination in law, the family, property rights, violence against women)

• MINISANTE (To reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, HIV/AIDS)

• MINAGRIC (To empower women and men in modern agricultural and livestock technology

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Towards MDG 3(cont)

• MINALOC (To encourage women & men to access administrative and leadership positions and integrate gender in decentralisation process)

• MIFOTRA (To enhance men’s and women’s rights and opportunities in the work sphere)

• National Police (To sensitise police officers on violence against women)

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Towards MDG 3(cont)

• Support for women entrepreneurs

• Increase the share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector

• Ensure gender equity in employment

• Change the social perception of women in the work sphere

• Encourage the participation of women in the labour market by a proper working environment and facilities for women

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Rwanda

• Women in Rwanda are subjected to various

forms of violence because existing gender

relations invariably place them in a subordinate

position in the socioeconomic, legal and cultural

context.

• Although the Rwanda Constitution guarantees

equality before the law and equal protection

under the law for all citizens, the principle is

often ignored with respect to women’s rights.

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Rwanda Challenge

• In a country like Rwanda where poverty is acute, there is the need for the full cooperation of both men and women in all spheres of life.

• This is the challenge that Rwanda faces to assist people to learn, to cooperate, to respect each other, to build together their country.

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–But what is

happening in other

parts of the world

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Man of the Year Awards for Gender

Discrimination

3rd Place goes to:  Albania

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2nd Place goes to:  Serbia

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And the Winner of the year is Ireland!

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Gender is about Men and Women

• When we talk about gender, we often talk more about women to ensure the positive changes needed in our society.

• Gender is a human issue, which deals with both women and men

• Gender is often overlooked as an aspect of men’s identity.

• Cultural norms and practices about ‘masculinity’ and expectations of men as leaders, husbands and sons (gender) are important in shaping the demands on men and their behavior.

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The Role of Men in Achieving Gender Equality• Equality implies changes for both men and

women

• More equal relationships will need to be based

on a redefinition of the rights & responsibilities of

women and men in all spheres - family,

community, workplace and society

• Men and women participate as partners in the

process of a more gender-equal society.

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Possible Rotoract Projects

• Opportunity for comparative research between countries

• Sex-disaggregated data collection- numbers of women and men in decision-making committees and management, teaching, service staff positions- numbers of male and female students men in different faculties- Gender analysis of budget allocations

• Gender analysis of research and publications, curriculum and materials, and organisational rules, regulations and procedures for gender sensitivity

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Rotoract Projects (cont)

• Development of university policies on gender,

sexual harassment, human resources –

recruitment, promotion, training

• Development of gender equity policies for women

in law, engineering etc, women in management

• Developing gender-friendly culture, practices and

physical infrastructure in universities, e.g.

accommodation, sanitation

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Education Projects at School Level.

Informing and motivating girls to pursue careers Informing and motivating girls to pursue careers

in science, technology, engineering and in science, technology, engineering and mathematicsmathematics

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Rotoract Projects (cont)

• Study on violence in the universities and implementing strategies to reduce it

• Peer education programs on gender for students, community

• Analysis of men’s and women’s working days

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Women’s Double Day

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Rotoract Projects (cont)

• HIV/AIDS and gender, empowering women in relationships and promoting more gender-equitable norms and behaviors among young men as an HIV/AIDS prevention strategy

• interactive group education sessions, and community-wide social- marketing campaigns promoting condom use and gender-equity messages