Gender Equity

Gender equity refers to the dignity and  rights that all people possess . This term refers to the right that men and women have to receive fair treatment, regardless of gender, and to the struggle to guarantee access for all to opportunities in the social, economic, political, and domestic spheres.

The word  genre  encompasses several definitions that are related to each other. Gender is a state of mind in which a person identifies as a man or a woman. Gender equity also reaches the non-binary gender, made up of those people who do not self-determine as men or women.

The great difference between genders in relation to  decision-making  or power causes social and political weakness. Currently, it seeks to implement greater gender equity towards women in  society  since it is the most discriminated gender .

The movement that claims the rights of women arose from the 70s when they began to claim gender equity that equates women’s access to  health ,  education  and political participation to what only men had at that time.

In 1995, the World Conference on Women was held in Beijing, in which various international agencies and governmental and non-governmental institutions promoted the use of strategies to raise awareness in society about gender inequalities, regulated at the local and international level.

Why is gender equity important?

Gender equity is a  human right . All people have rights and duties by the mere fact of being a person. Guaranteeing the rights of people of all genders is essential for the construction of just and equitable societies.

The development of strategies for the promotion of equity between genders seeks that all people can have the opportunity to access the different spaces, goods and services that they request.

Women do not always enjoy the same rights as men due to structural differences and the unequal distribution of power. Men and women must have equal participation in decision-making, in access to education and a professional life. In order to reduce the differences of the political, social and economic system, each one must be able to express his ideas, priorities and opinions.

Inequalities in the treatment of people according to gender cause situations of violence , abuse and mistreatment, generating an individual and social imbalance. Societies and communities must develop different strategies that provide equal opportunities for both men and women to be active characters in the community , with equal access to resources,  management  , and decision-making.

In order to achieve a balance and correct development in society, it is essential that the contribution of all people of any gender be respected, fulfilling the role of citizens , social individuals and generators of resources.

Examples

• Access to politics . Both men and women have equal rights to hold public office. However, the political sphere is one of the scenarios in which the fight for gender equity must be addressed. The number of women leaders in political positions (presidencies, chambers of deputies, senators, judges, mayors and governors) throughout the world is much lower than that of men. This generates a lack of plurality and gender discrimination . It is important to promote the participation of women in political life to tip the balance towards gender equity.
• Access to education . Receiving an education is one of the fundamental human rights. There should be no gender, race, or culture discrimination to access it. There are still many countries in the world where access to education is still not guaranteed.
• Access to work. All people have the right to access the same job opportunities regardless of gender. However, there is still a work accidents with sick leave, and unpaid leave for personal matters. In the latter case, the firm may cut the employee’s salary gap and differences in access to management positions between men and women. Gender equity fights to ensure that women have the same rights as men in the workplace.
• Fight against violence . Violence is one of the greatest violations of human rights, both for men and women. Violence against the female gender is one of the biggest social problems that women face.

Gender equity and gender equality

Although the concepts of equity and equality are often used as synonyms , there is a difference between the two. On the one hand, gender equality refers to giving equal treatment to all people regardless of their gender, since everyone has fundamental human rights.

On the other hand, gender equity seeks to consider, when appropriate, the differences between genders to give each one what corresponds to them. This implies access to certain rights or responsibilities .

Equity focuses on the idea of ​​justice . For example: gender equity is giving women maternity leave according to the implications of the pregnancy process.

Gender equity seeks to put into practice the theory that gender equality exposes. Gender equality leads the fight for the insertion of changes in the different social spheres regarding the role of people.