Frequently Asked Questions about Gender  

COL has adopted gender mainstreaming as an organizational strategy to ensure that gender equality is considered an integral part of all its policies and programmes. It is more than adding a "women's component" or even a "gender equality component" into an existing initiative, activity or organizational process. Mainstreaming goes beyond increasing girls'/women's participation; it means that the experience knowledge and interests of girls/women and beyond/men are central to COL's Learning for Development agenda.

1.    What is meant by "gender"?

Gender refers to the economic, social and cultural attributes and opportunities which determine what is expected, allowed and valued in a woman/man and girl/boy. Gender roles are learned through socialisation processes; they are not fixed but are changeable. Perspectives and practices relating to gender are reinforced in society through:
.    educational, political and economic systems;
.    legislation; and
.    culture, religion and traditions.


2.    What is the difference between gender balance, gender equality and gender equity? And why is gender equality important?

Gender balance is primarily a matter of balancing numbers. It is about the equal participation of women and men in any activity. Gender equality relates to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men, girls and boys. Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same; rather it is about equal opportunities and rights for all and not treating everyone as though they have the identical interests and needs. Gender equity goes one step further. It refers to structural power relations including control over resources in society and may include taking positive or affirmative action to ensure that policies and programmes benefit women/girls and men/boys equally.

Equality between women and men is seen both as a human rights issue and as a precondition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-centred development.


3.    What does gender and development encompass?

Gender and development (GAD) focuses on the social, economic, political and cultural forces that determine how women and men participate in, benefit from, and control differently. This approach shifts the focus from women as a group to the socially determined relations between men and women.


4.    What is "gender mainstreaming"?

Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as of men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres, so that women and men benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated.


5.    How does COL approach gender?

For COL, gender equality is a cross-cutting corporate goal which requires that both women's and men's views, interests and needs shape its programmes, organisational policies and processes. COL appreciates that there is a diversity of regional and national experience with respect to achieving gender equality across the Commonwealth.


November 2008