FEWO Committee Report

APPENDIX A
GLOSSARY

Gender is the culturally specific set of characteristics that identifies the social behaviour of women and men and the relationship between them. Gender, therefore, refers not simply to women or men, but to the relationship between them, and the way it is socially constructed. Because it is a relational term, gender must include women and men.¹

Gender-based analysis (GBA) assesses the different impacts of proposed or existing policies, programs, legislation and research on women and men and on different groups of men and women (including children and adolescents). It compares how and why men and women are affected by public policy.

Gender budgeting is the application of gender-based analysis throughout the budgetary process. The definition used by the Council of Europe specifies that “it means a gender-based assessment of budgets, incorporating a gender perspective at all levels of the budgetary process and restructuring revenues and expenditures in order to promote gender equality.”

Gender Equity is the process of being fair to women and men. To ensure fairness, measures must often be available to compensate for historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from otherwise operating on a level playing field. Equity leads to equality.²

Gender Equality means that women and men enjoy the same status. Gender equality means that women and men have equal conditions for realizing their full human rights and potential to contribute to national, political, economic, social and cultural development, and to benefit from the results.³