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The term “Gender” is referring to the socially and/or economically constructed activities, behavior, roles, and/or attributes that are considered appropriate at a given place and time in society for women and girls, and boys and men, and the interrelated relationships and differences. So let’s talk more about Gender and Gender Inequality.

Gender is defining and differentiating what girls and women, and boys and men are expected or supposed to be doing or developing into, regarding their roles, rights, responsibilities, and/or their obligations in their communities or societies.

Gender inequality

Of course, there are distinct biological and physical differences between girls and boys and women and men, and of course, these differences may lead to different roles, capacities, or needs for each group, but these differences in themselves should never result in or be used to justify any unequal rights or social status.

In many societies, these distinct differences in behaviors and roles defined for girls and women, and boys and men, are causing gender inequality, meaning there is a difference between girls and women, and boys and men that favors one group in a systematic way.

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In our western world, HIV/AIDS has become a pretty well-contained situation that can be treated perfectly well with medication. But there are parts of the world like Africa, Latin America, Asia, and even Russia when access to proper medication is practically non-existent. This is a major cause of gender inequality and violence against women with HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDs affects more women than it affects men. My professional life lies in HIV/AIDS research and it was only until recently that the particular research project that I work for decided to include a gender section of the research report.

I’ve been reading various articles about women, HIV/AIDS, and specifically Western Africa, and I was not surprised to see the direct correlation with HIV/AIDS and domestic violence.

Not only is violence in heterosexual married relationships directly related to the likelihood of using condoms during intercourse (which makes women vulnerable to HIV), but violence with sex workers also makes women more vulnerable to HIV. To read more correlations between gender, violence, and HIV/AIDS, the Global AIDS Alliance has a great fact sheet.

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What is Gender Mainstreaming?

The term “Gender Mainstreaming” comes from English and refers to the “integration of the sexes” or “equality policy”. The aim is to successfully implement gender equality at all levels of society. The term “Gender Mainstreaming” was first used at the third UN World Women Conference in Nairobi in 1985.

Ten years later, at the fourth World Women Conference in Beijing, the term was propagated. Gender mainstreaming became widely known in 1997/1999 when the Amsterdam publishing house appointed the concept of the officially recognized focus of the European Union’s gender equality policy.

Gender mainstreaming is often confused with classical women’s policy and interpreted as one and the same, but this is not correct. Gender mainstreaming differs from explicit women’s policy in that within the framework of gender mainstreaming, both sexes, i.e. male and female, are to be integrated equally into the holistic concept design.

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