What is gender equity?

Several concepts attempt to be the starting point towards greater equality between men and women.

There are many theoretical concepts that attempt to establish certain criteria when evaluating and promulgating equality between people. One of them is the concept of gender equitywhich today we will try to describe and learn about in depth.

Equity and gender

Fairness, justice and equality constitute the parts on which the concept of equity is based, on the other hand, the way to associate and group individuals who share at least one or more characteristics is gender.

Gender equality and equity

"The different behaviors, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favored in the same way."

-ABC of Women Workers for Gender Equality; Geneva, 2000, p. 47-48

Equality between men and women is protected by gender equity in the use of services and social goods.. This means eliminating discrimination between the sexes and not favoring, in a preferential way, men over women in the aspects that make up social life, as happened, as usual, decades ago in Western society as a whole.

Conditions for gender equity

"The rights, responsibilities and opportunities of each will not depend on whether the person is a man or a woman."

However, in order for gender equity to be achieved, two essential circumstances must be created. On the one hand, equal opportunities and, on the other hand, the creation of a series of conditions to take advantage of these opportunities..

We must bear in mind that gender equity means creating standards for existing opportunities and distributing them fairly between both sexes.. Men and women must have the same opportunities for development in all aspects; on a personal level, the opportunity to grow, to fulfill oneself and to be happy, as well as in the workplace. The state, therefore, has to ensure that resources are allocated proportionally.

"Men and women shall be treated fairly according to their own needs. The treatment given to each may be different but equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations, and opportunities."

Gender equity in the workplace

Women cannot be paid less than men for the same work-related functions, they must obtain the same based on their merits and one gender must not be favored to the detriment of the other.. Regardless of gender, equal pay must be received in the same job, with the same responsibilities and obligations.

An extremely important aspect should be added, equity does not mean neglecting the characteristics of each gender in particular, an example of this is that women are entitled, in the same way as men, to a longer maternity leave than paternity leave. In this case, we are dealing with strictly Biological issues and are making what is called positive discrimination between the two sexes..

What do we mean by positive discrimination?

We will now explain a crucial concept when it comes to applying equity: positive discrimination. positive discrimination o affirmative action. This term is key: it refers to actions aimed at reducing discriminatory practices against certain sectors of the population.who, throughout history, have been culturally excluded and considered as rootless and vulnerable beings.

An example would be individuals with physical or mental disabilities and likewise women, who due to the influence of Judeo-Christian and patriarchal culture, have been relegated to the category of second-class individuals. All this is even more aggravated if, because of gender, women also have the condition of being handicapped, as we mentioned earlier, or any other characteristic that is culturally considered negative.

Positive discrimination translates into specific legislation designed to equalize employment opportunities, exercise of democratic rights, and the exercise of social and cultural rights.The positive discrimination translates into specific legislation designed to equalize employment opportunities, the exercise of democratic rights, participation in state institutions and government bodies, as well as access to education. All this has required countless years of mobilization and social demands.

Examples include laws to protect women in cases of gender-based violence, favoring coeducation or gender desegregation, economic aid or tax exemptions, among other measures.

In some developed countries, the result of positive discrimination has been very effective in the progressive equalization of women in the labor market.

What progress has positive discrimination made?

It should be noted that, in order to achieve the aforementioned equality, significant progress is currently being made.. We find, to mention just one fact, that in Spain the so-called parity between men and women in the political sphere is being promoted.

There are organizations dedicated exclusively to gender equality. These entities promote equality between men and women while advocating for women's rights. They constantly elaborate useful policy proposals to achieve equity, thus promoting women's presence and participation in all sectors of society.They constantly elaborate useful political proposals to achieve equity, thus favoring women's presence and participation in all sectors of society.

It is interesting to recall the most important events in relation to women's rights and equality and equity. Such as the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of 1982 and recommendation 19 and Recommendation 19, which clarified that violence against women is a form of discrimination. Another event would be the unprecedented mobilization in 1993 to demand that the World Conference on Human Rights to take a stand in favor of their rights and which led to the creation of Article 18; which reads:

"The human rights of women and the girl child are an inalienable and indivisible part of universal human rights. The full and equal participation of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life and the eradication of all forms of discrimination based on sex are priority objectives of the international community."

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights'' (..) ''everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.''

-Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 1 and 2.

"Spaniards are equal before the Law, without any discrimination whatsoever on the grounds of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion or any other personal or social condition or circumstance."

-The Spanish Constitution of 1978; Article 14.