Gender Equity bulletin, Issue 0, August 2014

 
 
The Gender Collaborative Information and Knowledge Network- a project by Lebanon Support in partnership with Diakonia*

The Gender Collaborative Information and Knowledge Network is an online collaborative platform, part of Lebanon Support’s Civil Society Knowledge Center (CSKC), bringing together civil society organizations, researchers, practitioners, and experts to enhance local and national capacities, improve access to knowledge and its development, and provide evidence-based research, information, and literature on gender issues and concerns.

 

Why the Gender Equity Newsletter?

This newsletter aims to connect gender actors and practitioners in Lebanon through the sharing of expertise, in an attempt to create a space for better collaboration, networking, and equal access to knowledge, research, and information. Each issue will cover the work of actors, their activities, and projects, in addition to recommending relevant resources and tools, as well as information and statistics relevant to gender work in Lebanon.
 

Your feedback is welcome
This is the pilot issue of the bulletin, if there are any specific issues relevant to gender work in Lebanon you'd like to see addressed or featured in future issues, please send us your suggestions to daleel-madani@lebanon-suport.org.
 
 
Editorial

Gender equity v/s gender equality?

These terms, often used interchangeably, nevertheless carry important differences. International  human rights law, more specifically the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), clearly adopts “equality”. This caused controversy and debate between UN and international agencies, on the one hand, and some human rights activists, on the other.

CEDAW(1) refers to the concept of “equality”, assuming it would set broad and objective standards for member states to monitor compliance with the treaty through periodic reports. CEDAW defenders in general argue that “equality” is based on three principles: non-discrimination; state obligation, and the principle of substantive equality, or equality of results(2).

Institutions and UN agencies also consider “equity” to be a broad concept, which might allow governments to offer all types of justifications for their shortcomings. Whereas, they consider equality to be a human right and, therefore, a legal obligation which cannot be avoided.

“Equality”: an androcentric term?

Some scholars and feminists tend to consider the term “equality” as carrying a normative androcentric content (i.e., centered on men), considering that men are the reference or norm against which equality is “measured”. Standardizing equality aims to eliminate differences. However, it disregards the relation of gender with ethnicity, economic class, geographic location, immigration status, sexual identity and orientation, age, abilities, and so on. 

Beyond legal equality

Gender is defined as distinct from sex as it refers to social and cultural constructs that contribute to define and shape a person’s role in society. A rights-based definition of gender equality can be developed with reference to two of the fundamental international instruments in this regard. 

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights(3) (UDHR) declares that all humans are born free and equal – reiterated in the second paragraph of CEDAW. The terms “equal rights of men and women” and “equality of rights of men and women” are repeated at least four times in the first five paragraphs, reaching “full equality of men and women” in the final opening paragraphs before Article 1.

CEDAW goes on to enumerate the “same rights” and the “same opportunities”, which must be available to all men and women in various fields of human activity, including, but not limited to, education, marital legislation, and labor. 

Thus, the concept of gender equality may be taken to primarily refer to the full equality of men and women in enjoying the full range of political, economic, civil, social, and cultural rights, without anyone being denied access to these rights or deprived thereof based on their gender.

However, to achieve full equality in the meaningful sense, equality under the law may not be sufficient, although critical. The historically and traditionally “inferior” positioning of women needs to be addressed and contextualized. In that sense, formal or legal equality, which involves simply “adding women” to the existing paradigms, may be an insufficient response to women’s inequality.
Thus, it is not sufficient to look at legal obstacles facing women. Attention must be focused on the existing motivations and causes driving the conditions of women’s oppression and gender discrimination to a large extent. This entails addressing institutional structures that continuously sustain oppression and discrimination against women, and, by effect, challenging the cultural, traditional, and religious norms that typecast women as “inferior” to men.

For such reasons, there seems to be an emerging move away from the term "Gender Equality", notably among some feminist and gender groups towards using “Gender Equity”, which encompasses justice as an integral element of its application and looks at the whole society as the subject of its interventions. Thus, it surpasses the limited nature of legal reforms, which might guarantee rights but does not necessarily guarantee women’s ability to practice such rights, nor does it put an end to the existing dynamics of social, economic, and cultural discrimination.
In that sense, a justice-driven approach for gender (i.e. Gender Equity), encompassing both the legal track – which guarantees much needed rights and protection mechanisms – and the mobilization track – which intends to mobilize different social groups and society as a whole – is neededto ensure that such rights are applied and to defeat the conditions and the motives of existing discrimination and violence.

 
 
End Notes
(1) Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, UN, 1979. Electronic version available at: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm(hereinafter CEDAW). 
(2) For a discussion of these principles please refer to: IWRAW Asia Pacific, Equity or Equality for Women? Understanding CEDAW’s Equality Principles, Occasional Papers Series No. 14, International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific,  2009.
(3) 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN, 1949. Electronic version available at: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
 

 

 

Box1: CEDAW’s principles for Gender “Equality”.

 

Article 1 of the CEDAW: Non-discrimination

For the purposes of the present Convention, the term “discrimination against women” shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.

Article 2 of the CEDAW: State Obligation

States Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women and, to this end, undertake:

(a) To embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their national constitutions or other appropriate legislation if not yet incorporated therein and to ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the practical realization of this principle;

(b) To adopt appropriate legislative and other measures, including sanctions where appropriate, prohibiting all discrimination against women;

(c) To establish legal protection of the rights of women on an equal basis with men and to ensure through competent national tribunals and other public institutions the effective protection of women against any act of discrimination;

(d) To refrain from engaging in any act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation;

(e) To take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women by any person, organization or enterprise;

(f) To take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which constitute discrimination against women;

(g)To repeal all national penal provisions which constitute discrimination against women.

The Principle of Substantive Equality implies that:

To achieve substantive equality in all spheres CEDAW requires two types of actions by the State: (1) actions to achieve equality of opportunity between men and women, and (2) actions to correct the inequalities of power between men and women. The first type action requires that all women regardless of their race, ethnicity, etc. have the right to equality of opportunities with men of access to the resources of a country or community. This must be guaranteed through laws and policies with their respective mechanisms and institutions to assure compliance. Also, CEDAW establishes that the basis for evaluating.

 
It also adopts temporary measures in the article 4 to achieve de facto or substantive equality for women.

 

 

 

Box 2: an example of a UN definition:

 

Gender equality, equality between men and women, entails the concept that all human beings, both men and women, are free to develop their personal abilities and make choices without the limitations set by stereotypes, rigid gender roles and prejudices.Gender equality means that the different behaviour, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favoured equally. It does not mean that women and men have to become the same, but that their rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender equity means fairness of treatment for women and men, according to their respective needs. This may include equal treatment or treatment that is different but which is considered equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and opportunities.

 

Source: ABC Of Women Worker's Rights And Gender Equality, ILO, Geneva, 2000, p.48.

 

Featured Resources

 
Playing for Gender Equality (2013)

Publisher: ABAAD - Resource Center for Gender Equality
This workbook has been published by ABAAD with the support of Save The Children in 2013.
It is composed of games for children aged 8 to 12 years old, in the purpose of teaching them notions and terminology relevant to gender equality so that they are more aware of inequalities around them. The manual is to be used by certified trainers, and allows them to start important conversations with children about the concepts learned through the games. Read more
 

 

Syrian Women & Girls: Fleeing Death, Facing Ongoing Threats and Humiliation (2012)

Publisher: International Rescue Committee(IRC)
This rapid Gender-Based Violence conducted by International Rescue committee in 2012 focuses on risks and violence faced by women and girls among the Syrian refugee population within Lebanon.
The assessment methodology utilized a selection of primary data collection tools, including focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and safety audits in the North and Bekaa governorates of Lebanon. It was based on the prioritization of accessing and understanding ‘big picture’ issues: focusing on more qualitative ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions, rather than quantitative/statistical data around GBV incidence among the Syrian population. Read more
 

 
 
Cases of Femicide Before Lebanese Courts (2011)
This case study book entitled “Cases of Femicide before Lebanese Courts” was written by Azza Charara Baydoun and published by KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation in 2011.
The introduction sheds light on two crimes committed against women, the first by her husband and the second by her brother, within the context of family structure and its relations (mistrusting and adultery, and family honor), followed by a hypothetical version of the story in which the genders and roles are reversed. It explains the concept of femicide, and the role of laws and the legal system in addressing cases of GBV and achieving gender equality. Read more

 

 

The Effects of Socialization on Gender Discrimination and Violence (2011)

Publisher: Oxfam
This document is a report on a pilot study on ‘The Effects of Socialization on Gender and Violence’, an activity component of the regional three-year programme (2009–2011), funded by Oxfam and the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, entitled ‘Strategies and Approaches to Working with Men and Boys to End Violence against Women’. The programme had been initiated to encourage the inclusion of men in combating Violence Against Women and achieving gender equality. In Lebanon, it has been implemented by Oxfam GB in partnership with KAFA (Enough) Violence and Exploitation Against Women and Children. Read more

 

٥٣٤ فقط لا غير (2009)

Publisher: Helem Association

هذا الكتيّب، من إعداد جمعية حلم نشر عام 2009، يعرض حقائق ووقائع لها علاقة بالهوية والميول الجنسية، وإنتهاكات حقوق الإنسان التي قد تستهدف أشخاص بسبب ميولهم أم هويتهم الجنسية. المورد يراجع معنى الميول الجنسية والهوية الجنسية، كما يراجع "مبادئ يوغياكارتا بشأن تطبيق القانون الدولي لحقوق الإنسان بالعلاقة مع الميول الجنسية وهوية نوع الجنس" التي أصدرت في آذار 2007.

Read more

 

Call for contributions: 

Bringing ideas back in: Rethinking gender equality, relations, and strategies in Lebanon

This call for papers emerged from a series of consultative meetings held by Lebanon Support with gender actors in Lebanon (scholars, practitioners, and activists), to identify research gaps and priorities within Lebanon’s gender sector. In particular, Lebanon Support encourages contributions looking into the Lebanese context (including Palestinians, Syrians, and other migrants and refugees living in Lebanon). Lebanon Support will give priority to submissions that adopt a radical and critical approach to gender related concepts and categories, engaging with a solid theoretical framework and based on fieldwork research. Read more

Link to Arabic version of the call.

 

In Focus

The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering

The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering (LWDG) is a democratic, secular, and feminist organization founded in 1976 that works with civil society actors. LWDG aims to achieve full equality between sexes. Its objectives are as follows: achieving equality between women and men; withdrawing reservations on CEDAW; implementing the terms of CEDAW to ensure gender equality in personal status laws, nationality, Penal Code and provisions laws, social benefits, and labor laws; promoting the participation of women in decision-making and political participation (notably through an advocacy campaign on civil electoral reform but also through a programme that aims at strengthening women’s participation in labour unions and political parties); and raising awareness on women's rights as human rights.

LWDG also focuses on combatting violence against women, concentrating on women in prisons and adopting a rights-based approach so as to improve the conditions in women's prisons in Lebanon.

LWDG has one main branch in Beirut, two in Bekaa, and three in the South, North and Mount Lebanon.

 

Strategy and approaches

LWDG focuses on working on women empowerment; it works as a pressure group on decision-makers through it’s various campaigns to amend the existing laws and through a wide coordination network of women and women collectives in the country. LWDG is also very active in the preparation of reports to specialized committees in international agencies the UN.

As part of the democratic secular women’s movement, LWDG emphasizes the importance of international Conventions such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and CEDAW, among others. LWDG believes that gender equality can be verified through the construction of an independent women’s movement, which seeks to build alliances with democratic political and labor forces and acts as a progressive and trans-confessional pressure group.

 RDFL believes that dialogue with civil and political society in Lebanon and in the region is an means to mainstream women’s issues and concerns. Our ultimate goal is to achieve a political system that promotes civil peace, and respects public freedoms and individual liberties.

 

Challenges ahead

Multiple obstacles and challenges are faced when working towards equality. 
Lebanon’s political and security situation is one of the major impediments to social change where citizens’ issues are not given any priority, and most of the efforts are focused on managing conflicts and the distribution of power. Moreover, the absence of a political will, the weakness of public institutions, and the lack of inclusion of women in political parities, render the ability of women’s movements to affect change more difficult, especially when facing a sectarian political structure that governs people’s public and private lives and limits the possibility of developing advanced laws that guarantees equality and personal freedoms and rights. 
From another angle, there is a general weakness within the human rights movement in Lebanon, coupled with discriminatory laws against women that fail to protect them from violence, and a widespread lack of awareness among both men and women, in addition to women’s wide absence from decision making positions and processes resulting in their causes not being adequately represented/defended in public policies and strategies.

 

 

Last / upcoming activities

Within the project "elections from a gender perspective”, LWDG organized meetings with all political leaders to present the concept of quota and requested to include it in the electoral law.  

Within the project "Strengthening the role of political parties and trade unions in the activation of the political participation of women," LWDG organized a series of trainings  for local activists as well as from the region.

Within the program of “women's rights”, LWDG organized a round-table about the marriage of minors. 

Within the project of” women's prisons” , LWDG organized an exhibition of media content prepared by reporters trained on new approaches to cover the problems of women's prisons and prepared articles and videos in a media competition.

LWDG  launched within the project of “political parties and trade unions campaign "Nadalna sawa menkamel sawa" a media campaign in which women and men of trade unions and political parties contributed.  

The Bekaa Branch worked with the Syrian refugees through the provision of psychological, legal and social support, in Quosronba and baalbeck centers.

In the upcoming months, LWDG will be organizing a regional forum and and conference on the issue of women's political participation. We will also launch a report on the practices of the prison’s authorities and we will organize a series of trainings on women’s rights at the Beirut Bar Association.

 

To know more about LWDG:

check out their website following this link,

and their Daleel Madani profile following this link.

 

 

Around the world

new law combating violence against women has been announced in Morocco and holds some promising progressive aspects, notably its definitions of violence and harassment.

In Canada, a new bill concerning prostitution is being discussed by parliament, but was decried as recriminalizing sex work and putting sex workers and vulnerable people at risk of more violence instead of protecting them, among other issues.

In England, the Anglican Church voted for allowing women bishops, after the bill was rejected two years ago.

Out of safety concerns for transgender and gender non-conforming people, the number of gender-neutral bathrooms is growing in the USA, especially in universities. Meanwhile, Facebook introduced around 50 new gender options, in addition to three preferred pronoun choices (her, him, or them), following years of lobbying from users and activists.

*The Gender Equity Newsletter is published by Lebanon Support with support from Diakonia and the Swedish development cooperation. The views expressed in this newsletter are solely those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Lebanon Support, Diakonia or the Swedish development cooperation.

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