Statistical Terms Glossary

Gender norms are ideas about how men and women should be and act.  We internalize and learn these “rules” early in life. This sets-up a life-cycle of gender socialization and stereotyping. Put another way, gender norms are the standards and expectations to which gender identity generally conforms, within a range that defines a particular society, culture and community at that point in time.

Gender parity is another term for equal representation of women and men in a given area, for example, gender parity in organizational leadership or higher education. Working toward gender parity (equal representation) is a key part of achieving gender equality, and one of the twin strategies, alongside gender mainstreaming.The gender parity index measures the progress towards gender parity in participation and/or educational opportunities for females compared to males. It also reflects the level of strengthening the position of women in society. It is calculated by dividing the indicator value for females by the indicator value for males. The gender parity index = 1 indicates the parity/equality between females and males. A value of less than 1 generally indicates a disparity in favor of boys/men, while a value greater than 1 indicates disparity in favor of girls/women.

The term ‘gender perspective’ is a way of seeing or analyzing which looks at the impact of gender on people's opportunities, social roles and interactions. This way of seeing is what enables one to carry out gender analysis and subsequently to mainstream a gender perspective into any proposed program, policy or organization.

A planning approach that recognizes the different roles that women and men play in society and the fact that they often have different needs.

Women’s social and economic standing in society relative to men, such as female/male disparities in wages and employment opportunities, unequal representation in the political process, unequal ownership of land and property, and vulnerability to violence (i.e. strategic gender need/interests).

Introduction of gender equality requirements in public procurement, in order to use these as an instrument to advance gender equality.

Check carried out on any policy proposal to ensure that any potential gender discriminatory effects arising from that policy have been avoided and that gender equality is promoted.

Positive measurement instrument aimed at accelerating the achievement of gender-balanced participation and representation by establishing a defined proportion (percentage) or number of places or seats to be filled by, or allocated to, women and/or men, generally under certain rules or criteria.

Set of medical measures that can, but do not have to, include psychological, endocrinological and surgical treatments aimed at aligning a person’s physical appearance with their gender identity.

Gender-redistributive policies are interventions that intend to transform existing distributions to create a more balanced relationship between women and men; they may target both women and men or one of the two according to the situation.

A complex system of personal and social relations through which women and men are socially created and maintained and through which they gain access to power and material resources or are allocated status within society.

Question of whether a particular law, policy or action is relevant to gender relations and/or gender equality.

A policy or programme that considers gender norms, roles and inequality with measures taken to actively reduce their harmful effects.

Learned behaviors in a given society/community, or other special group, that condition which activities, tasks and responsibilities are perceived as male and female. Gender roles are affected by age, class, race, ethnicity, religion and by the geographical, economic and political environment. Changes in gender roles often occur in response to changing economic, natural or political circumstances, including development efforts.

Refers to the way children, boys and girls, are being taught how to become women and men. It is based on assumptions of what it means to be a man or a woman, For example, the standards of masculinity define men as strong, influential, heterosexuals, and successful.

Gender statistics are the statistics concerned with gender issues, and by measuring the status of both women and men in various fields and during their life cycle. Gender statistics is one of several other statistical branches, it has its own concepts, tools and methodologies. However, at the same time, it intersects with traditional statistical branches that also include statistics on households, health, economics, poverty, education and training, human rights and the environment, transport, and others. Gender statistics aims to prepare, produce and publish statistics that determine the differences between both sexes, given that they are not concerned with women and their roles only, but also on the role of men in society. Since it is a tool used to measure these disparities, it is a mean of identifying gender disparities and the change required to address them. Gender statistics also aims to monitor the development and impact of public policies related to issues of gender equality and women's empowerment, by providing government agencies and civil society with a set of vital data and indicators that give an accurate picture of the dynamics of relationship between the sexes and their social, economic and cultural conditions.

Ascribing certain attributes, characteristics and roles to people based on their gender. Gender stereotypes can be negative (i.e., women are bad drivers, men can’t change diapers) and benign (i.e., women are better caregivers, men are stronger). Gender stereotyping becomes harmful when it limits a person’s life choices, such as training and professional path, and life plans. Compounded gender stereotypes occur when layered with stereotypes about other characteristics of the person, such as disability, ethnicity or social status.

This global strategy identifies adolescents as being central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Academic, usually interdisciplinary, approach to the analysis of the situations of women and men and gender relations, as well as the gender dimension of all other disciplines.

System of economic, social, cultural and political structures that sustain and reproduce distinctive gender roles and the attributes of women and men.

Each United Nations Country Team (UNCT) is charged with establishing a gender theme group. The Gender Thematic Group (GTG)is the main mechanism for increasing collaboration, partnership and coherence within a unified United Nations approach to supporting progress and capacity of national partners. The work of most thematic groups on gender is to: facilitate dialogue on gender issues and encourage gender mainstreaming among partners; undertake activities supporting women’s human rights and empowerment in general and providing support for national policies and action plans; focus on training, production of gender briefing kits, and inputting into the Common Country Assessment(CCA)/United Nations Development Assistance Framework(UNDAF) processes, as well as work involving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs).

Process of developing awareness and capacity on gender issues, to bring about personal or organisational change for gender equality.

Level 5 of the WHO Gender Responsive Assessment Scale: Addresses the causes of gender-based health inequities by including ways to transform harmful gender norms, roles and relations. The objective of such programmes is often to promote gender equality and foster progressive changes in power relationships between women and men.

Representation of either women or men in any decision-making body in public and political life not falling below 40 % as a parity threshold.

Gender-based analysis+ (GBA+) is a method for examining a policy, program or initiative for its varying impacts on diverse groups of women and men, girls and boys.

Complex form of violence that targets a person’s sex or sexuality, representing a pattern of behaviour rather than an isolated event.

Constraints that women or men face that are a result of their gender. An example of constraints women farmers face might be not having title to their land, male dominated cooperative membership, being more tied to their homes preventing access to extension services. Constraints that are not based on gender are referred to as general constraints.

Includes any distinction, exclusion or restriction due to gender that has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Direct discrimination occurs when a difference in treatment relies directly on distinctions based exclusively on characteristics of an individual related to their sex and gender, which cannot be justified on objective and reasonable grounds (e.g. laws excluding women from serving as judges). Indirect discrimination occurs when a law, policy, programme or practice appears to be neutral but has a disproportionately negative effect on women or men when implemented (e.g. pension schemes that exclude, for instance, part time workers, most of whom are women).

In emergencies, such as conflict or natural disasters, the risk of violence, exploitation and abuse is heightened, particularly for women and girls.ixAt the same time, national systems and community and social support networks may weaken. An environment of impunity may mean that perpetrators are not held to account. Pre-existing gender inequalities may be exacerbated. Women and adolescent girls are often at particular risk of sexual violence, exploitation and abuse, forced or early marriage, denial of resources and harmful traditional practices. Men and boys may also be survivors. GBV has significant and long-lasting impacts on the health and psychological, social and economic well-being of survivors and their families.

An umbrella term for any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and that is based on socially ascribed (gender) differences between females and males. The nature and extent of specific types of GBV vary across cultures, countries and regions. Examples include sexual violence, including sexual exploitation/abuse and forced prostitution, domestic violence, trafficking, forced/early marriage, harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, honour killings and widow inheritance.