Women and Gender Issues
Pourquoi les politiques macroéconomiques comptent pour l’égalité des sexes
Cette Note offre une synthèse des conclusions de recherche des analyses et des recommandations de politique concernant la création d’un ordre macroéconomique différent répondant à la dimension du genre. On croit souvent que la politique macroéconomique y compris les politiques fiscales et monétaires est neutre face aux questions de genre. Toutefois les choix de politique économique n’affectent les femmes et les hommes de manière semblable en raison des places différentes qu’ils et qu’elles occupent dans l’économie qu’il s’agisse de l’économie de marché (travail rémunéré) ou de l’économie hors marché (travail non rémunéré). Par exemple des coupes budgétaires qui réduisent les dépenses sociales peuvent accroître la demande en travail non rémunéré des femmes au foyer. La libéralisation du commerce peut réduire l’emploi de femmes dans des secteurs à prédominance féminine touchés par la concurrence de produits importés tels que certaines cultures vivrières. Or jusqu’ici les politiques macroéconomiques ne se sont guère souciées de ces questions et n’ont donc pas contribué à la réalisation de l’égalité des sexes. En concentrant son analyse sur les objectifs les mesures et les instruments de politique dans ce domaine la Note décrit les principaux problèmes qui se présentent du fait des politiques macroéconomiques actuelles et propose les éléments d’un ordre macroéconomique alterne fondé sur les droits et répondant à la dimension du genre.
Making National Social Protection Floors Work for Women
This brief synthesizes research findings analysis and policy recommendations on making social protection floors work for women. The idea of a social protection floor (SPF) is now firmly established on the global development agenda. Defined as a set of minimum guarantees including basic income security for children working-age adults older people and people with disabilities as well as essential health care for all SPFs hold promise for women who are over-represented among those excluded from existing social protection schemes. To date however the integration of gender concerns in social protection has been uneven and ambiguous with women’s specific risks and constraints not addressed. Drawing on cross-country evidence and experiences this brief highlights promising ways to make SPFs work for women. Much can be done in terms of integrating gender into the design and implementation of programmes that promote income security across the life cycle including cash transfers public works programmes and pensions. To provide long-term solutions however these efforts must be part of a broader package including policies that enable women to access decent work—which remains the main source of income for most working-age adults and their families.
Online and ICT Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls during COVID-19
The brief highlights emerging trends and impacts of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on online and ICT facilitated violence against women and girls (VAWG). It provides examples of strategies put in place to prevent and respond to online/ ICT facilitated VAWG and makes recommendations on how different actors can best address this issue. It is a living document that draws upon the knowledge and experience of a wide range of experts who support solutions to end online VAWG and violence facilitated by ICTs.
Violence Against Women and Girls Data Collection during COVID-19
This is a living document that summarizes principles and recommendations to those planning to embark on data collection on the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on violence against women and girls (VAWG). It was informed by the needs and challenges identified by colleagues in regional and country offices and has benefited from their input. It responds to the difficulties of adhering to methodological ethical and safety principles in the context of the physical distancing and staying at home measures imposed in many countries.
COVID-19 and Violence Against Women and Girls
This brief presents emerging evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on violence against women and girls (VAWG). The brief advocates for measures that prevent and respond to VAWG in the current circumstances of lockdown as well as for investments that ensure the safety of women and girls in longer-term recovery plans. It makes recommendations to be considered by all sectors of society from governments and multilateral institutions to civil society organizations private companies and donors with examples of actions already taken. In addition to providing the latest research and data on VAWG in the context of the public health crisis the brief considers the social and economic implications of this “shadow pandemic” which at present are on track to endure long after the immediate health threat posed by COVID-19 has passed.
Igualdad de género, desarrollo infantil y creación de puestos de trabajo
Este resumen sintetiza las conclusiones de las investigaciones los análisis y las recomendaciones normativas para obtener el triple dividendo que ofrecen los servicios de educación y cuidados en la primera infancia. Estos servicios han pasado a ocupar un lugar muy importante en la agenda política mundial. Algunos países desarrollados llevan mucho tiempo invirtiendo en esta área aunque un creciente número de países en desarrollo están comenzando a seguir su ejemplo. La mayor parte del trabajo de cuidado infantil recae sobre las mujeres —como cuidadoras no remuneradas pero también como proveedoras de servicios en centros de enseñanza preescolar y guarderías— por lo que tienen un enorme interés en esta cuestión. No obstante sus implicaciones para las mujeres sea como madres o como trabajadoras dedicadas al cuidado infantil no quedan suficientemente reflejadas en el trabajo de las organizaciones internacionales ni en las numerosas políticas de ámbito nacional que tienden a concentrarse principalmente en las niñas y los niños. Las inversiones correctamente diseñadas en servicios de educación y cuidados en la primera infancia pueden ofrecer una elevada rentabilidad económica y social para las familias las personas y las sociedades en su conjunto puesto que: a) facilitan la participación de las mujeres en el mercado de trabajo; b) mejoran las capacidades de las niñas y los niños y c) permiten crear puestos de trabajo decentes en el sector de los cuidados remunerados. Sin embargo este triple dividendo no se obtiene de forma automática; es necesario integrarlo en el diseño y la prestación de los servicios. Este resumen expone distintos mecanismos para el financiamiento la prestación y la regulación de los servicios de educación y cuidados en la primera infancia y pone de relieve una serie de vías prometedoras para la realización del triple dividendo. El documento defiende que la clave reside en servicios de cuidado infantil de alta calidad que ofrezcan disponibilidad y sean asequibles accesibles y compatibles con las necesidades de los padres y madres que trabajan.
Why and How Constitutions Matter for Advancing Gender Equality
Constitutions are the most authoritative expressions of States’ systems of governance and accountability and therefore pose potential opportunities for and threats to the advancement of gender equality. This policy brief outlines the gains and gaps in gender-responsive constitution-making over the years and the policy lessons that can be drawn from these for ongoing constitutional and post-constitutional reforms. It finds that there has been a significant growth in genderresponsive constitutions since the 1980s. However it argues that while this is an important achievement the persistence of gender discriminatory provisions in some constitutions as well as the lack of a clear pathway between constitution-making and policy and legislative change tends to diminish the contribution of constitutions to gender equality efforts. It examines strategies that have been used by different players for achieving gender-responsive constitutional changes and pinpoints examples of situations in which reforms have been harnessed for positive advances in jurisprudence policy and legislation.
PREVENTION: Violence against Women and Girls & COVID-19
This brief provides background information on the root causes and risk factors that explain why violence against women occurs in the first place. It highlights how the context of COVID-19 (coronavirus) is exacerbating those factors and the impact it is having on rates of violence against women and the ability to undertake evidence-based prevention work in the current context. It outlines the guiding principles for prevention activities and provides indicative interventions that can be undertaken during social distancing. The brief draws from the prevention field and evidence-based frameworks. It is a living document that will benefit from the vast and evolving knowledge of a wide range of experts who are supporting solutions to end violence against women and girls across countries and contexts.
COVID-19 and Ensuring Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces for Women and Girls
The brief highlights emerging trends and implications for women and girls’ safety in cities and public spaces recognizing the continuum of violence against women and girls in private and public spaces throughout different phases of the pandemic. It provides examples of concrete action taken at the local level in partnership with governments grassroots women and women’s rights organizations the private sector and other partners including from cities participating in the UN Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Flagship Initiative and in particular from cities where the disease is widespread. The brief includes recommendations to be considered by governments international organizations women’s rights and other civil society organizations. It is a living document that complements other policy briefs prepared by UN Women on COVID-19 (coronavirus) and ending violence against women. It draws upon the knowledge and experience of a wide range of experts who support solutions to end sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women and girls in urban rural and online settings attentive to the country context in which the crisis is occurring.
Conseguir niveles mínimos de protección social adecuados para las mujeres
Este resumen sintetiza las conclusiones de las investigaciones los análisis y las recomendaciones sobre políticas para lograr unos niveles mínimos de protección social adecuados para las mujeres. La idea de un nivel mínimo de protección social está ya fuertemente arraigada en la agenda mundial para el desarrollo. Definido como un conjunto de garantías mínimas que incluyen la seguridad de los ingresos básicos para las niñas y los niños las personas adultas en edad de trabajar las personas mayores y las personas con discapacidad así como atención básica de la salud para todas y todos el nivel mínimo de protección social es prometedor para las mujeres que sufren de forma desproporcionada la exclusión de los regímenes de protección social existentes. Hasta el momento sin embargo la integración de las cuestiones de género en la protección social ha sido desigual y ambigua omitiendo abordar los riesgos y las limitaciones específicos a las mujeres. Con base en las pruebas obtenidas y las experiencias extraídas a escala internacional este documento pone de relieve algunas vías prometedoras para conseguir unos umbrales mínimos de protección social para las mujeres. Queda mucho por hacer en lo que concierne a la integración del género en el diseño y la ejecución de los programas de fomento de la seguridad de los ingresos a lo largo de todo el ciclo de vida incluidas las transferencias monetarias los programas de obras públicas y los sistemas de pensiones. No obstante para que las soluciones aportadas sean duraderas estas iniciativas deben formar parte de un paquete más amplio que incluya políticas dirigidas a favorecer el acceso de las mujeres a un trabajo decente que sigue siendo la principal fuente de ingresos para la mayoría de las personas adultas en edad de trabajar y para sus familias.
COVID-19 and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
This brief highlights emerging evidence of the impact of the recent global pandemic of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on violence against women and girls. It makes recommendations to be considered by all sectors of society from governments to international organizations and to civil society organizations in order to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls at the onset during and after the public health crisis with examples of actions already taken. It also considers the economic impact of the pandemic and its implications for violence against women and girls in the long-term. It is a living document that draws upon the knowledge and experience of a wide range of experts who support solutions to end violence against women and girls attentive to the country context in which the crisis is occurring
COVID-19 and Essential Services Provision for Survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls
This brief highlights emerging trends and implications for the provision of essential services (health police and justice social services and coordination of these services) for women and girls who have experienced violence during the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. It provides actions taken at the regional national and local levels in partnership with Governments civil society organizations and UN entities. These include promising practices from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative and pilot and self-starter countries participating in the UN Joint Global Programme on Essential Services for Women and Girls Subject to Violence and rollout of its main guidance the Essential Services Package. It draws upon the knowledge and experience of a wide range of stakeholders who are supporting solutions to end intimate partner violence and other forms of violence against women and girls accounting for the individual country context in which the crisis is occurring. It makes recommendations to be considered by different partners including key line ministries civil society organizations and international organizations who are seeking to improve the quality of and access to coordinated and multi-sectoral services for all women and girls including those who are most marginalized and at increased risk of experiencing violence.
Exploring Women’s Empowerment through Asset Ownership and Experience of Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread globally with an estimated one-third of women aged 15 years and over experiencing physical and/or sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner during their lifetimes. Economic empowerment or the financial standing of women is often thought to protect against IPV signalling sufficient economic autonomy to leave abusive situations or to prevent abuse. Asset ownership is one measure of economic empowerment and can convey substantial agency as a wealth store especially for large productive assets such as agricultural land or home ownership. Despite the important implications of IPV reduction for policy and programming evidence of this relationship is scarce.We hope this research will advance our global understanding of this potential.
¿Por qué es importante la política macroeconómica para la igualdad de género?
Este resumen sintetiza las conclusiones de las investigaciones los análisis y las recomendaciones sobre políticas dirigidas a crear una agenda macroeconómica alternativa y con perspectiva de género. A menudo se piensa que la política macroeconómica incluidas las políticas fiscal y monetaria son neutrales desde el punto de vista del género. Sin embargo las decisiones en materia de política económica afectan de manera distinta a las mujeres y los hombres debido a que ocupan posiciones diferentes en la economía tanto en el mercado (remunerado) como fuera de él (sin remuneración). A modo de ejemplo los recortes presupuestarios que reducen el gasto social pueden incrementar la demanda de trabajo doméstico no remunerado una tarea que recae fundamentalmente en las mujeres mientras que la liberalización del comercio puede influir negativamente en el empleo femenino en sectores con una excesiva representación de mujeres y que sufren la competencia de las importaciones como el de los cultivos alimentarios. Pese a ello hasta el momento las políticas macroeconómicas han prestado escasa atención a estas cuestiones y no han favorecido precisamente el logro de la igualdad de género. Este documento se centra en los objetivos indicadores e instrumentos de política para describir los principales problemas que muestran las políticas macroeconómicas actuales y expone los pilares fundamentales de una agenda macroeconómica alternativa basada en derechos y sensible al género.