Peer Learning Summit: Gender-responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes Montego Bay, Jamaica​ | July 26-28, 2022​

1. GENDER CONCEPTS
AND THE CARIBBEAN

2. Gender refers to the social attributes (characteristics) and
opportunities associated with being male and female and the
relationships between women and men and girls and boys, as
well as the relations between women and those between men.
These attributes, opportunities and relationships are socially
constructed and are learned through socialization processes.
They are context / time-specific and changeable. - UN Women
Gender Sex
Sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that
define humans as female or male. Typically persons sex is
categorized as male, female, or intersex (i.e., atypical
combinations of features that usually distinguish male from
female). There are a number of indicators of biological sex,
including sex chromosomes, gonads, internal reproductive
organs, and external genitalia - WHO; UK Office for National Statistics
Gender Identity Sexual Orientation
Gender identity is understood to refer to each person’s deeply felt and
experienced sense of one’s own gender. This may or may not correspond
with the sex assigned at birth. One’s gender identity can change over
time and is subjective and self-defined. Gender identity is distinct from
sexual orientation. – UNOHCHR; Statistics New Zealand (2014)
Sexual orientation refers to a person’s physical, romantic and/or
emotional attraction towards other people. It is generally
understood to be composed of one’s sexual behaviour, sexual
identity, sexual attraction and physiological sexual arousal.
-UNOHCHR; Bailey et al., 2016
Key Definitions

3. •Innate
•Evolutionary
•Biological
• A way of functioning that is
readily accepted.
• Socially and culturally
developed and reproduced
Normal
Natural VS
UNDERSTANDING
THE DIFFERENCE

4. UNDERSTANDING GENDER
Gender Equality
Gender equality (Equality between women and men)
This refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys.
Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights,
responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender
equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into
consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men. Gender equality is not a
women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women. Equality between women and
men is seen both as a human rights issue and as a precondition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-
centered development.
Source: UN Women, OSAGI Gender Mainstreaming - Concepts and definitions

5. UNDERSTANDING GENDER
A GENDER LENS
• A differentiation is made between the needs and priorities of men, women,
LGBTQ+ individuals;
• The views and ideas of men, women and LGBTQ+ individuals are taken seriously;
• The implications of decisions on the situation of women and LGBTQ+ individuals
relative to men are considered: who will gain and who will lose; and
• Action is taken to address inequalities or imbalance between men, women and
LGBTQ+ individuals.

6. Why is progress slow?
VAWG is rooted in, and reproduced through stubborn, yet harmful gender norms, stereotypes and power
differentials that are rooted in multiple layers of society and the person....

7. EQUALITYvs. EQUITY
* Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC)
* Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC)

8. Agency /
Decision
Making
Dignity
Access to
Justice
Sex
Class
Ethnicity
Age
Race
(Dis)ability
SOGI
Identity
Characteristics
Intersectionality
intersectionality

9. Gender Equality is both a stand alone
objective of sustainable development (SDG 5:
Gender Equality) and an integral component
to achieving all 17 of the SDGs.
Without gender equality, progress towards every
SDG is significantly hindered and arguably
impossible. E.g. No Poverty (SDG 1) demands
that no woman or girl is left behind, persons live
free from violence, and women are
economically empowered.
Gender equality, women’s empowermentand sdg’s

10. Different levels of genderawareness
There are 3 levels:-
1. Gender-sensitive: consider gender as a means to reach a development
goal. Recognize gender roles and access to resources in so far as needed to
reach the goals.
2. Gender-responsive: recognize and address the specific needs and priorities of
men, women and LGBTQ+ individuals based on the social construction of
gender roles.
3. Gender-transformative: seek to transform gender roles and promote gender-
equitable relationships between everyone.

11. 1 Gender Analysis
Gather evidence through
gender analysis of the context
2 Programme Design
Use the findings of the gender
analysis to inform programme
design.
3 Resource Allocation
Effective M&E to build the evidence
base.
4 Programme Implementation
Foster multisectoral and
multidisciplinary partnerships,
including women’s
organizations for programme
implementation.
Photo | Unsplash/Kristin Wilson
5 Monitoring and Evaluation
Ensure the allocation of
adequate resources to
effectively address gender
equality considerations in the
programme cycle.
Adapted from UN Women Guidance Note: Gender Mainstreaming in Development Programming (2014)
Gender mainstreaming

12. Empowerment CYCLE
Agency /
Decision
Making
Access to
Resources
Dignity
Social
Protections
Access to
Justice
Skill
Set

13. GENDER CONCEPTS
AND THE CARIBBEAN