Global Action Methodologies for Empowerment to Change

Gender Justice

Gender Justice is a non-negotiable underpinning in all GAMEChange processes. Human rights for women are essential for effective development programmes.

‘GENDER’ IS SIMPLE: IT MEANS WOMEN AND MEN TREATING EACH OTHER LIKE EQUAL HUMAN BEINGS WITH EQUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Happy Family Tree, ASKI

Women’s Human Rights

Women are not a minority. In most countries they are a marginalised majority. In more disadvantaged groups and poorest regions they are the overwhelming majority of the population.

Gender is a social construct and can be changed:

  • Biological sex differences are very few and are unimportant in terms of determining gender inequality.
  • Gender inequalities are socially determined
  • Because they are social constructs gender inequalities can be changed.

UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

GAMEChange uses the CEDAW framework rather than other gender frameworks because it is very concrete and the CEDAW convention has been signed by most governments of countries where gender processes are being implemented. This means that gender cannot be dismissed as an external imposition.

CEDAW focuses is on five women’s equal human rights:

  • Equality of property rights
  • Equality of work and leisure
  • Equality of decision-making
  • Freedom of association and movement
  • Freedom from violence

For further details on the Convention and its implementation see: https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/

working with men

Gender means both women and men:

  • Discrimination based on gender adversely affects men as well as women.
  • Actions to change discrimination requires actions by men to change their existing attitudes, privilege and practice.
  • Nevertheless current gender inequalities affect women more adversely than men.
  • This justifies prioritizing strategies that empower women to achieve their full human potential.
  • But men are potential allies in change, not monsters to be avoided. Many men also want a more human, just, democratic and sustainable world.
Happy Family Tree quantification

focus on Gender justice

Gender justice is the state where all people, regardless of their gender identity, have equal rights, freedoms, opportunities and access to resources, free from gender-based barriers and oppression.

Gender justice is mainstreamed across all GAMEChange methodology adaptations as an integral and inseparable part of any development programme for men as well as women, and at all levels.

Gender analysis and actions to change gender inequalities at personal, household and community levels are in-built into all facilitation processes and diagram templates.

Gender Justice goes beyond gender equality by seeking to dismantle the systemic structures, norms, and power relations that perpetuate discrimination, ensuring equitable outcomes and promoting healing for everyone. It requires:

  • Inclusivity: Gender justice recognizes the experiences of all genders, including women, men, LGBTQIA+, and non-binary people. 
  • Systemic Transformation: It addresses the root causes of inequality by changing harmful gender and power relations within families, communities, and institutions. 
  • Equity, Not Just Equality: While gender equality means equal outcomes, gender justice emphasizes equity, which is about providing fair access to resources and opportunities by addressing the specific barriers individuals face. 
  • Dismantling Oppression: The goal is to eliminate all forms of oppression and create a world where no one experiences gender-based discrimination or violence. 
  • Empowerment and Collective Action: Gender justice supports women and other marginalized groups in taking collective action and leadership to bring about sustained improvements in their rights and lives. 

In GALS the picture diagrams and facilitation and leadership processes place much more emphasis on gender justice. This means that many changes emerge naturally and more quickly and strongly from participatory discussions and fun activities.

In Gender Justice Reviews CEDAW women’s human rights provide a framework for individual and organisational vision and deciding which sorts of actions and strategies emerging from the participatory process are supported. Those actions and trends which reinforce CEDAW eg changes in women’s property rights, decision-making etc are reinforced. Those which infringe on women’s rights eg increased male control of decision-making, expenditure on alcoholism or prostitution etc are discouraged.

  • Gender Action Learning System (GALS)

    Gender Action Learning System (GALS)

    Gender Action Learning ‘System’ (GALS) adapts GEMs participatory visioning, planning and documentation methodologies to promote Gender Justice and empower women…

  • Empowerment Against Violence (EAV)

    Empowerment Against Violence (EAV)

    EAV works with women and men within families, communities and institutions to examine and address different forms of Gender-Based Violence.…

  • Gender Justice Review (GJR)

    Gender Justice Review (GJR)

    Gender Justice Reviews are participatory community-led GALS events that assess gender achievements and challenges to develop new gender action plans.…

In GEMs Equitable Wealth Creation methodologies, women and men do their own visioning, analysis and planning to achieve their economic visions.

There is an emphasis on inclusion, gender sensitivity and gender accuracy in use of language and words like ‘entrepreneur’, ‘business person’, ‘farmer’ and promoting women’s voices equally with those of men in discussions.

GEMs tools situate economic strategies, work and wealth in the wider context of ‘Happy Families’ and ‘Happy LIfe’. Gender inequalities are commonly a key source of unhappiness for men as well as women. Men as well as women are often anxious to change. Participants discuss also how peer pressure reinforces gender stereotypes and toxic behaviours for men as well as women.

gender justice movement

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  • Empowerment Action Learning System

    Empowerment Action Learning System

    GEMs Action Learning ‘System’ enables informed, participatory and inclusive collaboration between stakeholders to improve ‘win-win’ action plans for change. Empowerment…

  • Implementation for Sustainability

    Implementation for Sustainability

    Sustainable GEMs implementation involves ongoing innovation, adapting proven methodologies for different purposes, contexts and participant priorities. No empowerment blueprints exist!

  • Global Network

    Global Network

    GAMEChange Network is constantly evolving and expanding. The experiences here are ones with whom Linda Mayoux has worked since 2002.…