Combating Gender Discrimination and Promoting Equality
The Fight Against Gender Discrimination
The term woman appears in most dictionaries with definitions such as: a female person; a person who has reached puberty; a spouse; or a housewife who manages the home, farm, and family. Historically, these definitions have often reduced women to roles centered on domesticity or sexual appeal.
For decades, women have faced discrimination based on traditional societal norms, including:
- Race
- Sex
- Religion
- Non-conforming personal preferences
While biological differences exist between men and women, society has historically assigned negative values to the female experience, often rooted in machismo. Despite this, women have fought to earn and maintain their rightful place in society.
For years, men viewed women primarily as instruments for reproduction and domestic care. Through struggle, labor, and social achievements, women have successfully faced the challenge of balancing professional organizational roles with the demands of home and family, representing a significant and heavy burden.
Gender and Violence
Gender refers to the set of social characteristics attributed to a person based on their sex. It is a cultural construct:
- Detecting sexist behavior: Identifying the tendency to judge ability or failure based on sex, rather than individual merit.
- Challenging stereotypes: Utilizing the concept of gender in work and study helps avoid the mistake of accepting rigid male and female models that distort reality.
International Legal Protection of Women
Many women are subjected to discriminatory mechanisms based on class, ethnicity, gender, or age, resulting in systemic disparities in legal, political, economic, and social spheres.
Key international milestones include:
- 1979: The UN General Assembly passed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
- 1981: CEDAW received the necessary ratifications to enter into force, formally establishing the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
- 1993: The General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (Resolution 48/104), which mandates that States and the international community take concrete measures to eliminate violence against women in both public and private life.