Gender equity before equality

By Sucharita Kamath ANDE India Chapter Head

Recent statistics from the UNDP's Gender Social Norms Index show that biased social norms are still a persistent issue. However, there are some initiatives that are working towards creating a fair and equal environment for all genders. These initiatives include applying intersectional analysis to investment decisions and empowering women in the field of climate entrepreneurship.

I am choosing to speak about this topic, not just as something I am passionate about as a woman myself but also as a professional who hopes to be able to take the agency I have benefitted from and channel that into the work we do at ANDE.

Most of you might already have heard about key findings from UNDP’s 2023 Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) but let me highlight just a few that have me seeing red.

1.? ? ? Half the people believe men make better political leaders.

2.? ? ? 40% believe men are better business executives.

3.? ? ? 25% of people (men AND women) think that it is justified for a man to beat his wife.

Why do I highlight these three? Because they cover 3 of the 4 dimensions that influence social norms – political, economic, and physical. On the educational dimension, I guess the world should be grateful that only 38.5% believe that education is more important for men than women (I hope you aren’t missing the sarcasm here)

While I have quoted the GSNI, it is ironic that this report was supported by financial contributions by the Republic of Korea, which has been in the news recently for wanting to scrap its gender equality ministry. More proof really of how deeply entrenched such social norms are.

The report explicitly acknowledges that “Without tackling biased gender social norms, we will not achieve gender equality or the Sustainable Development Goals.”

So, what will it take to reverse this complete lack of progress on social norms? Shine the torch on creating equity first. Address the underlying imbalances and disadvantages that certain genders face. Gender equity focuses on promoting fairness and justice by acknowledging and addressing the historical and systemic disadvantages that have affected marginalized genders, particularly women and non-binary individuals.

If experiences from affirmative action movements across the world have taught us anything, it is that creating a level playing field is paramount. The role of government policies here cannot be overstated. It provides the stick that flips the switch on changing such deeply entrenched social norms.

It is a call to real action, not action at its periphery. 
We at ANDE try to do this at the intersection of Development 
and the Private Sector while using learnings from there 
to influence Policy.        

Then, of course, there is the carrot. Richenda Van Leeuwen , the Executive Director of ANDE, said commenting on this report, “Read it and weep, or far more productively, read it as a call to action.” I couldn’t agree more. I would just add that it is a call to real action, not action at its periphery. We at ANDE try to do this at the intersection of Development and the Private Sector while using learnings from there to influence Policy.

Let me walk you through a couple of examples of our work at this intersection that I find exciting because of their potential to change such social norms – by focusing on creating equity first. In partnership with Criterion Institute and the 2X collaborative, ANDE hopes that the Advancing Research and Investment Standards for Equity (ARISE) Consortium will start moving the needle on mainstreaming intersectional analysis, making it an essential component of maximizing the impacts of financial investment on education, safety, employment, and other development outcomes for women, girls, and non-binary individuals in developing countries.?

We attempt to do this by working with investors and, more importantly, civil society organizations. To help them shift power imbalances, we build their capacity to find a seat at the investor table. The hope is to be able to move from a “finance as a system of power” construct to a “ finance as a source of capital” one, to reimagine how financial systems can be used to drive gender-transformative change.

Addressing systemic issues at the gender climate intersection 
aligns with global commitments, such as the Paris Agreement,
and strengthens the implementation of climate policies 
and initiatives at all levels.?        

Within the Advancing Gender Equality Initiative umbrella of work, our Action Labs across the Global South have facilitated gender-transformative design practices, advancing systemic solutions to address gender equity.?

International climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, recognize the importance of gender equality and women's empowerment in climate action. Addressing systemic issues at the gender climate intersection aligns with these global commitments and strengthens the implementation of climate policies and initiatives at all levels.?

Still, according to Chatham House fellow Nina Jeffs, only 1.5% of overseas climate-related development assistance identified gender equality as a primary objective, and of this, only 0.2% reaches women-led and women’s organizations. It is this reality we seek to change? through initiatives like the Advancing Women Climate Entrepreneurs (AWCE) program in Africa.

These and many other initiatives will be showcased, discussed, and dissected at the ANDE 2023 Annual Conference.? I look forward to meeting, in Accra, Ghana, ecosystem players who feel as passionately as me about helping create a level playing field for all genders in our journey to changing the status quo.?

DISCLAIMER. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They are free, individual interpretations and ideas related to ANDE's mission but do not purport to reflect the views of ANDE or its members.?