The Gender Perspective It is a process that values the implications for women and men of any status, condition or action. It is a strategy to convert the concerns and experiences of women and men to a social, economic, and labour priority.

The Gender Perspective The gender perspective implies three concepts, corresponding to three differentiated processes: The equality of gender as an objective: recognition of inequalities and discriminations and the will to overcome them, putting the necessary means for this: promoting social and economic changes, etc. The analysis of gender as a means to know: identifying the needs, the starting situations, the conditions of life, and the position of men and women in a differentiated way. Gender mainstreaming: how to systematically proceed by incorporating criteria that ensures equality as a priority in any action, program, project or policy .

The analysis of gender 1: quantitative data Where are the women and men? It is necessary to collect and present disaggregated data by sex to identify, for instance, la current inequality in the labour market, the composition of families and the headquarters, the vulnerability and the risk of exclusion and poverty, the social and political participation…

The analysis of gender 2 : qualitative analysis How are men and women? Identifying the differences of gender in the division of work, in the access and control of resources- participation in the decision-making process on how to manage and allocate these resources- the social norms and values that contribute in maintaining the roles of gender based on sexual division and on the effective enjoyment of rights.

The analysis of gender 3: different needs. What are the different needs that men and women have? Differentiating practical needs (immediate needs, linked to the roles of gender, to the conditions of life and work) and strategic needs (related to the relationship of subordination and strengthening your own political and social position).

Practical Needs and Strategic Needs of Women What are they? Immediate needs of women due to their role of gender, that have to do with the conditions of life and work: In general, the health of women. In specific, the reproductive. Family nutrition. Family care. Exit from the subordination relationship, strengthening the social, economic, and political position, in other words, empowering one’s self. Modify roles, stereotypes, and revisit the identify of gender through: Education and training with prejudices of gender and equality of conditions. Balanced participation in different public spaces. Full and equal integration in the labour market. The distribution of family responsibilities. The control of resources. What can be done? Reduce the workload of women. Ensure the prevention and maintenance of women’s health, in general, and the reproductive aspect in specific. Provide more and better services to families. Full exercise of all human and citizenry rights. Actions to build social consensus. Increase in education opportunities and in the access to the labour market. Favour autonomy and economic independence. Equal access to representative, decision- making, and government positions.

The analysis of gender 4: opportunities and limitations What limitations – restrictions – possibilities are facing them? In a close relationship with the needs, we must identify the obstacles that may appear and the opportunities that can facilitate the satisfaction of these needs so as to be able to achieve the proposed objectives.

The analysis of gender 5: capacity of action. What organizational, institutional, and community- based capacities exist to promote equality? Assessing the ability of our organization and the other bodies or institutions which can and should be involved in the changes to promote.

An example: salaries Where are men and women? Data on the distribution of salaries by sex (at the country, sectoral and employer level). Salary breach. How are they? Analyze the relationship between salaries and segregated labour, link between salaries and poverty and social exclusion, access to collective bargaining and influence on the agenda, etc. What different needs do they have? Heads of household, out of poverty, economic and social value of work traditionally carried out by women, access to all occupational categories and sectors, etc. What are the limitations and opportunities? Reconciling work and family life and impact on labor availability, strength of stereotypes, exclusion of certain sectors of the labor market. Access to occupational training. What trade union capacities do we have? Awareness among people affiliated with the law and equal pay and collective bargaining power to reduce occupational segregation and the wage gap, promoting the presence of women in collective bargaining.