INTERNATIONA
L
INSTRUMENTS
FOR GENDER-
RESPONSIVE
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES:
• Define gender-responsive governance and its
importance.
• Identify and analyze key international instruments.
• Apply knowledge to recommend solutions for
implementation.
What is Gender-
Responsive
Governance?
Gender-Responsive
Governance
Gender-responsive governance recognizes the
different needs, roles, and experiences of women
and men in society and ensures that policies and
programs are designed and implemented to
address these differences, promoting equal
opportunities and outcomes.
While international instruments have
played a vital role in advancing gender
equality, their implementation faces
significant challenges, hindering their full
potential in promoting gender-responsive
Convention on the
Elimination of All
Forms of
Discrimination
Political Participation: Ensuring women's
equal rights to vote, stand for election,
and hold public offi ce.
Education: Eliminating discrimination in
access to education, promoting equal
opportunities for girls and boys, and
ensuring access to all levels of education.
Compliance and legal training
Health: Addressing discrimination in
healthcare, promoting women's
reproductive rights, and ensuring
access to quality healthcare services.
Economic Empowerment: Promoting
women's equal rights to work, own
property, and engage in economic
activities without discrimination.
Optional Protocol: Enables
individuals to fi le complaints
against states if they believe
their rights under CEDAW have
been violated. This mechanism
enhances accountability for
states to uphold CEDAW's
STRENGTHS
• Groundbreaking: First international human rights
treaty explicitly dedicated to eliminating
discrimination against women.
• Impact on National Laws: Has influenced national
legislation and policies in many countries, contributing
to progress in women's rights.
LIMITATIONS
• Implementation Challenges: Some countries face
difficulties in implementing CEDAW effectively,
particularly in areas like legal reform, social attitudes,
and cultural practices.
• Reservations: Some states have made reservations
to certain articles of CEDAW, limiting the scope of its
application in those countries.
Beijing Platform
for Action
(BPfA)
12 Critical Areas
1. Education: Ensuring equal access to education for girls
and women, promoting gender-sensitive curricula, and
combating gender stereotypes.
2. Health: Improving women's health, including access to
reproductive health services, combating gender-based
violence, and promoting women's mental health.
3. Violence Against Women: Eliminating all forms of
violence against women, including domestic violence,
sexual assault, and trafficking.
4. Economic Empowerment: Promoting women's economic
participation, access to resources, and leadership
opportunities.
5. Political Participation: Ensuring women's equal
participation in decision-making at all levels, from local to
national and international.
6. Human Rights: Promoting women's human rights,
including their rights to freedom, equality, and dignity.
7. Armed Conflict: Addressing the specific needs of women
affected by armed conflict and promoting their role in
peacebuilding.
8. Environment: Recognizing the disproportionate impact of
environmental degradation on women and promoting their
participation in environmental decision-making.
9. Media: Promoting gender-sensitive media that challenges
stereotypes and promotes positive images of women.
10. Culture: Addressing harmful cultural practices that
discriminate against women and promoting gender equality
in cultural expression.
11. Poverty: Recognizing the disproportionate impact of
poverty on women and promoting women's economic
empowerment.
12. Research and Development: Promoting gender-
sensitive research and development, including in areas
related to women's health, education, and technology.
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
SDG 5: Gender Equality: Focus on ending
discrimination, promoting women's economic
participation, and ensuring equal leadership
opportunities. Examples include ensuring girls'
education, access to healthcare, and political
representation.
Gender Integration: Gender equality is
crucial for ALL 17 SDGs. Addressing
gender inequality is essential for
poverty reduction, food security, health
improvements, and climate action,
among others. Women's empowerment
drives sustainable development.
