What is a Gender Lens? Its Importance, Application, and Challenges

Gender lens is a concept that gained attention across sectors but the understanding remains unclear for the masses. What is a gender lens? and why it is important. This article aims to investigate the details of the gender lens, through its definition, application, importance, and challenges. 

By the end of this article, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the term and its importance in our society. 

In different societies women and men are expected to fulfill certain gender roles. These roles come with different needs and demands which are sometimes visible and sometimes they are difficult to identify.

However, fulfilling the demands and needs of women, men, and non-binary people can help us develop a just and gender-inclusive society. This can be done through adopting and applying the approach of gender lens.

Gender Lens Definition

According to the United Nations, the gender lens “takes the existing differences between women and men into account when analyzing a situation or when developing specific approaches or programmes”.

In simple language, it means making women, men, and non-binary people visible when designing and planning a program, policy, project, or product. Women and men have different needs hence, social, economic, and political systems should consider those needs.

What is a Gender Lens?

A gender lens is an approach or analytical tool that helps us to examine issues, policies, and programs with the framework of gender. It helps you to understand how different genders are benefited or affected by various factors.

The economic opportunities, healthcare facilities, access to education, and freedom in political participation can be different for women and men. A gender perspective or lens helps you to identify the barriers, disparities, disadvantages, and biases, with the aim of promoting inclusion and equality. 

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Understanding the Gender Lens

A gender lens is often explained with the example of a pair of glasses. You see things clearly when you wear them in your daily life. It’s easy for you to read a book, a magazine, an article on a computer screen or a road sign.

Without glasses, your surroundings appear blurred and you are unable to focus and see the details around you. Similarly, to identify gender discrimination, gender biases, and gender stereotypes you need a gender lens. When you wear gender glasses you see things clearly from a gender perspective. 

Why Do We Need Gender Lens?

The world we live in is broadly designed to fulfill the needs of men. Men are the default settings. Hence, when designing a policy, program, project, or even a product the needs and demands of men are taken into consideration. 

Women’s needs and requirements are overlooked because of the assumption that their needs are similar to men. This mindset mislead many decision-makers because they fail to recognize the difference between women and men.

The way of perceiving men and women without any lens blurs your vision. You need to wear gender glasses when analyzing, designing, planning, and making decisions. This will help you to clearly see the difference between genders and develop a gender-sensitive policy, program, project, or even a product.

The Importance of a Gender Lens

1. Identifying Hidden Biases and Inequities

A gender lens is very significant in identifying hidden biases and systemic inequities. Without wearing gender glasses you approach things in a traditional manner. Hence, you often overlook gender-related disparities. 

For example, building a school in a village doesn’t necessarily mean that girls will also go to school. Poor sanitation facilities or long routes might discourage girls from attending school. Such issues can be identified and addressed by adopting a gender approach. 

2. Enhancing Policy Effectiveness

Decision-makers might develop ineffective policies and programs if they don’t consider gender needs and gender differences. Including a gender perspective helps you to ensure that policies and programs are gender-sensitive and responsive to the needs of diverse social groups. 

For instance, many health policies don’t differentiate between female and male needs. They may fail to address the needs or specific conditions of one gender. Similarly, economic policies might ignore social norms that hinder women’s economic participation. Such examples can disadvantage a social group leaving them vulnerable and disadvantaged.

3. Promoting Inclusive Decision-Making

Incorporating a gender perspective in the planning and decision-making process fosters inclusivity and diversity. Diversity in the decision-making process gives a voice to different social groups. This reflects their needs and helps policy-makers and decision-makers to address them.

Including diverse genders and social groups enhances fairness and leads to more innovative and effective solutions. One popular example is the design and size of smartphones which ignores the needs of their female users. Generally, these smartphones are designed so big that women can’t use them with one hand. This depicts that these phones are designed for male customers.

4. Supporting Social Justice and Equity

Adopting a gender lens is essential to promote social justice and equity. It helps to recognize and address the systemic barriers that different genders or social groups might face. It fosters social justice and human rights by combating discrimination and ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.

Applications of a Gender Lens

1. Governmental Policies and Programs

A gender lens adopted by governments and policymakers can be beneficial to develop effective policies and programs. This separately identifies the needs of women, men, and non-binary people. It reduces gender discrimination and ensures a just and inclusive society.

For instance, governmental organizations can introduce special projects and programs that benefit marginalized gender. Similarly, a gender analysis can also help with gender-responsive budgeting.

2. Business Policies and Corporate Strategy

Applying a gender lens by companies and businesses can help them develop more effective strategies and policies. This can only enhance their potential and outcomes. 

Companies adopting a gender lens and gender approach in their operations are often more successful in attracting diversity. Research reveals that diverse teams lead to innovative and effective solutions. This also increases brand reputation and customer loyalty. 

3. Healthcare and Medicine

It is imperative that the health and medicine industry use a gender lens to address gender-specific health needs and disparities. Diagnosis of a disease and its treatment requires gender-sensitive approaches because the bodies of women and men are different and they react differently. Hence, adopting a gender lens can help to come up with effective treatments. 

4. Education

Girls and boys face different situations when it comes to education. For instance, girls are occupied with household chores whereas boys may have to earn money for their family. These scenarios are different and they require different approaches that encourage these children to go to school.

In such situations, a gender lens can help to develop targeted policies and programs. Adopting a gender approach can foster inclusion and address disparities. 

Gender Lens Challenges 

There is no doubt that gender lens has various benefits, but these come with challenges which are discussed below. 

1. Resistance to Change

Adopting a gender lens approach might challenge traditional approaches. Hence there is a possibility of resistance from individuals and institutions. The resistance can be overcome through education and advocacy campaigns that demonstrate the tangible benefits of gender-inclusive policies and practices.   

2. Intersectionality

A person’s gender is attached to other identities such as their race, class, religion, disability, etc. The associated factors can be challenging for decision-makers to take into consideration.

Applying a gender approach without considering these factors may not resolve the problem. In some cases, it can increase disparities. Hence, such dimensions must be addressed when adopting a gender approach.

3. Data Gaps

Another major challenge in adopting a gender approach is insufficient data. Missing, incomplete, or no data can result in incomplete gender analysis which can increase gender inequalities. 

Before designing a program, policy, or even a product one should ensure the availability of required data. This can be achieved by collecting disaggregated data that provides a clear picture of gender-related issues. 

4. Tokenism

There are businesses and organizations that adopt gender approaches in a superficial manner. These practices are no good for improving gender equality and gender inclusion. Hence, companies and organizations should integrate gender into their core policies rather than treating them as an add-on.

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Conclusion

The gender lens is a powerful tool that can promote inclusion and equity across sectors in societies. Adopting a gender approach or lens requires a comprehensive gender analysis that identifies gender gaps and disparities. 

This can help you to develop efficient and effective policies, programs, projects, and even products. Despite the challenges, the benefits are invaluable and helpful for creating a just and inclusive society.